While working under the polymath Gio Ponti — arguably the most important figure in 20th-century Italian modernism — furniture designer Franco Albini nurtured a love for modern forms combined with traditional craft techniques.
Albini is widely known for working with organic materials such as rattan and cane for his chairs and other seating, but he also played a pivotal role in the Italian rationalist movement of the early 20th century, which saw architects and furniture makers applying a strict emphasis on geometry in their work. Rationalists drew on Ancient Roman architecture but rejected ornament, much in the way that Le Corbusier and celebrated Bauhaus figures such as Ludwig Mies van der Rohe had in their modernist furniture.
Albini received his degree in architecture from the Polytechnic University of Milan in 1929, and, in 1931, he founded his practice in Milan, where he tackled workers’ housing and other reconstruction projects. A gifted urban planner, he also developed the Palazzo Bianco, Palazzo Rosso and Tesoro di San Lorenzo museums in Genoa. While Albini is revered for his Margherita chair — a Triennale Milano award winner created for Bonacina in 1951 — he also collaborated with manufacturers Poggi and Cassina in the 1940s on seating, tables and more that embodied his artistic vision. Of that mid-century work, the one piece that perhaps best captures this vision is the iconic Luisa chair.
With its cherry red upholstery and sinuous wooden legs that seem to float aboveground, the Luisa is a genuine masterpiece. It is also a testament to Albini’s perfectionism, as it endured several prototypes — including one made by Knoll in the late 1940s — and took approximately 15 years to design. Poggi launched the final version of the armchair in 1955, earning Albini the prestigious Compasso d’Oro from Italy’s Association for Industrial Design. It is produced today by Cassina. Albini named the chair for someone who likely saw the process firsthand: his personal secretary of two decades, Luisa Colombini.
Find vintage Franco Albini furniture on 1stDibs.
Midcentury MB48 Sideboard by Franco Albini for Poggi, Italy 1958 ca
By Poggi, Franco Albini
Located in Piacenza, Italy
Sideboard designed by Franco Albini in the 1950s, characterized by its clean lines and balanced proportions. The structure is composed of a sequence of volumes, with slightly angled ...
Wood
$8,406Sale Price|40% Off
Franco Albini Italian Midcentury Dark Wood Sideboard for Poggi, 1950s
By Franco Albini, Poggi
Located in Reggio Emilia, IT
Italian Mid-Century Modern design credenza sideboard designed by Franco Albini and produced by Poggi Pavia from 1958, four doors with sliding shelves and a pull-out shelf / tray, sol...
Wood
Midcentury sideboard designed by Franco Albini for Poggi, Italy 1950
By Franco Albini, Poggi
Located in Piacenza, Italy
Elegant sideboard, model MB 15, designed by Franco Albini for Poggi Italy, 1950s Sophisticated and timeless, the MB 15 sideboard is an iconic piece designed by Franco Albini for the ...
Wood
Franco Albini, Mid-Century "MB15" sideboard for Poggi, Italy 1957
By Franco Albini, Poggi
Located in Argelato, BO
Franco Albini, MB15 pair of sideboards for Poggi, Italy, 1957 The MB15 sideboard by Franco Albini shown in the images feature a refined and understated design, typical of the Italia...
Wood
Italian Franco Albini for Poggi Sideboard
By Poggi, Franco Albini
Located in Hudson, NY
An Italian model MB 51 sideboard designed by Franco Albini for Poggi. Made of solid teak with a minimalist design and sharp lines.
Teak
Franco Albini MB15 Large Sideboard with Four-Doors Panels in Wood by Poggi 1950s
By Franco Albini, Poggi
Located in Cascina, Pisa
MB15 large sideboard with four-door panels in wood, designed by Franco Albini in 1956 and produced by Poggi, Pavia. The MB15 sideboard showcases a clean and solid design characteriz...
Wood
Franco Albini MB15 Walnut Sideboard for Poggi, Rare First Edition, Italy 1958
By Poggi, Franco Albini
Located in Brescia, Brescia
An exceptionally rare MB15 sideboard designed by Franco Albini for Poggi and produced in Italy between 1958 and the early 1960s. One of Albini's most refined storage designs, this fi...
Brass
Sideboard with Bar Element by Franco Albini, Italy, 1930s
By Franco Albini
Located in Greding, DE
Large four-door sideboard designed by Franco Albini in the 1930s. The Art Deco sideboard is veneered on all sides and fitted with chrome half-moon handles and set off by means of ver...
Maple
Mid-Century Modern Sideboard MB15 by Fanco Albini for Poggi, Italy, 1950s
By Franco Albini
Located in Brussels, BE
Mid-Century Modern Sideboard MB15 by Fanco Albini for Poggi, Italy, 1950s
Wood
$10,589
H 118.12 in W 35.44 in D 15.75 in
Midcentury LB7 modular bookcase designed by Franco Albini for Poggi, Italy 1957
By Franco Albini, Poggi
Located in Piacenza, Italy
Modular bookcase model LB7 designed by Franco Albini for Poggi. Marked Poggi Pavia. An extremely flexible bookcase, with different modular options, suited to being against a wall or...
Wood
Sideboard by Umberto Mascagni, 1950s
By Umberto Mascagni
Located in Budapest, HU
Sideboard by Umberto Mascagni. Four doors and four-drawer and the mirror. We have the complete dining suite: Table and six chairs and bar cabinet.
Aluminum
Franco Albini Infinito Modular Bookcase
By Franco Albini
Located in Milano, IT
Franco Albini (1905-1977) Infinito original book unit. Large modular bookcase made up of 6 vertical uprights, container elements with hinged doors and lo...
Teak
French Midcentury Extra Large Modernist Oak Sideboard, 1950s
Located in Paris, IDF
This attractive sideboard features a smooth oak build and bright copper accents. Monumental in size. The eye-catching coral and black decorative knobs...
Copper
$2,637Sale Price|25% Off
H 58.27 in W 89.77 in D 20.08 in
Italian Sideboard Style of Paolo Buffa, 1950s
By Paolo Buffa
Located in Budapest, HU
A wonderful multifunctional Italian sideboard cabinet bar style of Paolo Buffa, 1950s.
Wood
$2,060Sale Price|30% Off
H 70.48 in W 78.75 in D 18.9 in
Mid-Century Modern Italian Sideboard Bar, 1950s
By Umberto Mascagni
Located in Puglia, Puglia
Four-door sideboard from the 1950s, made with green vinyl doors, inspired by the production of Umberto Mascagni. The main body structure is made of European wood. This piece features...
Aluminum
$6,118
H 32.29 in W 70.87 in D 21.26 in
Italian Midcentury Sideboard by La Permanente Mobili di Cantù, 1950
By La Permanente Mobili Cantù
Located in Traversetolo, IT
This exquisite Italian sideboard or chest of drawers crafted by Permanente Mobili of Cantù in the late 1950s is a stunning example of mid-century modern design. The beautiful woodwork on the front of the six drawers creates a striking contrast between light and dark tones, while the sides feature an elegant herringbone pattern that adds a touch of refinement. A hammered black lacquer band underneath the top adds a subtle but distinct touch of sophistication to the piece. The original and distinctive handles are crafted from the same wood as the drawers, adding to the seamless and cohesive design. The chest of drawers is topped with a sleek black glass plate...
Glass, Maple, Walnut
$7,653
H 30.32 in W 72.05 in D 18.51 in
Franco Albini MB15 Sideboard for Poggi, Mid-Century Modern, 1957
By Franco Albini
Located in Piacenza, Italy
Franco Albini for Poggi sideboards model MB 15, Italy, 1957. Well-designed sideboard by Franco Albini for Poggi, which features a simplistic design with sharp lines. This elegant sid...
Wood
Midcentury Sideboard in the Style of Ico Parisi, 1950s
By Ico Parisi
Located in taranto, IT
Splendid original 1950s sideboard, in full Ico Parisi style, consisting of an upper open compartment, two large compartments with compass doors and four lower drawers It measures...
Wood
$989 / item
H 9.85 in W 18.51 in D 11.82 in
Midcentury Rattan and Bamboo Wall Shelf, Franco Albini, Italy, 1960s
By Franco Albini
Located in Roma, IT
Extraordinary Mid-Century wall shelf in curved rattan, bamboo and wicker. This marvellous object was made in Italy in the 1960s and is attributed to the mastery of Franco Albini. Th...
Bamboo, Rattan, Cane, Wicker
Italian Midcentury Sideboard Bar by Vittorio Dassi, 1950s
By Vittorio Dassi
Located in Traversetolo, IT
The Italian credenza or sideboard bar by Vittorio Dassi is a refined piece of furniture, featuring a glass top and maple interiors. The front is made up of eight drawers and two door...
Glass, Maple, Walnut
$6,828
H 55.12 in W 63 in D 18.31 in
Italian Midcentury Sideboard or Cabinet Bar designed by Vittorio Dassi, 1950s
By Vittorio Dassi
Located in Traversetolo, IT
Sideboard or Cabinet Bar designed by Vittorio Dasi in 1950s, great executive quality, wooden upper top, the front is characterised by the presence of two large compatments that open...
Brass
Franco Albini Sideboard in Teak
By Franco Albini, Poggi
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Franco Albini for Poggi, sideboard MB 51, teak, Italy, 1950 Well-designed long sideboard by Franco Albini for Poggi, which features a simplistic design with sharp lines. This modern...
Teak
Large Franco Albini Sideboard in Teak
By Franco Albini, Poggi
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Franco Albini for Poggi, sideboard MB 51, teak, Italy, 1950 Well-designed long sideboard by Franco Albini for Poggi, which features a simplistic design with sharp lines. This mode...
Teak
Franco Albini MB48 sideboard Poggi Italy 1963
By Franco Albini, Poggi
Located in Roosendaal, Noord Brabant
Introducing the exceptional Franco Albini MB48 large sideboard, a timeless masterpiece designed in 1963 for Poggi Italy. Part of an iconic modular series by the renowned designer Fra...
Hardwood
Sideboard MB48 by Franco Albini for Poggi - 1960s
By Franco Albini
Located in Uccle, Bruxelles
Magnificent MB48 sideboard by Franco Albini for Poggi in the 1960s. This impressive sideboard is composed of five individual modules that connect to each other. It is therefore comp...
Wood
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H 30.32 in W 95.67 in D 18.51 in
Midcentury sideboard designed by Franco Albini for Poggi, Italy 1950
By Franco Albini, Poggi
Located in Piacenza, Italy
Elegant sideboard model MB 51 designed by Franco Albini for Poggi. Made of wood, the storage has an elegant design and clean lines with four compartments with internal shelves. Ita...
Wood
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H 30.32 in W 48.23 in D 18.51 in
Mid-Century Sideboard MB15 by Franco Albini for Poggi, Italy, 1957
By Franco Albini, Poggi
Located in Brussels, BE
Mid-Century Sideboard MB15 by Franco Albini for Poggi, Italy, 1957
Wood
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H 30.32 in W 95.67 in D 18.51 in
Midcentury sideboard designed by Franco Albini for Poggi, Italy 1950
By Franco Albini, Poggi
Located in Piacenza, Italy
Elegant sideboard model MB 51 designed by Franco Albini for Poggi. Made of wood, the storage has an elegant design and clean lines with four compartments with internal shelves. Ita...
Wood
Sold
H 30.32 in W 53.94 in D 18.71 in
Mid-Century Modern Small Wooden Sideboard by Franco Albini, Italy, 1950s
By Franco Albini
Located in Brussels, BE
Mid-Century Modern Small Wooden Sideboard by Franco Albini, Italy, 1950s
Wood
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H 30.12 in W 24.41 in D 18.51 in
Mid-Century Modern Small Sideboard MB15 by Fanco Albini for Poggi, Italy, 1950s
By Franco Albini
Located in Brussels, BE
Mid-Century Modern Small Sideboard MB15 by Fanco Albini for Poggi, Italy, 1950s
Wood
Midcentury Italian Sideboard by Franco Albini for Poggi, 1958
By Franco Albini
Located in Piacenza, Italy
Exceptional walnut sideboard model MB48. Designed by Franco Albini and Franca Helg for Poggi in 1958, Italy. Five doors and two drawers. Rare and elegant brass details designed by...
Wood
Italian Midcentury Sideboard by Franco Albini E Franca Helg
By Poggi, Franco Albini
Located in Piacenza, Italy
Sideboard model MB48. Designed by Franco Albini and Franca Helg for Poggi Pavia in 1958, Italy. Published.
Wood
Sold
H 30.52 in W 48.04 in D 18.51 in
Franco Albini Italian Midcentury Dark Wood Sideboard Model MB15 for Poggi, 1950s
By Poggi, Franco Albini
Located in Reggio Emilia, IT
Italian rare and famous dark wood midcentury modern design sideboard model MB15 designed by Franco Albini for POGGI Pavia in 1958, model with two doors, sliding shelve and a pull-ou...
Wood