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.
Franco Albini Cicognino Coffee Table in Teak Wood by Poggi Pavia 1970s Italy
By Franco Albini, Poggi
Located in Cascina, Pisa
Cicognino coffee table entirely made in teak wood designed by Franco Albini in 1952 and firstly produced by the Italian company, Poggi Pavia from the 1950s. The Cicognino coffee t...
Teak
20th Century, Franco Albini Pair of TN6 Cicognino Coffee Tables in Wood, 50s
By Franco Albini, Poggi
Located in Torino, Piemonte
An iconic design with a refined and essential taste, which in its playful form evokes a reassuring feeling of familiarity. Franco Albini created the table by reducing its structure t...
Wood
$1,412 / item
H 31.5 in W 15.75 in D 16.15 in
Franco Albini Cicognino Wood Side Table for Cassina, Italy, new
By Cassina, Franco Albini
Located in Berlin, DE
Prices vary dependent on the material of the table. Available in Canaletto Walnut, Natural Ash, Black Stained Ash or Amaranth stained ash. Side table designed by Franco Albini in 1...
Wood
$4,263
H 22.45 in W 51.19 in D 22.05 in
Frits Henningsen solid oak whitewashed coffee table circa 1930-50s
By Frits Henningsen
Located in London, GB
This 1950s oak table made by Frits Henningsen in the 1940s-50s is a perfect example Frits Henningsen's commitment to quality and craftsmanship. Whereas most designers and cabinetmake...
Hardwood
$3,012Sale Price|42% Off
H 31.5 in Dm 15.75 in
Franco Albini Cicognino Side Table in Wood by Poggi Pavia, 1970s Italy
By Franco Albini, Poggi
Located in Brescia, Brescia
This exquisite Cicognino side table, designed by Franco Albini and produced by Poggi Pavia in the 1970s, is a timeless piece of Italian design. Crafted from high-quality wood, this t...
Wood, Teak
Franco Albini Library “Poggi” Wood Metal Iron, 1955, Italy
By Franco Albini
Located in Milano, IT
Franco Albini Library “Poggi” wood metal iron, 1955, Italy.
Wood
Italian Mid-Century Dark Wood Coffee Table, 1950s
By Gian Franco Frattini, Gianfranco Frattini
Located in Milan, IT
Italian mid-century dark wood coffee table 1950s Mid century incredible wooden coffee table with a warm dark colour. Extremely sturdy an...
Wood
On Hold|$4,000
H 29.53 in W 77.96 in D 40.56 in
Franco Albini TL22 wooden desk by Poggi Pavia, Italy, 1950s
By Franco Albini, Poggi
Located in Chiavari, Liguria
Desk with shaped top from the "TL 22" series, wooden structure, italian manufacture from the 1950s, crafted by Poggi and designed by Franco Albini. This office desk stands out with ...
Wood
$5,765
H 11.82 in W 33.47 in D 20.87 in
Early 20th Century Art Deco Coffee Table by Guglielmo Urlich , Wax Polished
By Guglielmo Ulrich
Located in Vigonza, Padua
Coffee table, Ming Style, by Guglielmo Urlich, in solid walnut , wax finished, circa 1930s. Measures cm: H29 W85 D53 About Guglielmo Urlich Guglielmo Ulrich (Millan, 1904 – 1977) w...
Walnut
$9,240Sale Price|20% Off
H 16.54 in W 45.28 in D 21.66 in
Coffee Table in Caviuna wood, Giuseppe Scapinelli, Brazilian Mid-Century Modern
By Giuseppe Scapinelli
Located in Sao Paulo, SP
Discover the breathtaking beauty and elegance of the Giuseppe Scapinelli coffee table, a true masterpiece designed by the master Italian-Brazilian designer during the 1960s. This rem...
Glass, Wood
$1,317Sale Price|20% Off
H 20.87 in W 43.31 in D 27.56 in
Decorative Brown Coffee Table With Carved Apron, Mid 20th-Century
Located in Opole, PL
Decorative Brown Coffee Table With Carved Apron, Mid 20th-Century This vintage coffee table is a true testament to the artistry and elegance of a bygone era. Crafted with meticulous...
Wood
$2,706
H 14.57 in W 31.5 in D 31.5 in
Mid-Century Modern Coffee Centre Table in Afra & Tobia Scarpa Style, 1970s
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Vigonza, Padua
Mid-Century Modern coffee centre table in Afra & Tobia Scarpa Style 1970s in turned beech and walnut applied. Restored and finished to shellac Measure cm: H 37, W 80, D 80.
Beech, Walnut
$2,358Sale Price|25% Off
H 15.75 in W 50 in D 30 in
French Provincial Coffee Table Brass & Glass 1970s by Chapman
By Chapman Manufacturing Company
Located in Lake Worth, FL
For FULL item description click on More Details below. Shipping Quote Information The shipping quote stated in the listing was from 1st Dibs and they normally set all the costs and ...
Brass
$1,966
H 23.63 in W 27.56 in D 27.56 in
Italian Rainbow Rattan 'Emmanuelle' Peacock Coffee Table, 1970s
Located in Hastings, GB
An absolutely beautiful hand woven 'Emmanuelle' Peacock rattan coffee or centre table, made in Italy in the 1970's each piece of rattan has been individ...
Rattan