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Jorge Zalszupin Desks and Writing Tables

Brazilian, Polish, 1922-2020

Just as emigrant Europeans — from Kem Weber and Paul Frankl to Marcel Breuer and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe — helped establish modernist design and architecture in the United States, so too did many of their peers foster the new design aesthetic in Brazil in the middle decades of the 20th century. Along with architect Lina Bo Bardi (from Italy) and Joaquim Tenreiro (from Portugal) — both of whom helped popularize Brazilian modern design and influenced today's generation of Brazilian designers — there was Jorge Zalszupin, who arrived from Poland in 1949 and created consistently sleek and elegant chairs, tables and case pieces using the South American country’s vibrantly grained tropical hardwoods.

Zalszupin was born in Warsaw (his given first name is Jerzy) and went on to study architecture at the École des Beaux Arts in Bucharest, Romania, graduating in 1945. Zalszupin moved to Paris but found few opportunities in the postwar City of Light. He was impressed by articles on the work of Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer that he saw in the André Bloc–edited magazine L’Architecture d’Aujourd’hui (Architecture Today). And after sailing to South America, Zalszupin went to work with his fellow Pole and architect Luciano Korngold in São Paulo. Zalszupin began designing furniture as part of his architectural commissions and created several pieces for Niemeyer for use in the new capital city, Brasília. He opened his own design and manufacturing firm, L’Atelier, in 1959.

While Zalszupin cannot be said to have had a signature style, his furniture designs all share a characteristic simplicity and purity of line and form. His work is often compared to that of Danish designers, most especially in their shared commitment to quality construction. He was a master of many materials: travertine marble for tabletops, slung leather for seating, man-made fabrics for upholstery and — his forte — highly figured woods such as jacaranda and rosewood. The latter plays prominently in two of Zalszupin’s best-known lounge chairs: the Brasiliana, with its austere, angular wood frame, and the Presidencial, with its curved seating shell and slatted backrest. Both chairs feature deep cushions and generous proportions in deference to the Brazilian proclivity for long and languid conversations. Yet both pieces — like all Zalszupin designs — possess a striking, tailored grace that would be perfect in any environment.

Find vintage Jorge Zalszupin furniture on 1stDibs.

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Creator: Jorge Zalszupin
Large Jacaranda Desk by Jorge Zalszupin by L'Atelier San Paulo, 1960
By L'Atelier San Paulo, Jorge Zalszupin
Located in Dronten, NL
Beautiful large desk designed by Jorge Zalszupin, manufactured by L’Atelier San Paulo, circa 1960. Made of high quality jacaranda wood. The desk has four drawers with very well craf...
Category

Mid-20th Century Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Jorge Zalszupin Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Jacaranda

Jorge Zalszupin Directors desk, Brazil 1960s
By L’Atelier, Jorge Zalszupin
Located in Brussels, BE
In 1960, Jorge Zalszupin designed and manufactured this large desk as part of the Componivel Series at his own company, L’ Atelier, located in Brazil. Its outer framing runs along th...
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1960s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jorge Zalszupin Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Leather, Wood

Jorge Zalszupin For L'atelier, Brazil, 1960s Imbuia Console
By Jorge Zalszupin, L'Atelier San Paulo
Located in London, GB
An original 1960s L'atelier console table designed by Jorge Zalszupin, Brazil. This versatile console table also works as a small desk. It has his iconic patchwork pattern Imbuia wo...
Category

Mid-20th Century Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Jorge Zalszupin Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Imbuia

Jorge Zalszupin Folding Desk by L'atelier Brazil 1959
By Jorge Zalszupin
Located in Roosendaal, Noord Brabant
Folding desk designed by Jorge Zalszupin and manufactured by his own company L’Atelier, Brazil 1959. As Zalszupin gained more and more momentum with his practice during the early and...
Category

1950s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jorge Zalszupin Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Faux Leather, Rosewood

Midcentury Modern Desk in Hardwood & White Top by Jorge Zalszupin, 1970
By Jorge Zalszupin
Located in New York, NY
Available today, this Brazilian Modern desk in Light hardwood designed by Jorge Zalszupin for L’Atelier, is gorgeous! The desk is made of Caviuna hardwood and Formica finishes. It has 6 floating drawers and 2 more in the left side. The top of the desk is very spacious as well as the drawers. It has been refinished and besides the marks of age, the piece is in wonderful condition. The last images showcase the desk in L’Atelier’s product catalogue and spec sheet. This piece belonged to the Hotel...
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Mid-20th Century Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Jorge Zalszupin Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Formica, Hardwood

Mid-CenturyModern Desk in Hardwood by Jorge Zalszupin for L’atelier, c. 1960s
By Jorge Zalszupin
Located in New York, NY
Available today, this Mid-Century Modern Desk in Hardwood by Jorge Zalszupin for L’Atelier in the sixties is stunning! This beautiful desk is made in solid Brazilian Rosewood, known as Jacaranda and has two floating drawers with metal handles. The smooth wood patterns on the top of table are called “Acortinado” or “Curtain” as they resemble theatre curtains. The piece has been refinished and is in excellent condition. These desks were conceived to attend Brazil’s growing market of office furniture. The last images showcase how the modular pieces where conceived. We also have file cabinets and armchairs from the same collection in case of interest. The desk would look wonderful in a Mid-Century Modern or contemporary styled environment. In regards the author Jorge Zalszupin (1 June 1922 – 17 August 2020) was a Polish-born Brazilian architect and designer who founded L’Atelier, in São Paulo, beginning with craftwork and soon after, to the production in series. His work as an architect created a demand for decoration and furniture proposals that suited the style of his projects and, for many years, Zalszupin designed and executed them for his clients. The demand was as great as the desire to grow and expand his business, and he then decided to start L’Atelier Móveis in November 1959. Graceful lines, strong use of local woods and a combination of impeccable woodworking and classical detailing mark Zalszupin’s furniture. He became part of a select team of talented furniture designers, who worked closely with Oscar Niemeyer on the conception and production of furniture for the new Federal capital. A significant part of Zalszupin's furniture production is tributary to his architecture. He used new design language and tendencies, while maintaining a functional view of Ambience for internal spaces. L’Atelier was a design collective of architects, engineers, craftsmen, and a full-scale team of professionals that did everything from researching materials to finalizing the product. Jorge Zalszupin has developed some of the most iconic models in Brazilian Modern furniture and has grown a lot in popularity in the last few years. The “Petala” Coffee table, “Paulistana” armchair or the “Brasiliana” sofa...
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Mid-20th Century Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Jorge Zalszupin Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Metal

Jorge Zalszupin Rosewood Vintage Office Desk
By Jorge Zalszupin
Located in New York, NY
Writing desk designed by Jorge Zalszupin and manufactured by his company, L'Atelier. This piece has four drawers on each side. All the top is covered with rosewood veneer. The struct...
Category

1950s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jorge Zalszupin Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Leather, Rosewood

Jorge Zalszupin Rosewood foldable Desk, Brazilian Midcentury
By Jorge Zalszupin
Located in New York, NY
Writing desk designed by Jorge Zalszupin and manufactured by his company, L'atelier. This piece is covered with rectangular pieces of marquetry wood, a creative resource developed by Zalszupin. The technique consists of gluing several pieces of rosewood leaves of different textures and shades on a furniture surface, which forms a beautiful wood patchwork. This feature allows large surfaces to be coated with a larger visual unit, making it easier to combine different furniture together. This writing desk is a dynamic piece, which can be used both in the corporate and domestic places, a characteristic very present in Zalszupin's production. About his marquetry technique, Zalzszupin affirms: "I thought about combining several patterns of rosewood, lighter, darker, with different types of veins, that is, creating a new pattern for all desks...
Category

1960s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Jorge Zalszupin Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Rosewood

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Previously Available Items
Jorge Zalszupin directors desk L'Atelier Brazil 1959
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Located in Roosendaal, Noord Brabant
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H 28.55 in W 82.68 in D 43.31 in
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Executive Desk by Jorge Zalszupin
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Jacaranda

Jorge Zalszupin desks and writing tables for sale on 1stDibs.

Jorge Zalszupin desks and writing tables 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 Jorge Zalszupin desks and writing tables, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original desks and writing tables by Jorge Zalszupin were created in the mid-century modern style in south america during the mid-20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider desks and writing tables by Geraldo de Barros, Joaquim Tenreiro, and Sergio Rodrigues. Prices for Jorge Zalszupin desks and writing tables can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $6,355 and can go as high as $22,000, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $13,500.

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