An architect, furniture and industrial designer and editor, Gio Ponti was arguably the most influential figure in 20th-century Italian modernism.
Ponti designed thousands of furnishings and products — from cabinets, mirrors and chairs to ceramics and coffeemakers — and his buildings, including the brawny Pirelli Tower (1956) in his native Milan, and the castle-like Denver Art Museum (1971), were erected in 14 countries. Through Domus, the magazine he founded in 1928, Ponti brought attention to virtually every significant movement and creator in the spheres of modern art and design.
The questing intelligence Ponti brought to Domus is reflected in his work: as protean as he was prolific, Ponti’s style can’t be pegged to a specific genre.
In the 1920s, as artistic director for the Tuscan porcelain maker Richard Ginori, he fused old and new; his ceramic forms were modern, but decorated with motifs from Roman antiquity. In pre-war Italy, modernist design was encouraged, and after the conflict, Ponti — along with designers such as Carlo Mollino, Franco Albini, Marco Zanuso — found a receptive audience for their novel, idiosyncratic work. Ponti’s typical furniture forms from the period, such as the wedge-shaped Distex chair, are simple, gently angular, and colorful; equally elegant and functional. In the 1960s and ’70s, Ponti’s style evolved again as he explored biomorphic shapes, and embraced the expressive, experimental designs of Ettore Sottsass Jr., Joe Colombo and others.
Ponti's signature furniture piece — the one by which he is represented in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art in New York, Germany’s Vitra Design Museum and elsewhere — is the sleek Superleggera chair, produced by Cassina starting in 1957. (The name translates as “superlightweight” — advertisements featured a model lifting it with one finger.)
Ponti had a playful side, best shown in a collaboration he began in the late 1940s with the graphic artist Piero Fornasetti. Ponti furnishings were decorated with bright finishes and Fornasetti's whimsical lithographic transfer prints of things such as butterflies, birds or flowers; the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts possesses a 1950 secretary from their Architetturra series, which feature case pieces covered in images of building interiors and facades. The grandest project Ponti and Fornasetti undertook, however, lies on the floor of the Atlantic Ocean: the interiors of the luxury liner Andrea Doria, which sank in 1956.
Widely praised retrospectives at the Queens Museum of Art in 2001 and at the Design Museum London in 2002 sparked a renewed interest in Ponti among modern design aficionados. (Marco Romanelli’s monograph, which was written for the London show, offers a fine overview of Ponti’s work.) Today, a wide array of Ponti’s designs are snapped up by savvy collectors who want to give their homes a touch of Italian panache and effortless chic.
Find a range of vintage Gio Ponti desks, dining chairs, coffee tables and other furniture on 1stDibs.
Midcentury Italian Armchair by Gio Ponti for Casa e Giardino, 1950s
By Gio Ponti
Located in Chicago, IL
Midcentury Italian armchair by Gio Ponti for Casa e Giardino, 1950s. Elegant, curved upholstered silhouette on classic wood tapered legs...
Wool, Upholstery, Wood
Set of 2 Gio Ponti “Leggera” Chairs for Cassina, Italy, 1957
By Gio Ponti
Located in Kampen, NL
Set of two Leggera chairs designed by Gio Ponti for Cassina, Italy, 1957. Constructed from solid ash wood and painted black, each chair features a woven straw seat for comfort and du...
Straw, Ash
Gio Ponti 646 "Leggera" Dining Chairs for Cassina, Blue Velvet, 1952, Set of 10
By Cassina, Gio Ponti
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
Gio Ponti 646 “Leggera” dining chairs for Cassina, blue velvet, Italy, 1952, set of 10 The 646 “Leggera” is one of Gio Ponti’s most enduring chair designs—an icon defined by Cassina...
Rope, Ash
Gio Ponti for ISA Bergamo Three-Seat Sofa with Gilt Metal Legs, Italy 1950s, COM
By ISA Bergamo, Gio Ponti
Located in New York, NY
Gio Ponti for ISA Bergamo elegant and sculptural three-seat sofa with gilt metal legs, Italy, 1950s. The sofa will be fully restored and ready for upholstery in the customer’s own ma...
Metal
Gio Ponti Frassino Tinto Black & White Aswood Superleggera Chair For Cassina
By Gio Ponti
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Gio Ponti Frassino Tinto Black & White Aswood Superleggera Chair For Cassina Manufactured since 1957, the 699 Superleggera wood chair is the rare combination of the architect’s ...
Rattan, Ash
Set of Four Gio Ponti Dining Chairs for M. Singer & Sons, 1950s
By Gio Ponti, M. Singer & Sons
Located in Hamburg, PA
This elegant set of four mid-century modern Model #602 dining chairs is designed by icon Gio Ponti and produced for M. Singer & Sons (New York / Chicago). Featuring a sleek walnut-fi...
Rush, Walnut
Sculptural Walnut Stool Model 687 by Gio Ponti , 1953s
By Gio Ponti
Located in Tokyo, Tokyo
Sculptural Walnut Stool Model 687 by Gio Ponti , 1953s I can sent more detail picture.please contact me! Each price
Fabric, Walnut
$40,000 / set
Gio Ponti Armchairs for Hotel Royal by Dassi
By Dassi, Gio Ponti
Located in New York, NY
Rare pair of wingback armchairs designed by famed architect and furniture maker Gio Ponti for the Hotel Royal in Naples, Italy in 1953. Manufactured by Das...
Fabric, Wood
Italian Design Classic Gio Ponti, Leggera Chair for Cassina, 1970s
By Cassina, Gio Ponti
Located in Renens, CH
The 646 Leggera chair is an iconic design created by the renowned Italian architect and designer Gio Ponti; designed in 1952, this chair is celebrated for its lightweight and elegan...
Fabric, Ash
Gio Ponti 646 "Leggera" Dining Chairs for Cassina, Blue Velvet, 1952, Set of 4
By Cassina, Gio Ponti
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
Gio Ponti 646 “Leggera” dining chairs for Cassina, blue velvet, Italy, 1952, set of 4 The 646 “Leggera” is one of Gio Ponti’s most enduring chair designs—an icon defined by Cassina’...
Rope, Ash
Gio Ponti 646 "Leggera" Dining Chairs for Cassina, Blue Velvet, 1952, Set of 14
By Cassina, Gio Ponti
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
Gio Ponti 646 “Leggera” dining chairs for Cassina, blue velvet, Italy, 1952, set of fourteen The 646 “Leggera” is one of Gio Ponti’s most enduring chair designs—an icon defined by C...
Velvet, Ash
Gio Ponti 646 "Leggera" Dining Chairs for Cassina, 1952, Set of 4
By Gio Ponti, Cassina
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
Gio Ponti 646 "Leggera" dining chairs for Cassina, black ash-wood and rope seat, Italy, 1952, set of four. The Gio Ponti 646 "Leggera" dining chairs, d...
Rope, Ash
Gio Ponti 646 "Leggera" Dining Chairs for Cassina, Blue Velvet, 1952, Set of 6
By Cassina, Gio Ponti
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
Gio Ponti 646 “Leggera” dining chairs for Cassina, blue velvet, Italy, 1952, set of 6 The 646 “Leggera” is one of Gio Ponti’s most enduring chair designs—an icon defined by Cassina’...
Rope, Ash
$8,172Sale Price / set|20% Off
set di 4 sedie "leggera" disegnate da Gio Ponti per Cassina anni 60
By Cassina, Gio Ponti
Located in Milano, Lombardia
La sedia Leggera è una delle piu iconiche espressioni del design di Gio Ponti disegnata nel 1952. E' frutto di approfonditi studi fatti al tempo per ottenere una sedia molto leggera ...
Straw, Ash
$21,382 / item
Benche by Gio Ponti
By Gio Ponti
Located in Milano, Lombardia
MASTERPIECE Italy, 1930s Provided with certificate of authenticity of the Gio Ponti Archives Walnut frame, Dedar Tabularasa cotton satin upholst...
Cotton, Walnut
Super Leggera chair designed by Gio Ponti in 1957 and produced by Cassina.
By Cassina, Gio Ponti
Located in Ravenna, IT
Superleggera 699 chair designed by Gio Ponti in 1957 and produced by Cassina. Its black lacquered ash wood frame and guinea cane seat make this seat one of the most famous design ico...
Cane, Ash
Gio Ponti 699 “Superleggera” Dining Chairs for Cassina, 1957, Set of 14
By Gio Ponti, Cassina
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
Gio Ponti 699 “Superleggera” Dining Chairs for Cassina, Ash and Rope, Italy, 1957, Set of fourteen. In 1957 the Italian furniture manufacturer Amedeo Cassina added a new dining chai...
Rope, Wood, Ash
Gio Ponti Mid-Century Modern Ashwood Leggera 646 Italian Chairs, 1950s
By Gio Ponti
Located in Madrid, ES
Mid-century chairs model "Leggera 646" designed by Gio Ponti for Cassina. Made of solid ashwood structure with original upholstery. Discover the timeless ...
Wood, Upholstery
Italian Two-Seat Sofa in Red Corduroy Velvet by Grand Hotel Duomo Milano, 1950
By Melchiorre Bega, Gio Ponti
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian two-seat sofa in red corduroy velvet by Grand Hotel Duomo Milano, 1950s Extremely rare red corduroy sofa from fifties, coming from Grand Hote...
Velvet, Wood
$8,149Sale Price|30% Off
Pair of Blu Velvet Gio Ponti Bergere Wingback Armchairs by ISA, 1950
By Gio Ponti, Arredamenti ISA
Located in Rome, IT
Pair of blu velvet GIO PONTI bergere armchair, manufactured by ISA Arredamenti Bergamo, circa 1950. This model designed by Gio Ponti in the late 40s was manufactured by Cassina with...
Brass
$13,500 / item
High Back Armchairs by Gio Ponti for Isa Bergamo
By Gio Ponti
Located in Los Angeles, CA
High Back Armchairs by Gio Ponti for Isa Bergamo, c. 1950's, Italy H 41.25" x W 29" x D 28" / Seat Ht 16.25" FDV11582 *Wear consistent with age and use.
Upholstery, Wood
Gio Ponti Rare Model 803 Version with Brass Feet Armchairs, New Light Gray Marl
By Gio Ponti
Located in Brussels, BE
Gio Ponti rare model 803 version with brass feet armchairs, new light gray marl upholstery.
Brass
Gio Ponti 699 “Superleggera” Dining Chairs for Cassina, 1957, Set of 12
By Cassina, Gio Ponti
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
Gio Ponti 699 “Superleggera” Dining Chairs for Cassina, Ash and Rope, Italy, 1957, Set of twelve. In 1957 the Italian furniture manufacturer Amedeo Cassina added a new dining chair ...
Rope, Wood, Ash
Gio Ponti Frassino Tinto Bianco Aswood Superleggera Chair For Cassina
By Gio Ponti
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Gio Ponti Frassino Tinto Bianco Aswood Superleggera Chair For Cassina Manufactured since 1957, the 699 Superleggera wood chair is the rare combination of the architect’s innovative...
Rattan, Ash
Pair of Mod. 687 Walnut Stools / Ottomans by Gio Ponti for Cassina, c.1953
By Gio Ponti, Cassina
Located in London, GB
A beautiful pair of Model '687' walnut stools / ottomans designed by Gio Ponti for Cassina, Italy, c.1953. With great sculptural lines and elegant tapered legs, these stools will mak...
Velvet, Wood, Walnut
Elegant Matching Set of Four White Gio Ponti Livia Chairs
By Gio Ponti
Located in Dronten, NL
A matching set of four Livia chairs, originally designed by Giò Ponti in 1937 and produced as high-quality 21st-century re-editions by L'Abbate. The Livia chair was created for the ...
Beech
Pair of Armchairs, Mod. 803, Design by Gio Ponti, Cassina Production Italy, 1954
By Gio Ponti
Located in Napoli, IT
Pair of armchairs, mod. 803, designed by Gio Ponti and produced by Cassina, Italy, 1954. Full restored and newly upholster in cotton velvet rust with rust satin sides. Bibliography...
Wood
Set of 8 Gio Ponti for Cassina 646 Leggera Dining Chairs
By Gio Ponti
Located in Astoria, NY
Gio Ponti (Italian, 1891-1979) for Cassina Set of Eight "646 Leggera" Dining Chairs, black lacquered ash wood and upholstered seats. 32.5" H x 17" W x 18" D; seat 18" H. Provenance...
Upholstery, Wood, Lacquer
Gio Ponti for Fratelli Reguitti "Ninfea" Folding Chair, Italy, 1960s
By Fratelli Reguitti, Gio Ponti
Located in Naples, IT
Rare "Ninfea" folding chair designed by Gio' Ponti manufactured in Italy by Fratelli Reguitti in the 1960s, the frame is made of wood, brass hinges and original red fabric upholstery...
Straw, Wood
$2,565 / item
Gio Ponti Leggera Chair For Cassina
By Gio Ponti
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Gio Ponti Leggera Chair For Cassina An icon of chair design and of Cassina’s masterful artisan craftsmanship. A tasteful and versatile piece remin...
Walnut
$10,335Sale Price / set|65% Off
Gio Ponti Model 516 Pair of Lounge Chairs, Cream White Painted Walnut, 1950
By Gio Ponti, Cassina, Figli di Amadeo Cassina
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Pair of armchairs, model “516”, originally designed by Ponti for the furnishing of Tranatlantico Conte Biancamano, Manufactured by Figli di Amadeo Cassina (Cassina), Italy, c. 1950 pierced slat back, off-white cream painted walnut, white woven cotton textile. Provenance: Private Collection, Connecticut, USA. Measurements 78 cm x 62 cm x 79.5h cm 30 3/4 in x 24 3/8 in x 31 1/4 in height Literature Galleria Deposito A...
Textile, Walnut
$2,565 / item
Gio Ponti Leggera Chair For Cassina
By Gio Ponti
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Gio Ponti Leggera Chair For Cassina An icon of chair design and of Cassina’s masterful artisan craftsmanship. A tasteful and versatile piece remin...
Walnut
Gio Ponti Natural Aswood Superleggera Chair For Cassina
By Gio Ponti
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Gio Ponti Natural Aswood Superleggera Chair For Cassina Manufactured since 1957, the 699 Superleggera wood chair is the rare combination of the architect’s innovative quest and the ...
Rattan, Ash
Gio Ponti 646 "Leggera" Dining Chair for Cassina, Sand Beige Velvet, 1952
By Gio Ponti, Cassina
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
Gio Ponti 646 “Leggera” dining chair for Cassina, sand beige velvet, Italy, 1952 The 646 “Leggera” is one of Gio Ponti’s most enduring chair designs—an icon defined by Cassina’s ref...
Velvet, Ash
Set of 6 "Superleggera" chairs designed by Gio Ponti for Cassina, circa 1950s.
By Cassina, Gio Ponti
Located in Milano, Lombardia
Set of six "Superleggera" model chairs designed by Gio Ponti for Cassina, dating back to the early 1960s. The chairs feature a black-stained beechwood frame and an upholstered seat...
Fabric, Wood
Fireplace chair designed by Gio Ponti for Casa e Giardino, Italy, circa 1940.
By Casa e Giardino, Gio Ponti
Located in Piacenza, Italy
A fireplace chair designed by Gio Ponti, featuring a slender wooden frame with a tall, narrow backrest articulated by a sequence of gently shaped horizontal slats. The proportions ar...
Wood
Gio Ponti "The Piazza Eindhoven, 1968" Rare Edition Chair with Metal End Caps
By Gio Ponti
Located in Den Haag, NL
Gio Ponti "De Piazza Eindhoven" Rare Leggera edition with metal end caps. These Leggera chairs were special designed for restaurants with metal end caps and used for the Piazza in ...
Metal
$2,565 / item
Gio Ponti Leggera Chair For Cassina
By Gio Ponti
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Gio Ponti Leggera Chair For Cassina An icon of chair design and of Cassina’s masterful artisan craftsmanship. A tasteful and versatile piece remin...
Walnut
$5,405Sale Price / set|30% Off
Pair of Gio Ponti Mid-Century Modern Curved Armchairs for Casa e Giardino, 1940s
By Casa e Giardino, Gio Ponti
Located in Puglia, Puglia
Pair of curved armchairs designed by Gio Ponti, Casa e Giardino production 1940s, wooden frame, goose down cushions, padding and upholstery in original satin fabric of the time, the ...
Satin, Beech
Pair of "Pontiponti" Chairs by Gio Ponti for Pallucco
By Paolo Pallucco, Gio Ponti
Located in Milan, IT
Rare set of two "Pontiponti" chairs by Gio Ponti for Pallucco.
Metal
$3,504 / item
Gio Ponti Leggera Chair For Cassina
By Gio Ponti
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Gio Ponti Leggera Chair For Cassina An icon of chair design and of Cassina’s masterful artisan craftsmanship. A tasteful and versatile piece remin...
Walnut
$2,565 / item
Gio Ponti Leggera Chair For Cassina
By Gio Ponti
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Gio Ponti Leggera Chair For Cassina An icon of chair design and of Cassina’s masterful artisan craftsmanship. A tasteful and versatile piece remin...
Walnut
$1,480Sale Price|20% Off
Gio Ponti Superleggera Side Chair model 646 Italy 1957 Mid Century
By Gio Ponti
Located in Chula Vista, CA
For your consideration, a Vintage Superleggera Side Chair by Gio Ponti, model 646, Italy circa 1957 Ash wood and cane. Dimensions: 32.5 h x 16 d x 15.75 w Seat h 18 Preowned restor...
Wood
Original "Leggera" Chair, Design Gio Ponti for Cassina, 1949
By Gio Ponti, Cassina
Located in taranto, IT
Splendid Cassina chair model " leggera" Gio Ponti design ,first version with upholstered seat, forerunner of the model "superleggera "arrived only a few years later, with the adoptio...
Faux Leather, Wood, Ash
Gio Ponti Fireside Chair in Black Beech Wood and Straw by Casa & Giardino 50s
By Gio Ponti, Casa e Giardino
Located in Cascina, Pisa
A fireside chair with a structure in black lacquered beech wood and a seat in hand-woven rush. This iconic fireside chair was designed by Gio Ponti in 1939 and produced by Casa & Giardino during the 1950s. The peculiar look of this chair is due especially to the high sculptural back, which presents beautifully carved details and a rustic seat in a natural hand-woven rush. Literature: Domus n. 143, November 1939, pag. 60. Gio Ponti was an icon of the modernist movement: the Italian designer, architect, artist and publisher contributed significantly to the worlds of architecture and design with his extensive work in fine furniture and ceramics, education, office and residential buildings, and everything in between. Giovanni, known as Gio Ponti was born in 1891 in Milan. It was there that he spent his childhood, and in 1921 he began to study architecture at the Politecnico di Milano. From 1923 to 1930 he served as the artistic director of the Richard-Ginori porcelain factory. In 1927, Ponti started his first architectural office, together with Emilio Lancia, and in 1928 he started the magazine Domus, which is still regarded as one of the most influential European magazines for architecture and design. He was also very influential during the period as a curator of the Milan Triennale. After his collaboration with Emilio Lancia had come to an end, upon completion of the Torre Rasini, he began to work as an architect together with the engineers Antonio Fornaroli and Eugenio Soncini...
Beech, Rush
Gio Ponti, Wingback / Lounge Chair, White and Blue Fabric, Oak, Cassina, 1950s
By Figli di Amadeo Cassina, Gio Ponti
Located in High Point, NC
A white and blue fabric and oak lounge chair / wingback chair designed by Gio Ponti and produced by Cassina, Italy, 1950s. Wooden legs present with light areas of wear consistent w...
Fabric, Oak
Set of 10 Gio Ponti 699 Superleggera by Cassina in Black
By Gio Ponti, Cassina
Located in Berlin, DE
Set of 10 Gio Ponti 699 Superleggera by Cassina in black Manufactured since 1957, the Superleggera wood chair is the rare combination of the architec...
Cane, Ash
$2,375 / item
Gio Ponti Leggera Chair For Cassina
By Gio Ponti
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Gio Ponti Leggera Chair For Cassina An icon of chair design and of Cassina’s masterful artisan craftsmanship. A tasteful and versatile piece remin...
Walnut
$10,691Sale Price / set|25% Off
pair of GIO PONTI armchairs white velvet brass feet for private residence 1955
By Gio Ponti
Located in Rome, IT
elegant pair of Gio Ponti armchairs probably a unique pieces from a private residence in Arenzano, Genova, Italy 1955 from the same residence other important items designed by Gio...
Brass
Cassina Pair of Italian White Velvet Armchairs, of Transatlantic Ship "Augustus"
By Gio Ponti, Cassina
Located in Wolfurt, AT
Pair of armchairs with white velvet cover and walnut legs. Design for the transatlantic ship "Augustus". Production Cassina, Italy, 1950. Literature: Paolo Piccione, Gio Ponti Le Nav...
Velvet, Walnut
Gio Ponti Leggera Outdoor Chair by Cassina - Mid-Century Modern
By Gio Ponti
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Gio Ponti Leggera Outdoor Chair For Cassina The wood chair par excellence, one of the flagship pieces in the partnership between Gio Ponti, Cesare Cassina and the company’s joinery ...
Steel
$20,076 / set
Set d 6 chairs Superleggera, Gio Ponti, Cassina
By Gio Ponti
Located in Milano, Lombardia
This incredible set of 6 Superleggera chairs designed by Gio Ponti for Cassina in 1950 embodies the elegance and lightness of modern aesthetics. These iconic chairs feature clean, sl...
Straw, Wood
20th Century, Gio Ponti for Cassina Set of 8 Chairs mod. Leggera
By Gio Ponti, Cassina
Located in Torino, Piemonte
An eclectic personality, from his early days he was active in the fields of architecture, painting, graphics and set design. He graduated in architecture from the Milan Polytechnic i...
Fabric, Wood
Aluminum Chair by Gio Ponti for Montecatini, Italy, 1930s
By Gio Ponti
Located in Milan, IT
Rare chair by Gio Ponti for Montecatini Headquarter in Milano. Aluminum frame with red plastic cover.
Aluminum
Pair of Gio Ponti for Walter Ponti Gabriella Folding Chairs Model D.270.2 Black
By Walter Ponti, Gio Ponti
Located in Philadelphia, PA
An absolutely beautiful and very rare pair of folding chairs from iconic designer Gio Ponti. Produced by also iconic manufacturer Walter Ponti. In original condition, a standout feat...
Faux Leather, Wood
20th Century Gio Ponti Cassina Single Armchair for Hotel Royal in Naples '50s
By Gio Ponti, Cassina
Located in Torino, Piemonte
Wonderful armchair designed by Gio Ponti for Cassina in '50s. The armchair has a wooden structure with 4 wooden feet, and fabric upholstery. The model of the armchair remembers a kin...
Fabric, Wood
Set/2 Accent Chairs Gio Ponti, 1930s Full Restoration by Greenapple
By Greenapple, Casa e Giardino, Gio Ponti
Located in Lisboa, PT
Collectible Vintage Italian armchair designed by Gio Ponti for the Casa e Giardino manufacturing company in the late 1930s. This iconic design piece has been completely restored fro...
Oak, Wool, Velvet
Gio Ponti 699 “Superleggera” Dining Chair for Cassina, 1957
By Cassina, Gio Ponti
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
Gio Ponti 699 “Superleggera” dining chair for Cassina, ash, rope, Italy, 1957 In 1957 the Italian furniture manufacturer Amedeo Cassina added a new dining chair to its collection. I...
Rope, Ash, Wood
"Ninfea" Chair by Gio Ponti, 1950
By Gio Ponti
Located in Roma, RM
“NINFEA” Chair Gio Ponti 1950 “Ninfea” model folding chair with polished wooden structure and covering in red fabric. Production by the Reguitti brother...
Textile, Foam, Wood
Gio Ponti, Pair of fireside chairs
By Gio Ponti
Located in London, GB
Mahogany with rush seating Attributed to designer. H100 x W41 x D43 cm
Rush, Mahogany