Joaquim Tenreiro Furniture
Brazilian, Portuguese, 1906-1992
The Portugese-born furniture designer Joaquim Tenreiro was a pioneer of modernism in Brazil, where his work paved the way for the successes of such mid-20th-century design greats as Sergio Rodrigues, Jorge Zalszupin, and Lina Bo Bardi, an Italian-Brazilian architect whose futuristic São Paulo buildings are only part of her legacy.
Tenreiro’s vintage tables, chairs and storage cabinets are known for their simplicity of line and an elegance that is enhanced by the use of richly grained South American hardwoods such as jacaranda and imbuia.
Tenreiro’s father and grandfather were both master woodworkers, under whom he trained in the craft. He had artistic leanings and in the late 1920s enrolled as a university student at the School of Arts and Crafts in Rio de Janeiro, where he joined a group of upstart modernists protesting the staid, retrograde curriculum at the college. At the time, Brazil was culturally mired in a 19th-century mindset that was reflected in an upper-class preference for academic painting and reproduction furnishings in antique European styles. But the progressive spirit that Tenreiro and his colleagues fostered slowly gained force.
With the terms “lightness” and “functionality” as his bywords, Tenreiro opened a furniture-design business in 1943, where one of his first clients was the legendary architect Oscar Niemeyer. The arrival of Brazil’s first democratically elected government, in 1945, lent modernism official sanction, which culminated in the construction of the new capital, Brasília. Tenreiro eventually stepped away from design in the late 1960s to devote his time to sculpture and painting.
To appreciate how revolutionary Tenreiro’s work seemed, one must imagine the heavy, ornately carved, deeply varnished furniture that was the standard for top-end Brazilian interior design in the 1930s. Tenreiro’s chairs and sofas employed slender, softly angular frames that were only lightly stained to highlight the grains of the local woods. He preferred chairs and chaises with caned seats and backrests that “breathe” in the tropical climate, and as a carpenter and joiner he wanted to show off the beauty of Brazilian wood.
Two versions of a three-legged side chair introduced in 1947 serve as a veritable manifesto for a new age in Brazilian design: Using the stack-lamination technique, Tenreiro bonded together a gently contoured seat made of alternating layers of different-colored native woods to produce a magnificent stripe effect. These chairs, like all Tenreiro works, demonstrate the enduring power of simple design and superb construction — with a teaspoon of flair.
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Creator: Joaquim Tenreiro
Rosewood Dresser by Joaquim Tenreiro, Brazilian Midcentury, 1950s
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in New York, NY
Joaquim Albuquerque Tenreiro was born in 1906 in the small village of Melo, Portugal, which at the time had 1500 inhabitants. His father and grandfather were woodworkers, and some ac...
Category
1950s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Joaquim Tenreiro Furniture
Materials
Rosewood
Sculpture by Joaquim Tenreiro
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in SAINT-OUEN-SUR-SEINE, FR
Sculpture par Joaquim Tenreiro pour une villa à Jardim,
Suite à ses créations mobilières Joaquim Tenreiro s’intéressa aux arts graphiques, peinture et sculptures.
Category
1970s Brazilian Modern Vintage Joaquim Tenreiro Furniture
Materials
Metal
Bookcase by Sergio Rodrigues, 1968
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in Barcelona, ES
Bookcase
Manufactured by Oca Brazil,
1968 Solid and laminated Rosewood
Measurements : 116x30x160hcm 45,6 x 11,8 x 62,8h in
Literature Soraia Cals, Sergio Rodrigues, Rio de Janeiro,...
Category
1960s South American Vintage Joaquim Tenreiro Furniture
Materials
Rosewood
Round Dining Table with Curved Legs by Joaquim Tenreiro, 1950's
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in New York, NY
Joaquim Tenreiro- 1950. This magnificent dining table features a round top, cross bars and four curved legs entirely made in Caviuna wood and Caviuna veneer. All pieces are original ...
Category
20th Century Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Joaquim Tenreiro Furniture
Materials
Wood
$17,600 Sale Price
20% Off
Set of Eight Dining Chairs by Joaquim Tenreiro, Solid Wood and Cane, 1950s
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in New York, NY
This set of eight exquisitely crafted Cane chairs in Amendoim Wood, designed by Joaquim Tenreiro (1906-1992) in the 1960s, is a gorgeous example of his mastery of technical and const...
Category
1950s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Joaquim Tenreiro Furniture
Materials
Cane, Hardwood
Brazilian Modern Pair of Concha Armchairs in Green Suede, Joaquim Tenreiro, 1960
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in New York, NY
Available today, with domestic shipping in the NYC metro area included, this Brazilian Modern Pair of Concha Armchairs in Green Suede, Joaquim Tenreiro, c. 1960s, is nothing less tha...
Category
Mid-20th Century Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Joaquim Tenreiro Furniture
Materials
Suede, Hardwood
Brazilian Modern Desk with Organic Shape in Hardwood, Joaquim Tenreiro, 1950's
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in New York, NY
This remarkable desk is crafted from ivory wood and features an organically shaped top, supported on one side by an elliptical, pointed foot and, on the other side, a column that inc...
Category
Mid-20th Century Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Joaquim Tenreiro Furniture
Materials
Wood
Set of 6 Chairs in Caviuna Wood & Fabric by Joaquim Tenreiro, c. 1950s
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in New York, NY
Joaquim Tenreiro- 1950. This rare set consists of 6 chairs made of Caviuna wood and fabric. The chairs have been reinforced, refinished and are in excellent condition. The original ...
Category
20th Century Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Joaquim Tenreiro Furniture
Materials
Fabric, Hardwood
$20,320 Sale Price / set
32% Off
Desk by Joaquim Tenreiro, 1966
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in Barcelona, ES
Desk
Created for the offices of Bloch Editores, Sao PAulo
Brazil, 1966
Jacaranda (rosewood) wood
Measurements
145 cm x 70 cm x 75h cm
57 in x 27,55 in x 29,52h in
Details
Paqule of...
Category
1960s Brazilian Vintage Joaquim Tenreiro Furniture
Materials
Wood, Jacaranda, Rosewood
Joaquim Tenreiro, Desk, Rosewood, Brazil, 1960s
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in High Point, NC
A rosewood desk designed by Joaquim Tenreiro, Brazil, 1960s.
Designed and produced for Bloch Editores S.A. Building, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil.
Overall Dimensions (inches): 28.75"H x ...
Category
1960s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Joaquim Tenreiro Furniture
Materials
Rosewood
Cadeira curva
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in Collonge-Bellerive, GE
Bring timeless sophistication to any interior with these rare Cadeira Curva chairs by the renowned Joaquim Tenreiro, a key figure in Brazilian mid-century design. Known for his metic...
Category
20th Century Brazilian Modern Joaquim Tenreiro Furniture
Materials
Wood, Imbuia
$19,565 / set
Joaquim Tenreiro Brazilian Desk
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in Washington, DC
Beautiful Brazilian wooden desk by Brazilian master Joaquim Tenreiro, also known as the "Mestre de Madeira" (Master of Wood), because of his skill and artisanal approach to woodwork.
Category
1950s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Joaquim Tenreiro Furniture
Materials
Wood
Room Divider by Joaquim Tenreiro Moveis e Decoraçoes, 1960
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in Barcelona, ES
Room Divider
Manufactured by Tenreiro Moveis e Decoraçoes
Brazil, 1960
Black and white painted jacaranda
Measurements
280 cm x 3,5 cm x 201,2h cm
110,23 in in x 1,37 in x 71,29h in
...
Category
1960s Brazilian Vintage Joaquim Tenreiro Furniture
Materials
Jacaranda
Joaquim Tenreiro Office Desk
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in Barcelona, ES
Joaquim Tenreiro
Office Desk Manufactured by Tenreiro Móveis e Decorações Brazil, 1960s Solid rosewood and plywood with rosewood laminatio...
Category
1960s South American Vintage Joaquim Tenreiro Furniture
Materials
Rosewood
$100,790
Curva Armchair with Tubular Legs in Boucle, Joaquim Tenreiro, 1960 - Lot 760
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in New York, NY
Introducing the iconic Curva armchair, originally conceived in the 1960s by the renowned Joaquim Tenreiro for Tenreiro Moveis e Decoraçaos. This timeless piece masterfully blends wid...
Category
Mid-20th Century Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Joaquim Tenreiro Furniture
Materials
Metal
$20,000 Sale Price
20% Off
Brazilian Hardwood Table by Joaquim Tenreiro, 1947, Midcentury Design
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in New York, NY
This exquisitely crafted dining table, designed by Joaquim Tenreiro (1906-1992) in 1947, evokes a refined coexistence of traditional values and modern aesthetics. Its delicate shapes...
Category
1950s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Joaquim Tenreiro Furniture
Materials
Rosewood, Leather
Joaquim Tenreiro Dining Chairs, Solid Wood and Fabric, MidCentury, Brazil, 1950s
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in New York, NY
Available in eight units, this set of dining chairs was designed by Joaquim Tenreiro (1906-1992) in the 1950s. Much like Tenreiro's other creations, this sense of lightness transcend...
Category
1950s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Joaquim Tenreiro Furniture
Materials
Fabric, Wood
Brazilian Mid Century Chairs in Hardwood & Leather by Joaquim Tenreiro, c. 1950
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in New York, NY
Available today, with domestic shipping in the NYC metro area included, this Brazilian Pair of Chairs in Hardwood & Leather by Joaquim Tenreiro, c. 1950s, is nothing less than gorgeo...
Category
Mid-20th Century Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Joaquim Tenreiro Furniture
Materials
Leather, Hardwood
$4,800 Sale Price
20% Off
Solid Pau Marfim Wood Estrutural Table by Joaquim Tenreiro, Brazilian Design
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in New York, NY
Restored
Category
1960s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Joaquim Tenreiro Furniture
Materials
Glass, Wood
Pair of “Leve” armchairs in hardwood & leather by Joaquim Tenreiro, 1942, Brazil
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in New York, NY
Available today in NYC with free domestic shipping, these one a kind pair of “Leve” armchairs in hardwood and leather by Joaquim Tenreiro, c. 1942are nothing less than spectacular, c...
Category
Mid-20th Century Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Joaquim Tenreiro Furniture
Materials
Leather, Hardwood
$44,000 Sale Price / set
20% Off
Set of Six Rosewood Estrutural Chairs by Joaquim Tenreiro. Mid Century, Brazil
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in New York, NY
To compose light seats, Tenreiro used thin wooden sticks in some of his chairs. One of these pieces, which became well known, was the Structural Chair...
Category
1940s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Joaquim Tenreiro Furniture
Materials
Leather, Rosewood
Rosewood Desk Brazilian Midcentury Design by Joaquim Tenreiro, 1960s
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in New York, NY
Original condition.
Category
1960s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Joaquim Tenreiro Furniture
Materials
Wood
Joaquim Tenreiro, Side Table, Brazil, 1950
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in Barcelona, ES
Joaquim Tenreiro (1906–1992)
Side table
Manufactured by Tenreiro Moveis e Decoraçoes
Brazil, 1950
Caviuna, Formica
Measurements
78 cm diameter x 41 height cm
30.7 in diame...
Category
1950s Brazilian Vintage Joaquim Tenreiro Furniture
Materials
Formica, Wood
Curva Chair by Joaquim Tenreiro, 1960s, Brazilian Midcentury Design
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in New York, NY
This exquisitely crafted rosewood curved chair with stick back designed by Joaquim Tenreiro (1906-1992) in 1961/1962 evokes a refined coexistence of traditional values and modern aes...
Category
1960s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Joaquim Tenreiro Furniture
Materials
Cane, Rosewood
Joaquim Tenreiro Pair of Dining Chairs
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in Washington, DC
Rare pair of iron chairs by Brazilian Modern Master Joaquim Tenreiro.
Brazil, 1950
Manufactured by Tenreiro Móveis e Decorações
Iron, woo...
Category
Mid-20th Century Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Joaquim Tenreiro Furniture
Materials
Iron
$10,800 Sale Price / set
20% Off
Bloch Desk by Joaquim Tenreiro
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in London, England
Bloch Desk by Joaquim Tenreiro
Category
Mid-20th Century Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Joaquim Tenreiro Furniture
Materials
Hardwood
Price Upon Request
Pair of side tables by Joaquim Tenreiro
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in London, England
Pair of side tables by Joaquim Tenreiro.
Category
Mid-20th Century Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Joaquim Tenreiro Furniture
Materials
Glass, Hardwood
Price Upon Request
"Leve" Armchair by Joaquim Tenreiro
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in London, England
"Leve" armchair by Joaquim Tenreiro made in "Perobinha do Campo" wood.
Category
Mid-20th Century Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Joaquim Tenreiro Furniture
Materials
Fabric, Hardwood
Price Upon Request
"Curva" Armchairs by Joaquim Tenreiro
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in London, England
"Curva" Armchairs by Joaquim Tenreiro
Category
Mid-20th Century Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Joaquim Tenreiro Furniture
Materials
Fabric
Price Upon Request
"Curva" Armchairs by Joaquim Tenreiro
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in London, England
"Curva" Armchairs by Joaquim Tenreiro
Category
Mid-20th Century Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Joaquim Tenreiro Furniture
Materials
Fabric
Price Upon Request
Manta Solta Sofa, Joaquim Tenreiro, Brazilian Design
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in New York, NY
Radical in concept and precise in execution, the Manta Solta set embodies Joaquim Tenreiro’s disruptive vision for modern furniture design in mid-20th-century Brazil. Crafted in 1955...
Category
1950s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Joaquim Tenreiro Furniture
Materials
Leather, Hardwood
Price Upon Request
Manta Solta Armchairs, Joaquim Tenreiro, Brazilian Design
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in New York, NY
Radical in concept and precise in execution, the Manta Solta set embodies Joaquim Tenreiro’s disruptive vision for modern furniture design in mid-20th-century Brazil. Crafted in 1955...
Category
1950s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Joaquim Tenreiro Furniture
Materials
Leather, Hardwood
Price Upon Request
Set of 4 Slatted Dining Chair by Joaquim Tenreiro
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in London, England
Set of four slatted chairs by Joaquim Tenreiro.
Category
Mid-20th Century Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Joaquim Tenreiro Furniture
Materials
Hardwood
Price Upon Request
Rare pair of "Curva" chairs by Joaquim Tenreiro
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in London, England
Rare pair of "Curva" chairs by Joaquim Tenreiro.
Category
Mid-20th Century Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Joaquim Tenreiro Furniture
Materials
Glass, Hardwood
Price Upon Request
Rare armchair by Joaquim Tenreiro
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in London, England
Extremely rare and iconic armchair by Joaquim Tenreiro.
Category
Mid-20th Century Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Joaquim Tenreiro Furniture
Materials
Hardwood, Cane
Price Upon Request
Pair of side tables by Joaquim Tenreiro
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in London, England
Pair of side tables by Joaquim Tenreiro.
Category
Mid-20th Century Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Joaquim Tenreiro Furniture
Materials
Hardwood, Glass
Price Upon Request
Low Chair by Joaquim Tenreiro
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in London, England
Iconic "Cadeira Baixa" designed by Brazilian design master Joaquim Tenreiro in Perobinha do Campo wood.
Category
Mid-20th Century Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Joaquim Tenreiro Furniture
Materials
Cane, Hardwood
Price Upon Request
Sofa by Joaquim Tenreiro
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in London, England
Rare sofa by Joaquim Tenreiro.
Preserves traces of manufacture's label on the back.
Category
Mid-20th Century Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Joaquim Tenreiro Furniture
Materials
Fabric, Hardwood
Price Upon Request
Pair of Armchairs by Joaquim Tenrei
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in London, England
Iconic armchairs designed by Joaquim Tenreiro in 1958.
These armchairs have been sourced directly from a private collection in Rio de Janeiro.
Photos of them in their original ...
Category
Mid-20th Century Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Joaquim Tenreiro Furniture
Materials
Cane, Hardwood
Price Upon Request
Bloch Desk by Joaquim Tenreiro
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in London, England
This piece belonged to BLOCH EDITORES S.A. BUILDING which commissioned its interiors to Joaquim Tenreiro and Sergio Rodrigues.
This desk presents both a patrimony label with an identification number as well as labels from "Tenreiro Moveis e Decoracoes...
Category
Mid-20th Century Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Joaquim Tenreiro Furniture
Materials
Hardwood
Price Upon Request
Set of 8 "U" Dining Chair, Rarest Version
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in London, England
Probably one of the most iconic creations by Joaquim Tenreiro, this set of 8 "U" is a modified version of its original design, with thicker wood and rounder edges (arms/backrest)
Th...
Category
Mid-20th Century Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Joaquim Tenreiro Furniture
Materials
Fabric, Hardwood
Price Upon Request
Set of 12 "U" Chairs by Joaquim Tenreiro
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in London, England
Probably one of the most iconic creations my Joaquim Tenreiro, this set of 12 "U" dining chairs is made in "Perobinha do Campo", a wood widely used by Tenreiro throughout his career....
Category
Mid-20th Century Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Joaquim Tenreiro Furniture
Materials
Cane, Hardwood
Price Upon Request
Two-Seat Sofa with Rosewood Frame Designed by Joaquim Tenreiro
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in New York, NY
Two-seat sofa with rosewood frame and upholstered cushions. Designed by Joaquim
Tenreiro, Brazil, circa 1960s.
Category
1960s Brazilian Vintage Joaquim Tenreiro Furniture
Materials
Rosewood
Price Upon Request
Daybed with Wood Frame by Joaquim Tenreiro
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in New York, NY
Daybed with wood frame, painted metal legs, and upholstered cushions. Designed by Joaquim Tenreiro for a private commission in Copacabana, Brazil, circa 1950. Reupholstered by Jouffr...
Category
1950s Brazilian Vintage Joaquim Tenreiro Furniture
Materials
Metal
Price Upon Request
Joaquim Tenreiro furniture for sale on 1stDibs.
Joaquim Tenreiro furniture 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 Joaquim Tenreiro furniture, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original furniture by Joaquim Tenreiro were created in the mid-century modern style in south america during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider furniture by Carlo Hauner and Martin Eisler, José Zanine Caldas, and Giuseppe Scapinelli. Prices for Joaquim Tenreiro furniture can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $3,337 and can go as high as $121,466, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $30,000.
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