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Franco Albini Serving Tables

Italian, 1905-1977

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.

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Creator: Franco Albini
Trolley 'CR20' for Poggi by Franco Albini & Franca Helg, Italy 1958
By Poggi, Franco Albini, Franca Helg
Located in Hellouw, NL
Franco Albini remains a pivotal figure in 20th-century Italian design. Together with Franca Helg, he created a body of work that blends clarity with precision. Their long-standing co...
Category

1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Franco Albini Serving Tables

Materials

Wood

Italian Mid-Century Modern Bamboo and Rattan Bar / Serving Cart by Franco Albini
By Franco Albini
Located in New York, NY
Rare and important Italian Mid-Century Modern rattan and glass bar or serving cart by Franco Albini. The piece is unique in linking traditional materials (rattan, bamboo) with an ope...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Franco Albini Serving Tables

Materials

Bamboo, Rattan

Bar Cart / Serving Cart in Wood by Franco Albini for Poggi model cr-20, 1950's
By Franco Albini
Located in Milano, IT
Vintage Bar Cart - Mid-Century Modern Italian Design - Franco Albini Serving Cart - Vintage Collectible Furniture by Poggi 1950's Rare, sought after and perfectly preserved "CR-20...
Category

1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Franco Albini Serving Tables

Materials

Wood

Italian Mid-Century Modern Bamboo & Rattan Bar Cart by Franco Albini
By Franco Albini
Located in New York, NY
Rare and important Italian Mid-Century Modern rattan and glass bar or serving cart by Franco Albini. The piece is unique in linking traditional materials (rattan, bamboo) with an ope...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Franco Albini Serving Tables

Materials

Bamboo, Rattan, Glass

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Franco Albini serving tables for sale on 1stDibs.

Franco Albini serving tables are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of wood and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Franco Albini serving tables, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original serving tables by Franco Albini were created in the mid-century modern style in italy during the mid-20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider serving tables by Cesare Lacca, and Aldo Tura. Prices for Franco Albini serving tables can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $4,740 and can go as high as $9,500, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $7,960.

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