Gianfranco Frattini is widely regarded as a mid-century master of Italian modern design. He was an award-winning architect and designer, and specialized in creating furniture and decor that is both decorative and practical — Frattini’s vintage desks, armchairs, nesting tables and other works are celebrated for their sophisticated merging of function and form.
Born in Padua in 1926, Frattini studied architecture at the Polytechnic University of Milan. He later apprenticed with his teacher and mentor, Gio Ponti. Through Ponti — arguably the most important figure in 20th-century Italian architecture and design — Frattini met many notable modernist designers such as Oscar Niemeyer and Le Corbusier, but an introduction to famed Italian entrepreneur Cesare Cassina would prove incredibly significant in helping launch his career.
During the mid-1950s, Frattini began to collaborate with Cassina’s eponymous company. He designed the brand’s acclaimed leather and walnut Model 849 lounge chair — a winner of the Compasso d’Oro award — the Marema nesting tables and the iconic Sesann collection. The latter, an enduring 1970s suite of impossibly welcoming leather-covered seating, is now produced by Tacchini. In addition to Cassina, Frattini created furniture and lighting for other manufacturers such as Bernini, Arteluce, Artemide, Knoll and more.
While many of his designs incorporate glass, tubular steel and other materials, Frattini loved working with wood. The sculptural Albero bookcase — an innovative floor-to-ceiling structure made in walnut that swings on a 360-degree vertical swivel axis — is a striking example of Frattini’s dedication to traditional woodworking techniques. In the early 1970s, he traveled to Japan with friend and collaborator Pierluigi Ghianda — a master Milanese cabinet maker — in order to study the work of artisans in Kyoto. The trip inspired his design of the Kyoto table, a work of solid beech with Canaletto walnut inserts that is part of the permanent collection of the Milan Triennale’s Design Museum. The Kyoto and Albero have been revived by Poltrona Frau.
Frattini’s designs are in the permanent collections of prestigious museums such as the Museum of Modern Art and the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum.
Find vintage Gianfranco Frattini furniture, lighting and decor on 1stDibs.
$1,214 / set
70s Gianfranco Frattini nesting tables
By Gianfranco Frattini, Meblo
Located in Ljubljana, SI
TImeless elegance with set of mid-century modern nesting tables by Gianfranco Frattini for Cassina, crafted by Meblo in the 1960s. Wood frames and original smoked glass tops, these t...
Smoked Glass, Hardwood
780/783 Stacking Tables, Gianfranco Frattini for Cassina, Italy, set of 3
By Gianfranco Frattini, Mario Bellini, Joe Colombo, Cassina, Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Brussels, Brussels
Playful and iconic set of 3 black nesting tables which can be arranged in many ways. Model 780/783 by Cassina. Designed by Gianfranco Frattini in 1966. Set of three low tables in ...
Hardwood
Set of 3 Nesting Tables Designed by Gianfranco Frattini for Meblo, Italy 70s
By Meblo, Gianfranco Frattini
Located in Lucija, SI
A set of three coffee nesting tables made in Meblo furniture factory in the former Yugoslavia. The tables are designed by Gianfranco Frattini for Cassina. Gianfranco Frattini is an ...
Glass, Wood
Large nesting tables 780 by Gianfranco Frattini for Cassina, 1960s, set of 4
By Gianfranco Frattini, Cassina
Located in bruxelles, BE
Set of 4 Wooden nesting tables. Model large. Reversible black and white top. Stamped Cassina. Wear due to time and age of the tables. Measures: Height Small: 29 cm Height Medium 1: 3...
Wood
Gianfranco Frattini Large Version Nesting Tables for Cassina, Italy, 1966
By Cassina, Gianfranco Frattini
Located in Milan, IT
Gianfranco Frattini large version nesting tables for Cassina, Italy, 1966. Wood nesting tables with black and white interchangeable tops Original Cassina labels.
Formica, Wood
Italian Midcentury Gianfranco Frattini Black Nesting Tables for Cassina, 1960s
By Gianfranco Frattini
Located in Salzburg, AT
Set of three black high gloss stacking tables by Gianfranco Frattini, Italy, 1960s. The wood has been completely re-lacquered due to the worn surface and is now in perfect condition....
Glass, Wood
Gianfranco Frattini for Cassina Set of 4 Small Tables "780/783," Italy 1960s
By Gianfranco Frattini, Cassina
Located in Naples, IT
Exclusive coffee tables, model 780/783 by Gianfranco Frattini for Cassina from the 1960s. High-quality black lacquered wooden frame with four reversible table tops in black and off w...
Wood
Gianfranco Frattini Stacking Tables for Cassina – Original Off-White Lacquer
By Gianfranco Frattini
Located in Oirlo, LI
Discover a piece of Italian design history with this set of three stacking tables by Gianfranco Frattini for Cassina, crafted in the 1970s. These tables embody the elegance and ingen...
Smoked Glass, Wood
Gianfranco Frattini Nesting Tables, space age design, Cassina, Italy circa 1970s
By Gianfranco Frattini
Located in leucate, FR
Gianfranco Frattini for Cassina. Set of 3 Interlocking square nesting tables. A classic of space age design. The 3 tables are stackable to create a square block. ( like Tetris )....
Smoked Glass, Wood
Gianfranco Frattini for Cassina Large Nesting / Stacking Tables, Italy, 1970s
By Gianfranco Frattini, Cassina
Located in Lewes, East Sussex
Gianfranco Frattini stacking nest of three tables for Cassina, Italy, 1970s. Rare white version in larger, wider size. Wooden frames in original white paint with reversible laminat...
Laminate, Walnut
Cassina Set of 1960s 'Marema' Nesting Tables by Gianfranco Frattini
By Cassina, Gianfranco Frattini
Located in Toronto, CA
Designed by Gianfranco Frattini for Cassina in the mid-1960s, the Marema nesting tables are a standout example of Italian modernism. Featuring four low tables that stack into a sculp...
Plastic
Mid Century Modern Nesting Tables by Gianfranco Frattini, Yugoslavia 1960s
By Gianfranco Frattini
Located in Beograd, RS
This listing features mid century modern set of 3 nesting tables, done in solid beech wood painted black, with black glass tops. Tables can function as 3 separate pieces, or they can...
Beech
Nesting Tables by Gianfranco Frattini, set of Four in cream wood, 1960 Italy
By Gianfranco Frattini
Located in London, GB
Minimalist set of four nesting tables in descending heights. They are made of beech wood painted cream. Tables can function as four separate pieces, or they can get stacked one into ...
Beech, Plywood
Four 780 nesting tables by Frattini for Cassina
By Gianfranco Frattini, Cassina
Located in Milano, IT
Set of Four Side Tables, Model 780 by Gianfranco Frattini for Cassina Elegant set of four side tables, model 780, designed by Gianfranco Frattini for Cassina. This refined ensemble ...
Formica, Wood
Limited Edition '780 Nesting Tables' by Gianfranco Frattini for Cassina Italy
By Gianfranco Frattini
Located in Buggenhout, Oost-Vlaanderen
Cassina 780 Nesting Tables – Gianfranco Frattini – Special Limited Edition Satin Black (1985) Set of 4 Stackable Side Tables by Gianfranco Frattini for Cas...
Wood
$3,179 / set
H 17.09 in W 25.2 in D 14.57 in
Three Italian Midcentury Nesting Tables by Ico Parisi, 1950s
By Ico Parisi
Located in Paris, FR
An exquisite set of three vintage nesting side or coffee tables, crafted by the renowned Italian furniture designer Ico Parisi in the 1950s. They are a testament to Parisi's visionar...
Glass, Wood
$4,737 / set
H 15.16 in W 16.34 in D 16.34 in
Set of four "780" coffee tables by Gianfranco Frattini for Cassina, Italy 1960s
By Gianfranco Frattini
Located in Argelato, BO
Set of 4 stackable coffee tables "Mod. 780" by Gianfranco Frattini for Cassina This set of wooden coffee tables represents one of the most iconic and representative works of the Ita...
Wood
Vintage chinoiserie Rattan Nesting Tables, circa 1960s
Located in Miami, FL
A set of three vintage chinoiserie Rattan nesting tables. circa 1960s. Feature a tiger bamboo and rattan frame and black laminated top with floral ...
Bamboo, Rattan
1960s Nesting Ceramic Tile Tables, Denmark
Located in Praha, CZ
- 3 pieces - Good original condition with minor signs of use.
Ceramic, Wood
Nesting Table By Gianfranco Frattini For Cassina Italy 1970s
By Gianfranco Frattini
Located in Čelinac, BA
Gianfranco Frattini Nesting Table for Cassina Italy 1970s
Glass, Wood
$3,571 / set
H 17.72 in W 22.84 in D 22.84 in
Gianfranco Frattini Nesting Tables, space age design, Cassina, Italy circa 1970s
By Gianfranco Frattini
Located in leucate, FR
Gianfranco Frattini for Cassina. Set of 3 Interlocking square nesting tables. A classic of space age design. The 3 tables are stackable to create a square block. ( like Tetris )....
Smoked Glass, Wood
Nesting Table Made In Teak, Danish Design From 1960s
Located in Lejre, DK
This side table is an example of Danish design from the 1960s, made of teak wood, which radiates warmth and elegance. With its simple and functional design, this table fits perfectl...
Teak
Scandinavian Nesting Tables in Rosewood 1960s Danish
By Ib Kofod-Larsen
Located in Ternay, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Danish nesting table from the 1960s in rosewood.
Rosewood
Gianfranco Frattini Reversible Top Coffee Table, Cassina c1960s
By Gianfranco Frattini
Located in Greensboro, NC
Gianfranco Frattini Reversible Top Coffee Table, Cassina c1960s
Laminate, Bentwood
$4,008
H 11.03 in W 55.12 in D 20.87 in
Midcentury Italian 514 Coffee Table by Gianfranco Frattini, Poggi (Big Version)
By Gianfranco Frattini, Gian Franco Frattini, Bernini
Located in Argelato, BO
Rare and elegant wooden coffee table designed by the Italian architect and designer Gianfranco Frattini for the Bernini company (company logo present) This is an essential and very ...
Wood
Oak Sculptural Nesting Tables, 1960s
By Lisa Johansson-Pape
Located in Den Haag, NL
Oak sculptural nesting tables from the 1960s in the style of Lisa Johansson-Pape.
Oak
$4,179 / set
H 15.56 in Dm 23.23 in
Gianfranco Frattini for Cassina Large Nesting / Stacking Tables, Italy, 1970s
By Gianfranco Frattini, Cassina
Located in Lewes, East Sussex
Gianfranco Frattini stacking nest of three tables for Cassina, Italy, 1970s. Rare white version in larger, wider size. Wooden frames in original white paint with reversible laminat...
Laminate, Walnut
Sold
H 20.48 in W 20.48 in D 20.48 in
Gianfranco Frattini Nesting Tables in stained wood for Cassina and Meblo, 1970's
By Cassina, Gianfranco Frattini, Meblo
Located in Amsterdam, NL
Nesting Tables designed by Gianfranco Frattini. Early edition manufactured by Meblo for Cassina, 1970s. Solid wood frames with smoked glass table tops. Good condition with minor trac...
Wood
Sold
H 15.36 in Dm 15.36 in
Model 780 Nesting Tables by Gianfranco Frattini for Cassina, 1960s, Set of 4
By Cassina, Gianfranco Frattini
Located in bruxelles, BE
Set fo 4 Wooden nesting tables. Reversible black and white top. Stamped Cassina. Wear due to time and age of the tables. Measures: Height Small: 25 cm Height Medium 1: 29 cm Height M...
Wood
Sold
H 15.36 in Dm 15.36 in
Model 780 Nesting Tables by Gianfranco Frattini for Cassina, 1960s, Set of 4
By Cassina, Gianfranco Frattini
Located in bruxelles, BE
Set fo 4 Wooden nesting tables. Reversible black and white top. Stamped Cassina. Wear due to time and age of the tables. Measures: Height Small: 25 cm Height Medium 1: 29 cm Height M...
Wood
Sold
H 15.36 in Dm 15.36 in
Model 780 Nesting Tables by Gianfranco Frattini for Cassina, 1960s, Set of 4
By Cassina, Gianfranco Frattini
Located in bruxelles, BE
Set fo 4 Wooden nesting tables. Reversible black and white top. Stamped Cassina. Wear due to time and age of the tables. Measures: Height Small: 25 cm Height Medium 1: 29 cm Height M...
Wood
Sold
H 20.08 in W 18.9 in D 18.9 in
Mid Century Nesting Tables Designed by Gianfranco Frattini for Meblo, Italy 70s
By Gianfranco Frattini, Meblo
Located in Lucija, SI
A set of three coffee nesting tables made in the former Meblo furniture factory in the former Yugoslavia. The tables are designed by Gianfranco Frattini for Cassina. Gianfranco Frat...
Glass, Wood
Sold
H 16.74 in Dm 24.02 in
Set of large coffee tables model 783 by Gianfranco Frattini , Ed. Cassina 1966
By Gianfranco Frattini, Cassina
Located in Renens, CH
A set of four ash wood coffee tables featuring double-sided black/white tops designed by Gianfranco Frattini in 1966 for Cassina. The model 783 is the largest of the 780/783 collect...
Ash
Gianfranco Frattini for Cassina Nesting / Stacking Tables, Italy, 1970s
By Cassina, Gianfranco Frattini
Located in Lewes, East Sussex
Gianfranco Frattini stacking nest of tables for Cassina, Italy, 1970s. Wooden frames and reversible laminate tops (reversible from black to white). With makers labels. Fast shipping...
Laminate, Walnut
Sold
H 13.39 in Dm 15.36 in
Model 780 Nesting Tables by Gianfranco Frattini for Cassina, 1960s, Set of 2
By Cassina, Gianfranco Frattini
Located in bruxelles, BE
Wooden nesting table. Reversible black and white top. Stamped Cassina. Wear due to time and age of the table. Dimensions: Height Small: 29 cm Height Large: 34 cm. FOR SHIPPING, REQUE...
Wood
Sold
H 20.08 in W 18.9 in D 18.9 in
Mid Century Nesting Tables Designed by Gianfranco Frattini for Meblo, Italy 70s
By Gianfranco Frattini, Meblo
Located in Lucija, SI
A set of three coffee nesting tables made in the former Meblo furniture factory in the former Yugoslavia. The tables are designed by Gianfranco Frattini for Cassina. Gianfranco Frat...
Glass, Wood
Sold
H 15.36 in Dm 15.36 in
Model 780 Nesting Tables by Gianfranco Frattini for Cassina, 1960s, Set of 3
By Cassina, Gianfranco Frattini
Located in bruxelles, BE
Set fo 3 Wooden nesting tables. Reversible black and white top. Stamped Cassina. Wear due to time and age of the tables. Measures: Height Small: 25 cm Height Medium : 29 cm Height La...
Wood
Sold
H 15.36 in Dm 15.36 in
Model 780 Nesting Tables by Gianfranco Frattini for Cassina, 1960s Set of 3
By Gianfranco Frattini, Cassina
Located in bruxelles, BE
Wooden nesting table. Reversible black and white top. Stamped Cassina. Wear due to time and age of the table. Measures: Height Small: 25 cm Height Medium : 35 cm Height Large: 39 cm....
Wood
Sold
H 18.12 in W 22.84 in D 22.84 in
Nesting Tables by Gianfranco Frattini for Cassina, 1960s, Set of 3
By Gianfranco Frattini, Cassina
Located in bruxelles, BE
Wooden stacking tables with glass top Stamped Cassina inside one leg. Measures: Height Small: 30 cm Height medium: 38 cm Height Large: 46 cm. W...
Wood