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Marco Zanuso

Italian, 1916-2001

Italian designer Marco Zanuso helped cement his country’s place as a world leader in furniture design that used new materials in revolutionary ways.

Zanuso was part of a generation of furniture designers who encouraged a sharp departure from the traditionalism and classicalism that reigned over the design industry before the war. These designers, who are associated with what we now call mid-century modernism, experimented with new technologies and materials to deliver on the world’s newfound need for streamlined products that represented the future.

After graduating from the Polytechnic University of Milan in 1939 with a degree in architecture, Zanuso served in the Navy during World War II. Soon after the war, he opened his own design firm in Milan in 1945. He later became an editor at well-regarded design magazines Domus and Casabella.

Zanuso used this editorial platform to both promote new Italian designs as well as his own pieces, some of which he made using unconventional materials like foam and latex. For instance, his famous Lady armchair from 1951 is a composition of foam rubber and Nastro Cord, a recently invented textile band of rubberized fabric that eliminated the need for metal springs. It was one of several pieces he designed for Italian manufacturer Arflex, along with the 1949 Antropus chair and the 1951 Sleep-o-matic sofa.

Zanuso often collaborated with other like-minded creatives. From 1955 until 1957, he was Olivetti’s architect, designing factories across Brazil, and for nearly two decades, he collaborated with German designer Richard Sapper. The pair’s most famous product is the 4999 children’s chair, manufactured in the 1960s by Kartell in Italy. The stackable chair was the first to be manufactured entirely of injection-molded plastic.

Zanuso and Sapper also partnered on the 1962 Brionvega Doney 14, the first European-made portable transistor TV; its sleek, compact and curvy form deeply influenced the design of television sets that followed, which were far more sculptural in form than the rigid boxes that characterized early models.

From the 1970s onward, Zanuso taught architecture and industrial design at the Polytechnic University of Milan. He still exercised his creative talents, planning the headquarters for computer companies and renovating Italian theaters.

Each of Zanuso’s elegant works were demonstrative of a forward-looking sensibility. His projects saw an integration of novel industrial materials that not only helped emphasize the beauty of good design but also played a role in rendering these well-made products accessible to everyday consumers.

On 1stDibs, find a collection of vintage Marco Zanuso furniture, including armchairs, sofas, table lamps and other items.

Average Sold Price
$6,845
Styles
Materials
Related Creators
Iconic Designs from Marco Zanuso
Explore timeless pieces that have earned their place in history.
Lady Armchair
Lady Armchair
Marco Zanuso Senior
Marco Zanuso Senior
Lady Divano Sofa
Lady Divano Sofa
"Regent" Lounge Chairs with Footstools by Marco Zanuso for Arflex, Italy 1960s
By Arflex, Marco Zanuso
Located in Utrecht, NL
Marco Zanuso, born in 1916, was one of a group of Italian designers from Milan shaping the international idea of "good design" in the postwar years. After graduating from the Politec...
Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Marco Zanuso

Materials

Metal

Rare Two-Seat Marco Zanuso Lady Sofa, Arflex, Italy, 1960s, New Pure Mohair
By Arflex, Marco Zanuso
Located in LEWES, GB
Rare authentic two-seat Marco Zanuso lady sofa, Arflex, France/Italy, 1960s. Newly upholtsered in a premium, taupe (brown / grey), pure mohair fabric. Fast shipping worldwide.
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Marco Zanuso

Materials

Brass

Early Marco Zanuso Lady Chair, Italy, 1960s, New Pure Mohair
By Marco Zanuso
Located in LEWES, GB
An early, authentic Marco Zanuso lady chair, Arflex, Italy, 1960s. Newly reupholstered in a luxurious, premium, burnt orange / rust coloured 100% mohair fabric. Brass feet with nat...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Marco Zanuso

Materials

Brass

Marco Zanuso, Pair of Senior Chairs, 1950s and matching pair of ottomans
By Arflex, Marco Zanuso
Located in Wargrave, Berkshire
Marco Zanuso, Pair of Senior Chairs, originally designed 1951, these examples likely dating from late 1950s/early 1960s and manufactured by Arflex. Accompanied by a pair of matching...
Category

1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Marco Zanuso

Materials

Metal, Brass

Italian Mid Century Armchairs in the Style of Marco Zanuso
By Marco Zanuso
Located in Sag Harbor, NY
As one of the first Italian designers to go beyond aesthetic issues to incorporate technological, industrial, and communication variables into his art, Marco Zanuso introduced the co...
Category

20th Century Italian Marco Zanuso

Materials

Silk

Marco Zanuso Senior Chairs, Pure Mohair, Arflex, Italy, 1960s
By Arflex, Marco Zanuso
Located in LEWES, GB
A pair of authentic Marco Zanuso Senior chairs, Arflex, Italy, 1960s. These chairs have been reupholstered in a premium, ivory, 100% mohair velvet. Fast shipping worldwide.
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Marco Zanuso

Materials

Brass

Marco Zanuso Lady Armchair for Cassina, Italy, new
By Cassina, Marco Zanuso
Located in Berlin, DE
Prices vary dependent on the color/material of the chair. Armchair designed by Marco Zanuso in 1951, relaunched in 2015. Manufactured by Cassina in Italy. An icon of 1950s Italian ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Marco Zanuso

Materials

Metal

Mid Century Baby Armchair by Marco Zanuso for Arflex, 1950s
By Arflex, Marco Zanuso
Located in Oud Beijerland, NL
Very rare "Baby" chair designed by Marco Zanuso for Arflex in the 50's. This lounge chair is very comfortable and classic elegant. This chair has been totally restored and reupholste...
Category

1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Marco Zanuso

Materials

Metal

Browse all Furniture from Marco Zanuso
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Creators Similar to Marco Zanuso

More Marco Zanuso Designs
Lady Armchair
Lady Armchair
Average Price
$8,345
Number Available
24
Lady Armchair
By Marco Zanuso
Materials
Fabric, Metal, Brass, Wood
Styles
Mid Century Modern
While the scoop-like form of the Lady armchair, designed in 1951 by Italian architect and furniture maker Marco Zanuso (1916–2001), might not be the most visually arresting chair on the auction block today, it’s one of the classic pieces of mid-century modern furniture and was quite revolutionary for its time.  Like many designers of the day, Zanuso was fascinated with new materials like polyurethane foam and elastic tape. In the 1940s, he began experimenting with them through a collaboration...
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Marco Zanuso Senior
Marco Zanuso Senior
Average Price
$13,490
Number Available
14
Marco Zanuso Senior
By Marco Zanuso
Materials
Metal, Fabric, Brass
Styles
Mid Century Modern
Shop All
Lady Divano Sofa
Lady Divano Sofa
Average Price
$9,036
Number Available
8
Lady Divano Sofa
By Marco Zanuso
Materials
Fabric, Metal, Brass
Styles
Mid Century Modern
Shop All

Marco Zanuso furniture for sale on 1stDibs.

Marco Zanuso 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 Marco Zanuso furniture, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. We have 203 vintage editions of these items in-stock, while there is 39 modern edition to choose from as well. Many of the original furniture by Marco Zanuso were created in the mid-century modern style in europe during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider furniture by Franco Albini, Paolo Buffa, and Saporiti Italia. Prices for Marco Zanuso furniture can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $99 and can go as high as $28,000, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $6,526.

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