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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.

Find vintage Joaquim Tenreiro furniture on 1stDibs.

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Period: 1960s
Creator: Joaquim Tenreiro
Triangular Table with Painted Glass Top, Joaquim Tenreiro, circa 1960, Brazil
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in New York, NY
This solid Imbuia table with a painted glass top was designed by Joaquim Tenreiro (1906-1992) in the 1960s and produced by Tenreiro Móveis e Decorações, Tenreiro's first solo store, ...
Category

1960s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Joaquim Tenreiro Furniture

Materials

Imbuia, Glass

Rosewood Desk by Joaquim Tenreiro, Bloch Editors, 1960s, Brazilian Midcentury
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in New York, NY
This exquisitely crafted Rosewood Desk designed by Joaquim Tenreiro (1906-1992) belonged to BLOCH EDITORES S.A. BUILDING, a Brazilian publisher founded in 1952 and closed in 2000, wh...
Category

1960s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Joaquim Tenreiro Furniture

Materials

Rosewood

Mid-Century Modern Pair of Side Tables by Joaquim Tenreiro, Brazil, 1960s
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in Deerfield Beach, FL
Mid-Century Modern Pair of Side Tables by Joaquim Tenreiro, Brazil, 1960s Side tables designed by the renowned Brazilian designer, Joaquim Tenreiro, crafted during the mid-20th cent...
Category

1960s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Joaquim Tenreiro Furniture

Materials

Glass, Wood

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...
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1960s Brazilian Vintage Joaquim Tenreiro Furniture

Materials

Wood, Jacaranda, Rosewood

Office Desk model “Square” by Joaquim Tenreiro, 1966
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in Barcelona, ES
Office Desk model "Square" Manufactured by Tenreiro Moveis e Decoraçao Brazil, 1966 Jacaranda, Glass Measurements 100 cm x 100 cm x 76h cm 39,3 in x 39,3 in x 29,9h in Detail This ...
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1960s Brazilian Vintage Joaquim Tenreiro Furniture

Materials

Glass, Jacaranda

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 ...
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1960s Brazilian Vintage Joaquim Tenreiro Furniture

Materials

Jacaranda

Joaquim Tenreiro - rare iron sculpture "Fita"
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in Immenstaad am Bodensee, DE
Joaquim Tenreiro, a prominent Brazilian furniture designer, left an indelible mark on the world of design through his innovative approach and significant contributions to the moderni...
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1960s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Joaquim Tenreiro Furniture

Materials

Iron

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

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,...
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1960s South American Vintage Joaquim Tenreiro Furniture

Materials

Rosewood

Joaquim Tenreiro Bloch writing desk Brazil 1965
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in Roosendaal, Noord Brabant
Beautiful Bloch writing desk designed by Joaquim Tenreiro and manufactured in Brazil 1965. This desk was once used in the BLOCH EDITORES S.A. BUILDING, a well-known Brazilian publish...
Category

1960s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Joaquim Tenreiro Furniture

Materials

Rosewood

Joaquim Tenreiro round dining table Brazil 1960
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in Roosendaal, Noord Brabant
Beautiful and super rare round dining table by Joaquim Tenreiro, Brazil 1960. The precision and attention to detail by Tenreiro are visible in every inch of this creation. Each curve and joint speak of his masterful understanding of the medium, transforming solid wood into an ethereal masterpiece. Made of solid rosewood, the table's thin, round structure gracefully holds a smooth, transparent glass top, allowing to see the beauty of the minimalistic cross base. The legs of this table are slender, accentuating the table's lightness. This incredibly rare dining table by Joaquim Tenreiro goes beyond just being useful. Its design is timeless, giving us a glimpse into the creative mind of a true artist. Joaquim Tenreiro was born into a family of woodworkers and carpenters in Melo, Gouveia Municipality, Portugal. In the late 1920s, he moved to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and started working for the company Laubisch Hirth...
Category

1960s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Joaquim Tenreiro Furniture

Materials

Glass, Rosewood

Midcentury Brazilian Sofa Design by Joaquim Tenreiro, Rosewood and Marble, 1960s
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in New York, NY
Wood and Upholstery Restored. Marble in original condition Solid Rosewood structure, Rosewood veneers, Marble and Bossa Fabrics Upholstery.
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1960s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Joaquim Tenreiro Furniture

Materials

Marble

Rosewood Desk by Joaquim Tenreiro, Bloch Editors, Brazilian Midcentury, 1965
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in New York, NY
This bloch desk was designed by Joaquim Tenreiro (1906-1992), the “father” of Brazilian modernism, in 1965. The desk offers an interplay of rosewood tones and its elegance is complem...
Category

1960s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Joaquim Tenreiro Furniture

Materials

Rosewood

1960's Brazilian Modern Sofa “Concha” in Hardwood & Fabric, by Joaquim Tenreiro
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in New York, NY
Available right now, this beautiful Brazilian modern sofa, designed by Joaquim Tenreiro in the sixties, is absolutely stunning. The model is cal...
Category

1960s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Joaquim Tenreiro Furniture

Materials

Fabric, Wood

Canapé Sofa by Joaquim Tenreiro, Amoreira Wood, Cane, Mid-Century Modern, C.1960
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in New York, NY
Joaquim Tenreiro (1906-1992) is known as the “father” of Brazilian modernism, being one of the pioneers, with a work that reflects a refined coexistence of traditional values and mod...
Category

1960s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Joaquim Tenreiro Furniture

Materials

Cane, Wood

Joaquim Tenreiro Curva chairs set of 8 Brazil 1961
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in Roosendaal, Noord Brabant
Highly rare and sought after ‘Curva’ chairs designed by Joaquim Tenreiro and manufactures by his own company Tenreiro Movèis & Decorações, Brazil 1961. Tenreiro was a sculptor, painter, engraver and designer, born into a family of joiners. By the late 1940s, the modern movement had taken hold...
Category

1960s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Joaquim Tenreiro Furniture

Materials

Cane, Rosewood

Curved Sofa by Joaquim Tenreiro, 1960s, Midcentury, Brazil
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in New York, NY
Joaquim Tenreiro (1906-1992) designed and produced the Curved Sofa in circa 1960, commercializing it in his company Tenreiro Móveis e Decorações – with stores in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. A wooden frame comprises a shell-shaped piece with soft nubuck leather upholstered padding and cushions. Tenreiro's design choice for the feet contrasts with the curved upholstery, bringing four rectangular legs made of solid Brazilian...
Category

1960s 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

Mid-Century Modern Center Table by Joaquim Tenreiro, Brazil, 1960s
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in Deerfield Beach, FL
Mid-Century Modern Center Table by Joaquim Tenreiro, Brazil, 1960s This square center table designed by the renowned Brazilian designer, Joaquim Tenreiro was crafted during the mid-20th century, and exemplifies the clean lines and understated elegance that are characteristic of Tenreiro's work. Crafted with precision, this coffee table exhibits Tenreiro's skill in blending organic materials with a beautiful design aesthetic. The robust wooden frame shows the natural grains and warm tones, while its square shape lends versatility and balance to suit various interior styles. The greatest feature of this table is its nested glass...
Category

1960s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Joaquim Tenreiro Furniture

Materials

Wood, Glass

Brazilian Modern Desk in Hardwood by Joaquim Tenreiro for Bloch, 1966, Brazil
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in New York, NY
Available today, this Midcentury Modern Desk in Brazilian Rosewood, known as Jacaranda designed by Joaquim Tenreiro for Bloch Editores in the 1966 is nothing less than spectacular. ...
Category

1960s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Joaquim Tenreiro Furniture

Materials

Hardwood

Side Tables by Joaquim Tenreiro, Rosewood and Glass, Midcentury Brazil, c 1960
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in New York, NY
This gorgeous pair of Side Tables was designed by Joaquim Tenreiro (1906-1992) and produced in the 1960s. The pieces are made in solid Rosewood ans present two tops: one in Rosewood ...
Category

1960s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Joaquim Tenreiro Furniture

Materials

Glass, Rosewood

Set of Four Dining Chairs by Joaquim Tenreiro, Rosewood and Cane, circa 1960
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in New York, NY
These exquisitely crafted dining chairs designed in the 1950s by Joaquim Tenreiro (1906-1992), known as the “father” of Brazilian modernism, are co...
Category

1960s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Joaquim Tenreiro Furniture

Materials

Rosewood, Cane

Rosewood Desk with Painted Glass Top by Joaquim Tenreiro, Bloch Editors, 1960s
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in New York, NY
This exquisitely crafted rosewood desk designed by Joaquim Tenreiro (1906-1992) belonged to Bloch Editores S.A. Building, a Brazilian publisher founded in 1952 and closed in 2000, wh...
Category

1960s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Joaquim Tenreiro Furniture

Materials

Rosewood, Glass

Pair of Mid-Century Modern Armchairs by Joaquim Tenreiro, Brazil, 1960s
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in Deerfield Beach, FL
Pair of Mid-Century Modern armchairs by Joaquim Tenreiro, Brazil 1960s This pair of square armchairs designed by Joaquim Tenreiro is a stunning examp...
Category

1960s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Joaquim Tenreiro Furniture

Materials

Fabric, Wood, Plywood

Bookshelf by Joaquim Tenreiro in Brazilian Rosewood, 1960s, Mid-Century Modern
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in New York, NY
This bookshelf was designed by Joaquim Tenreiro (1906-1992) in the 1960s and produced by the company Tenreiro Arquitetura e Interiores. The piece is made of solid Rosewood and is ...
Category

1960s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Joaquim Tenreiro Furniture

Materials

Hardwood

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

Set of 4 Curva Dining Chairs by Joaquim Tenreiro
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in Soho, London, GB
Set of 4 Curva dining chairs by Joaquim Tenreiro manufactured by Tenreiro Movèis & Decorações (circa 1960). The set can be split and ...
Category

1960s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Joaquim Tenreiro Furniture

Materials

Wood, Cane

Pair of Curva chair by Joaquim Tenreiro, Mid-Century Modern-Vintage 60'
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in Houston, TX
Introducing the exquisite Brazilian modern 'curva' chairs, expertly crafted by the renowned artisan Joaquim Tenreiro in the vibrant era of the 1960s in Brazil. With their timeless ap...
Category

1960s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Joaquim Tenreiro Furniture

Materials

Cane, Hardwood

Caviuna Table by Joaquim Tenreiro, 1950s, Brazilian Midcentury Design
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in New York, NY
This stunning Caviúna piece was designed by Joaquim Tenreiro and produced in 1968 by one of his companies, located in Rio de Janeiro. Its simple design stands out with the subtle det...
Category

1960s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Joaquim Tenreiro Furniture

Materials

Wood

"Poltrona Baixas" Lounge Chair by Joaquim Tenreiro
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in New York, NY
"Poltrona Baixas" lounge chair in ebonized wood with turned legs, slatted back rest, and upholstered cushions. Designed by Joaquim Tenreiro, Brazil, ca. 1960s.
Category

1960s Brazilian Vintage Joaquim Tenreiro Furniture

Materials

Upholstery, Wood

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

Mid-Century Modern "Curva" Chair by Brazilian Designer Joaquim Tenreiro, 1960s
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in Deerfield Beach, FL
Mid-Century Modern "Curva" Chair by Brazilian Designer Joaquim Tenreiro, 1960's This stunning chair, designed circa 1960s by the great name of Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Design, ...
Category

1960s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Joaquim Tenreiro Furniture

Materials

Hardwood

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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