With his stylish and technically innovative furniture, Osvaldo Borsani helped change the face of Italian design in the 1950s and ’60s. His sofas and chairs, featuring deeply upholstered seating and adjustable position settings, have an aura of optimism and efficiency that still seems fresh and lively today.
Born in the commune of Varedo in northern Italy’s Lombardy region, Borsani studied at the Brera Academy in Milan — the same school attended by such luminaries as designer Piero Fornasetti and artist Lucio Fontana — as well as the Polytechnic University of Milan. Borsani first worked for his father’s furniture-making firm, Arredamenti Borsani, an atelier influenced by the more expressive and curvaceous wing of Art Deco design.
By 1953, when, along with his twin brother, Fulgenzio — the pair also created this visionary mid-century villa — Borsani opened the furniture company Tecno, his design sensibilities had evolved toward furnishings with strong, simple forms enhanced by mechanical innovations, as with the P40 adjustable armchair. Borsani would be the firm’s lead designer for 30 years, while fostering work by Vico Magistretti, Carlo De Carli, Robin Day and others.
Similar to Gio Ponti in the earliest years of his career, Borsani first created designs marked by lush and buoyant lines: tables with voluptuous curved legs, sofas with undulating backrests.
But Borsani’s best-known and most novel pieces date from Tecno’s initial furniture lines: the adjustable D70 sofa, which folds open to make a daybed, and the P40 recliner. The latter — now included in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art and the Victoria & Albert Museum — is an articulated lounger with a back, seat and leg rest that can be moved into 486 different positions. Not only is it extremely comfortable, it is also enduringly chic.
Find a collection of vintage Osvaldo Borsani tables, dining chairs and other furniture on 1stDibs.
| Average Sold Price |
| $6,570 |
| Styles |
| Materials |
| Related Creators |
$38,500
H 69.69 in W 94.49 in D 22.45 in
Unique Osvaldo Borsani Highboard in Cherry with Romantic Painted Panels
By Osvaldo Borsani
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Osvaldo Borsani for Arredamenti Borsani Varedo, wardrobe, cherry, paint, lacquered wood, brass, glass, Italy, circa 1950 A truly exceptional piece designed custom for a private cli...
Brass
$23,500
H 52.37 in W 50.4 in D 24.02 in
Rare Osvaldo Borsani Vanity Table in Maple with Mirrors and Built-in Lights
By Osvaldo Borsani
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Osvaldo Borsani for Arredamenti Borsani Varedo, dressing table, model '6142', maple, brass, mirrored glass, lacquered wood, Italy, 1943 An exquisite and truly exceptional vanity tab...
Brass
$58,000
H 63.78 in W 55.12 in D 17.72 in
Osvaldo Borsani for ABV Cabinet in Wood, Parchment with Mirrored Doors
By Osvaldo Borsani
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Osvaldo Borsani for Arredamenti Borsani Varedo, cabinet or highboard, wood, parchment, brass, mirrored glass, Italy, early 1940s This exceptional highboard by Osvaldo Borsani for AB...
Brass
$18,700
H 29.93 in W 118.12 in D 59.06 in
Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno ‘T96’ Executive Corner Desk in Black Lacquered Wood
By Osvaldo Borsani, Tecno
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno, executive desk, model ‘T96’, lacquered wood, steel, chromed metal, Italy, design 1956, produced 1958 This ‘T96’ executive desk is designed by Osvaldo Bor...
Steel, Chrome, Metal
$15,028
H 30.71 in Dm 46.46 in
Osvaldo Borsani Sculptural Round Dining Table in Walnut, Varedo, Italy, 1945
By Osvaldo Borsani, Arredamenti Borsani
Located in The Hague, NL
This very rare dining table was designed by Osvaldo Borsani in 1945 and produced by his company Arredamenti Borsani in Varedo, Italy. The piece is accompanied by a certificate of aut...
Wood, Walnut
$24,500 / set
H 31.7 in W 32.68 in D 35.63 in
Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno 'Canada' Lounge Chairs and Ottoman
By Osvaldo Borsani, Tecno
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Osvaldo Borsani, Valeria Borsani, and Marco Fantoni for Tecno, 'Canada' lounge chairs and ottoman, model 'T110', leather, mahogany, cherry, Italy, design 1966 The Canada series was ...
Leather, Cherry, Mahogany
Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno 'D70' Sofa in Red Upholstery
By Osvaldo Borsani, Tecno
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno, sofa or daybed, model D70, steel, brass, fabric, Italy, 1954. Osvaldo Borsanis sofa 'D70' was presented at the Triennale of Milan in 1954 where it won the Gold Medal for design. Not only the design is extraordinary, because so is the technology. With a single twist the back and seating are positioned upwards or down, all to create the highest comfort for the sofa or daybed. This eccentric sofa...
Brass, Steel
Rare Osvaldo Borsani Single Bed in Brass
By Osvaldo Borsani
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Osvaldo Borsani, single bed, model L79, brass, lacquered wood, fabric, Italy, 1963. This eccentric single bed is designed by Osvaldo Borsani and embodies a splendid construction of...
Brass
| Sold Date | Sold Price | Category | Material | Creation Year | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| $6,570 |
Average sold price of items in the past 12 months |
| $409-$30,912 |
| Sold price range of items in the past 12 months |
The 1940s home bar unites lively design with clever engineering.
The New York City gallery has devoted its latest show to the work of the modernist Italian designer.
The iconic mid-century estate outside of Milan opens its doors to the public for a very special homage.
