Harry Bertoia Furniture
American, Italian, 1915-1978
Sculptor, furniture and jewelry designer, graphic artist and metalsmith, Harry Bertoia was one of the great cross-disciplinarians of 20th-century art and design and a central figure in American mid-century modernism. Among furniture aficionados, Bertoia is known for his chairs such as the wire-lattice Diamond chair (and its variants such as the tall-backed Bird chair) designed for Knoll Inc. and first released in 1952.
As an artist, he is revered for a style that was his alone. Bertoia’s metal sculptures are by turns expressive and austere, powerful and subtle, intimate in scale and monumental. All embody a tension between the intricacy and precision of Bertoia’s forms and the raw strength of his materials: steel, brass, bronze and copper.
Fortune seemed to guide Bertoia’s artistic development. Born in northeastern Italy, Bertoia immigrated to the United States at age 15, joining an older brother in Detroit. He studied drawing and metalworking in the gifted student program at Cass Technical High School. Recognition led to awards that culminated, in 1937, in a teaching scholarship to attend the Cranbrook Academy of Art in suburban Bloomfield Hills, one of the great crucibles of modernism in America.
At Cranbrook, Bertoia made friendships — with architect Eero Saarinen, designers Charles and Ray Eames and Florence Schust Knoll and others — that shaped the course of his life. He taught metalworking at the school, and when materials rationing during World War II limited the availability of metals, Bertoia focused on jewelry design. He also experimented with monotype printmaking, and 19 of his earliest efforts were bought by the Guggenheim Museum.
In 1943, he left Cranbrook to work in California with the Eameses, helping them develop their now-famed plywood furniture. (Bertoia received scant credit.) Late in that decade, Florence and Hans Knoll persuaded him to move east and join Knoll Inc. His chairs became and remain perennial bestsellers. Royalties allowed Bertoia to devote himself full-time to metal sculpture, a medium he began to explore in earnest in 1947.
By the early 1950s Bertoia was receiving commissions for large-scale works from architects — the first came via Saarinen — as he refined his aesthetic vocabulary into two distinct skeins. One comprises his “sounding sculptures” — gongs and “Sonambient” groupings of rods that strike together and chime when touched by hand or by the wind. The other genre encompasses Bertoia’s naturalistic works: abstract sculptures that suggest bushes, flower petals, leaves, dandelions or sprays of grass.
As you will see on these pages, Harry Bertoia was truly unique; his art and designs manifest a wholly singular combination of delicacy and strength.
Find vintage Harry Bertoia sculptures, armchairs, benches and other furniture and art on 1stDibs.
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Creator: Harry Bertoia
BERTOIA Chair, Model 420, Harry Bertoia for Knoll
By Knoll, Harry Bertoia
Located in Neuss, NW
BERTOIA chair, model 420, designed in the 1940s by Harry Bertoia for Knoll. Frame made of wire mesh with a new seat cover in grey.
Quality Features:
very good workmanship
h...
Category
1940s Virgin Islands Mid-Century Modern Vintage Harry Bertoia Furniture
Materials
Metal
Pair of Bertoia Bar Height Stools in Black with Volo Leather Seat Pad
By Harry Bertoia
Located in Dallas, TX
Featuring delicate filigreed construction that's supremely strong, the airy seats of the Bertoia Seating Collection (1952) are sculpted out of steel rods and have a relaxed sit. The ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Mid-Century Modern Harry Bertoia Furniture
Materials
Metal
Early Set of Four Harry Bertoia Molded Shell Side Chairs for Knoll, Labeled
By Harry Bertoia, Knoll
Located in Chesterfield, NJ
Set of four molded shell side chairs designed by Harry Bertoia and manufactured by Knoll. Originally debuted in 1960, this very early set is from 1963 and...
Category
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Harry Bertoia Furniture
Materials
Metal
Harry Bertoia White Wire Diamond Lounge Chair for Knoll (A)
By Harry Bertoia
Located in Cincinnati, OH
A white plastic coated welded wire diamond lounge chair with a contrasting satin black base and sunflower yellow leatherette seat pad . Manufactured by Knoll International and design...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Harry Bertoia Furniture
Materials
Steel, Wire
Mid Century Modern Harry Bertoia For Knoll Bird Lounge Chair In Black
By Harry Bertoia
Located in Chicago, IL
Mid Century Modern Harry Bertoia for Knoll Bird Lounge Chair in Black
The Mid Century Modern Harry Bertoia for Knoll Bird Lounge Chair in Black exemplifies timeless design and exc...
Category
Mid-20th Century Unknown Mid-Century Modern Harry Bertoia Furniture
Materials
Wire
Harry Bertoia bronze
By Harry Bertoia
Located in Dallas, TX
American Mid-century artist Harry Bertoia would spend his daylight hours working on the monumental public projects for which he is so well known. In the evenings though, after dinner...
Category
1970s American Vintage Harry Bertoia Furniture
Materials
Bronze
Set of Four Vintage Bertoia Chairs
By Harry Bertoia
Located in Stockton, NJ
A set of four vintage Bertoia wire chairs by Knoll. Original red fitted cushions included.
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Harry Bertoia Furniture
Materials
Metal
1961 Harry Bertoia for Knoll Bird Chair and Ottoman w/ Original Receipt
By Harry Bertoia, Knoll
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This is an original Bird lounge chair and coordinating ottoman, models 423LU/424YU, initially designed by Harry Bertoia for Knoll in 1952. This chair and ottoman were originally purc...
Category
1960s American Modern Vintage Harry Bertoia Furniture
Materials
Steel
Set of 3 Harry Bertoia for Knoll International Black "Bucket" Barstools
By Harry Bertoia, Knoll
Located in Queens, NY
Set of 3 Mid-Century American (1960s) curved, concave barstools with black fiberglass "bucket" seats resting on splayed metal legs with square stretcher bases, ending in small circul...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Harry Bertoia Furniture
Materials
Chrome
Diamond chair by Harry Bertoia in white & black metal and new blue seating 1960s
By Harry Bertoia
Located in The Hague, NL
An old and original Diamond Chair, designed by Harry Bertoia. U.S.A., Knoll International, 1960s
The Bertoia Diamond Armchair, originally designed in 1952 is one of the most iconic ...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Harry Bertoia Furniture
Materials
Metal
Mid Century Harry Bertoia Children's Black Wire Side Chairs for Knoll
By Harry Bertoia
Located in Bedford Hills, NY
Iconic midcentury Harry Bertoia black wire mesh side chairs for Knoll International, children's Size, circa 1970.
Hans and Florence never insisted that Harry Bertoia design furnit...
Category
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Harry Bertoia Furniture
Materials
Metal
Diamond chair by Harry Bertoia in white & black metal and new seating 1960s
By Harry Bertoia
Located in The Hague, NL
An old and original Diamond Chair, designed by Harry Bertoia. U.S.A., Knoll International, 1960s
The Bertoia Diamond Armchair, originally designed in 1952 is one of the most iconic ...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Harry Bertoia Furniture
Materials
Metal
Mid Century Modern Harry Bertoia For Knoll Bird Lounge Chair In White
By Harry Bertoia
Located in Chicago, IL
Mid Century Modern Harry Bertoia for Knoll Bird Lounge Chair in White
The Mid Century Modern Harry Bertoia for Knoll Bird Lounge Chair in White exemplifies timeless design and exc...
Category
Mid-20th Century Unknown Mid-Century Modern Harry Bertoia Furniture
Materials
Wire
Val Bertoia Double Vertical Spray Sculpture, Steel Wires with Brass Base, 2014
By Harry Bertoia, Val Bertoia
Located in New York, NY
Contemporary artist Val Bertoia's Double Vertical Spray Sculpture made in 2014. This Kinetic sculpture was made by cutting one grouping of stainless-steel wires that were made by Har...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Harry Bertoia Furniture
Materials
Brass, Stainless Steel
Mid-Century Space Age Large Diamond Chair by Harry Bertoia, 1950s
By Harry Bertoia
Located in Hamburg, DE
Rare Large Diamond Chair in black from Knoll International based on a design by Harry Bertoia from the early 1950s.
The design classic among chairs. A sculptural and at the same tim...
Category
20th Century Mid-Century Modern Harry Bertoia Furniture
Materials
Metal
Diamond Chairs by Harry Bertoia for Knoll International
By Harry Bertoia, Knoll
Located in Brussels, BE
Diamond chairs by Harry Bertoia for Knoll International, 6 available
Sold par piece 1200€.
Category
1970s European Vintage Harry Bertoia Furniture
Materials
Chrome
Mid Century Modern Bertoia Large White Wire Diamond Chairs
By Harry Bertoia
Located in Tulsa, OK
Mid Century Modern Bertoia Large White Wire Diamond Chairs
Good vintage condition and structurally sound. Some discoloration on the white white looks to ...
Category
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Harry Bertoia Furniture
Materials
Metal
Harry Bertoia "Six Branches" Stainless Steel Sculpture, 1960s
By Harry Bertoia
Located in New York, NY
"Six branches" sculpture, with stainless steel wires silvered together in two clusters per "branch" onto stems of stainless steel, by Harry Bertoia, American 1960s. This sculpture co...
Category
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Harry Bertoia Furniture
Materials
Stainless Steel
Original Harry Bertoia Sculpture "SPRAWLING BRONZE"
By Harry Bertoia
Located in Dallas, TX
Original "Sprawling Bronze" by Harry Bertoia (1915-1978).
Rare molten bronze spill cast with three feet to make it free-standing. Green patina adds to the organic feel of the sculp...
Category
Late 20th Century American Harry Bertoia Furniture
Materials
Bronze
Harry Bertoia bronze
By Harry Bertoia
Located in Dallas, TX
American Mid-century artist Harry Bertoia would spend his daylight hours working on the monumental public projects for which he is so well known. In the evenings though, after dinner...
Category
1970s Vintage Harry Bertoia Furniture
Materials
Bronze
Harry Bertoia for Knoll Associates Brown Leather and Chrome Bench
By Harry Bertoia, Knoll
Located in Queens, NY
American Mid-Century rectangular bench with a two section chocolate brown leather upholstered seat resting on a square chrome tube frame. (HARRY BERTOIA FOR KNOLL ASSOCIATES).
Category
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Harry Bertoia Furniture
Materials
Chrome, Metal
Vintage Mid-Century Knoll Bertoia Bird Lounge Chair
By Harry Bertoia
Located in Pasadena, TX
Bird chair designed by Harry Bertoia for Knoll,
1952.
Polished chrome steel upholstered in original red fabric.
Foam needs to be replaced.
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Harry Bertoia Furniture
Materials
Stainless Steel
2000s Harry Bertoia for Knoll Diamond Lounge Chair in Purple Boucle
By Harry Bertoia, Knoll
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This is a classic Bertoia Diamond Chair, Model No. 421, originally designed by Harry Bertoia for Knoll in 1952. This particular example dates to the early 2000s and came from a corpo...
Category
Early 2000s American Modern Harry Bertoia Furniture
Materials
Bouclé, Upholstery
Barstool by Harry Bertoia for Knoll & Associates, 1952
By Harry Bertoia, Knoll
Located in Sagaponack, NY
A spare and sculptural stool crafted from shaped steel rods retaining the original woven green wool upholstery. Measures: 40.5" tall, seat height 31".
Designed by Harry Bertoia in 1...
Category
Early 2000s American Mid-Century Modern Harry Bertoia Furniture
Materials
Steel
Harry Bertoia Framed Monoprint on Rice Paper, USA, 1960s
By Harry Bertoia
Located in New York, NY
Bertoia created hundreds if not thousands of one of a kind monoprints in his career, often as working drawings for his sculpture works. He employed a variety of techniques to arrive ...
Category
1960s North American Vintage Harry Bertoia Furniture
Materials
Paper
Harry Bertoia Study for Wire Form, Rare / Experimental 1949
By Harry Bertoia
Located in Buffalo, NY
Provenance: Wright Modernist 20th Century, auction 12/7/2003,
Bertoia worked with the Eames' in California in the late 1940s to develop their wire form chairs. His involvement led...
Category
1940s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Harry Bertoia Furniture
Materials
Steel
Set of 4 Diamond chairs, Harry Bertoia, Knoll International
By Harry Bertoia
Located in Milano, Lombardia
The Diamond Chair is an astounding study in space, form and function by one of the master sculptors of the last century. Like Saarinen and Mies, Bertoia found sublime grace in an ind...
Category
1960s American Modern Vintage Harry Bertoia Furniture
Materials
Metal
Knoll Bertoia Bar Stool with Beautiful Original Cushion, 1970
By Harry Bertoia
Located in Oirlo, LI
Knoll Bertoia bar stool with beautiful original cushion, 1970
The Bertoia side chair is available with a seat cushion. The frame is a welded steel ...
Category
1970s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Harry Bertoia Furniture
Materials
Chrome
Harry Bertoia, Bird Armchair and Ottoman, 1952
By Harry Bertoia
Located in Saint ouen, FR
Bird Chair" armchair H. Bertoia
Armchair with its ottoman
First edition
Bird chair designed by harry bertoia for knoll in 1952. The structure of the chair is made up of solid st...
Category
1950s European Modern Vintage Harry Bertoia Furniture
Materials
Metal
Pair of Early Bertoia Large/ Wide Diamond Chairs - ALL Original
By Knoll, Harry Bertoia
Located in North Miami, FL
The wide/ Large diamond chair is the largest of the Bertoia seating group. These vintage chairs have the ORIGINAL brown covers in very good o...
Category
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Harry Bertoia Furniture
Materials
Stainless Steel, Chrome
Stool by Harry Bertoia for Knoll Inc, 1970s
By Harry Bertoia, Knoll
Located in bruxelles, BE
Black metal stool designed by Harry Bertoia. Seat height 77cm. Wear due to time and age of the stool.
For shipping, request us for receive the best price.
Category
1970s Central American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Harry Bertoia Furniture
Materials
Metal
Chrome Bird Chair by Harry Bertoia for Knoll International, 1952
By Harry Bertoia, Knoll
Located in Amsterdam IJMuiden, NL
Bird chair in chrome. The chair has a beautiful and elegant design with beautiful angles an d details. The chair shows some traces of use, like some rusty spots, which can be polishe...
Category
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Harry Bertoia Furniture
Materials
Metal
BERTOIA Chair, Model 420, Harry Bertoia for Knoll
By Knoll, Harry Bertoia
Located in Neuss, NW
BERTOIA chair, model 420, designed in the 1940s by Harry Bertoia for Knoll. Frame made of wire mesh with a new felt seat cover in yellow.
Quality Features:
very good workmanshi...
Category
1940s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Harry Bertoia Furniture
Materials
Metal
Harry Bertoia for Knoll Red Diamond Chair, 1960s
By Harry Bertoia
Located in Newfoundland, PA
Large Bertoia diamond chair measuring 28.75 in H x 40. in W x 29.5 in. What a wonderful addition to your Mid-Century Modern decor.
Category
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Harry Bertoia Furniture
Materials
Steel
2014 Pair of Harry Bertoia for Knoll Bar Stools with Black Leather Pads
By Harry Bertoia, Knoll
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This is a classic pair of Bertoia bar stools, model 428C, designed in 1952 by Harry Bertoia for Knoll International. These particular examples date to 2014, and the listed price incl...
Category
2010s American Modern Harry Bertoia Furniture
Materials
Steel
An inscribed copy of Harry Bertoia's "Sculptor"
By Harry Bertoia
Located in Toronto, Ontario
A nice inscribed copy of June Kompass Nelson's book "Harry Bertoia , Sculptor"
Category
1970s American Vintage Harry Bertoia Furniture
Materials
Paper
Fiberglass Shell Barstool by Harry Bertoia for Knoll
By Knoll, Harry Bertoia
Located in Sagaponack, NY
A barstool with a black fiberglass shell on splayed, painted legs.
Category
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Harry Bertoia Furniture
Materials
Fiberglass
C. 1965 Harry Bertoia Sectional Wire Bundled Sculpture in Steel and Steel Melt
By Harry Bertoia
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This is an important Welded Steel Wire Brush Sculpture (bundled wire), executed by Harry Bertoia ca. 1965. Bertoia personally developed this method of ...
Category
1960s American Modern Vintage Harry Bertoia Furniture
Materials
Steel
Sonambient Rods Sculpture by Harry Bertoia
By Harry Bertoia
Located in New York, NY
A sonambient rods sculpture by Harry Bertoia (1915-1978). A desirable size for display in the home and a typically wonderful sound quality.
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Harry Bertoia Furniture
Materials
Metal
Harry Bertoia furniture for sale on 1stDibs.
Harry Bertoia furniture are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of metal and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Harry Bertoia furniture, although gray editions of this piece are particularly popular. We have 188 vintage editions of these items in-stock, while there is 2 modern edition to choose from as well. Many of the original furniture by Harry Bertoia were created in the mid-century modern style in north america during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider furniture by Charles Eames, Michael Taylor, and Warren Platner. Prices for Harry Bertoia furniture can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $325 and can go as high as $450,000, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $2,930.
Creators Similar to Harry Bertoia
Questions About Harry Bertoia Furniture
- When was the Diamond Chair made?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022Italian-American designer Harry Bertoia made the Diamond chair in 1952, and his design went into production in 1983. The original chair featured a woven steel wire back with angled wings resting on angled wire legs. Find a collection of Harry Bertoia Diamond chairs on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022Whether or not a Harry Bertoia chair is comfortable really comes down to a matter of personal preference, but there are a lot of positive reviews pertaining to how comfortable the Italian-born American designer’s seating is. Among furniture aficionados he is known for the wire-lattice Diamond chair (and its variants such as the tall-backed Bird chair) designed for Knoll Inc. and first released in 1952. Shop a selection of Bertoia chairs from some of the world’s top dealers on 1stDibs.
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