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Osvaldo Borsani Daybeds

Italian, 1911-1985

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.

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Creator: Osvaldo Borsani
Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno 'D70' Sofa in Red Upholstery
Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno 'D70' Sofa in Red Upholstery

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...

Category

1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Osvaldo Borsani Daybeds

Materials

Brass, Steel

Sculptural form brass day bed by Osvaldo Borsani, Arredamento Borsani, circa 1958
Sculptural form brass day bed by Osvaldo Borsani, Arredamento Borsani, circa 1958

Sculptural form brass day bed by Osvaldo Borsani, Arredamento Borsani, circa 1958

By Arnaldo Pomodoro, Arredamenti Borsani, Osvaldo Borsani

Located in bergen op zoom, NL

Beautiful and important sculpturakl form brass single bed or day bed circa 1958-1963 by Osvaldo Borsani for 'Arredamento Borsani', Varedo , Italy. The small series of Borsani beds designed were produced in several different designs ,each in very limited numbers and all hand made by the Arredamento Borsani in Varedo, italy. This series of beds never went into serial industrial production , a fact confirmed to me by the Arredamento Borsani archives. Beginning in the late 1950s,Osvaldo Borsani went on to collaborate with many great artists such as Lucio Fontana, Fausto Melotti, Agenore Fabbri, Aligi Sassu and Arnaldo Pomodoro, amongst others entrusting each to provide decorative elements to his designs. The brass headboard features a series of heavy cast solid brass interlocking geometric elements each featuring a beautiful organic three dimensional surface finish creating a supremely elegant and timeless repetitive motif . The bed still retains all its original decorative brass nuts ,bolts and finials which feature the same three dimensional decorative finish as the decorative sculptural forms contained in the headboard. We have had a new bespoke mattress and bolster pillow made with a natural latex foam surface as they would have originally had which also has the benefit that latex breathes. The mattress has an opulent decorative buttoned finish . Botht the mattress and pillow have been finished in 100% wool 'PLOEGWOOL' fabric by the high quality Dutch fabric manufacturer DE PLOEG. MATTRESS DIMENSIONS : Width 100cm x length 200cm / 3ft 3.37inch x 6ft 6.74inch BOLSTER PILLOW DIMENSIONS: Width 100cm diameter 24cm / 3ft 3.37inch x 9.45inch The mattress is supported on a 20mm ( 0.75 inch ) thick plywood board ,with breathing holes, which spans across the transverse brass plated steel frame elements. When used as a day bed SEATING...

Category

1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Osvaldo Borsani Daybeds

Materials

Brass

Exquisite D70 Sofa Daybed by Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno, 1954
Exquisite D70 Sofa Daybed by Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno, 1954

Exquisite D70 Sofa Daybed by Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno, 1954

By Tecno, Osvaldo Borsani

Located in Voorburg, NL

Sofa/ Daybed ‘D70’, designed by Osvaldo Borsani and manufactured by Tecno, Italy 1954. This customizable D70 sofa has two pivoting wings, a very stable metal frame, and a beautiful f...

Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Osvaldo Borsani Daybeds

Materials

Brass, Steel

Osvaldo Borsani D70 Sofa & Daybed 1954 by Tecno Italy Reupholstered Mid Century
Osvaldo Borsani D70 Sofa & Daybed 1954 by Tecno Italy Reupholstered Mid Century

Osvaldo Borsani D70 Sofa & Daybed 1954 by Tecno Italy Reupholstered Mid Century

By Tecno, Osvaldo Borsani

Located in Munster, NRW

Osvaldo Borsani - D70 Sofa & Daybed 1954 by Tecno, Italy The fully reversible cult sofa with movable wings.. This sofa / Daybed is a unique object distinguished by the special mecha...

Category

1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Osvaldo Borsani Daybeds

Materials

Fabric

Sofa Daybed D70 Designed by Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno
Sofa Daybed D70 Designed by Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno

Sofa Daybed D70 Designed by Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno

By Tecno, Osvaldo Borsani

Located in Brussels, BE

Sofa daybed D70 designed by Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno, original brown ribbed upholstery.

Category

1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Osvaldo Borsani Daybeds

Materials

Brass, Steel

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Previously Available Items
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Osvaldo Borsani L77 Daybed for Tecno Italy, circa 1956

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Osvaldo Borsani daybeds for sale on 1stDibs.

Osvaldo Borsani daybeds 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 Osvaldo Borsani daybeds, although black editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original daybeds by Osvaldo Borsani were created in the mid-century modern style in italy during the mid-20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider daybeds by B&B Italia, Tecno, and Antonio Citterio. Prices for Osvaldo Borsani daybeds can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $6,376 and can go as high as $27,739, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $9,044.

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