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Percival Lafer

Brazilian, b. 1936

When it comes to mid-century furniture, the innovative work of the Brazilian Modernists has often been overlooked, including the designs of prolific maker Percival Lafer. Lafer studied architecture at São Paulo’s Universidade Mackenzie. After he graduated, his father passed away suddenly, leaving a furniture business that Lafer took over with his brothers.

Taking up the mantle, Lafer made the jump from architecture to furniture design in 1961, putting a focus on thoughtfully designed pieces available at affordable prices. That year, Lafer introduced his supremely popular MP-1 chair, a plush piece of furniture made with iron and wood that he has riffed on throughout his entire career.

The silhouettes of Lafer lounge chairs, armchairs and other seating were distinct from streamlined American and European mid-century modernism, taking on casual, puffed forms thanks to his use of polyurethane layers as padding. He combined such contemporary industrial materials with local natural ones, namely Brazilian hardwoods, which delighted customers around the world as Lafer became one of the country’s leading exporters of furniture.

Lafer has continued to design furniture throughout his career, branching into sofas, tables and lighting. He was at the forefront of mechanical furniture movements, debuting the MP-7 sofa, which could turn into a twin bed, in 1965, the first such piece on the market. One of his most intriguing projects was the MP Lafer, a two-seat fiberglass roadster designed to emulate British sports cars. Some 4,300 units were produced over its 16-year manufacturing run in the ’70s and ’80s, with several ending up in the collections of major car museums.

Still, Lafer’s biggest claim to fame is his seating, which he continues to design, drawing inspiration from modern shapes and local materials. In 2017, a retrospective of his work was organized as part of the São Paulo Design Weekend.

Find vintage Percival Lafer furniture for sale on 1stDibs.

Expertly Restored - Brazilian Leather Stool MP-41 Series by Percival Lafer
By Percival Lafer
Located in Los Angeles, CA
________________________________________ Transforming a piece of Mid-Century Modern furniture is like bringing history back to life, and we take this journey with passion and precis...
Category

1970s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Percival Lafer

Materials

Leather, Mahogany

Percival Lafer MP-116 Modular Lounge Chair, Brazil 1970s Rare Set of 4 available
By De Sede, Sergio Rodrigues, Percival Lafer
Located in Chattanooga, TN
An exceptional and increasingly scarce example of the Percival Lafer MP-116 modular lounge system, produced in Brazil in the 1970s and offered here as an individual seating unit. A total of four matching modules are available, an extremely rare occurrence for this model. Sets of this size, in this level of preservation, almost never reach the market. The MP-116 represents one of Lafer’s most sculptural and architecturally ambitious seating designs, defined by its distinctive pillow-block construction, deeply gathered leather upholstery, and the refined engineering that characterizes his most collectible work. Each module is crafted from four generously padded, individually upholstered leather blocks that create the sensuous, soft geometry that has made the MP-116 one of the most coveted designs of Lafer’s career. Upholstered in a rich, dark-chocolate leather, the cushions retain their fullness and tactile depth, presenting in very good original condition with the kind of surface character and luster that collectors seek. The frames are executed in solid Brazilian Jatobá hardwood, a dense, high-value tropical species noted for its strength and warm, glowing tonality. The timber displays exceptional grain clarity and remains in outstanding condition, underscoring the longevity and craftsmanship of this early production. The MP-116 was conceived as a genuinely forward-thinking modular system—far more sophisticated than most mid-century modular seating. A single unit makes a striking lounge chair with its sculptural massing and enveloping comfort, while multiple units can be combined into expansive sofas, balanced loveseats, long chaises, or asymmetrical compositions suited to contemporary architectural interiors. The ability to acquire four identical modules offers a level of design freedom, visual coherence, and spatial flexibility that is virtually impossible to source today. For designers and collectors working at a high level, this is an opportunity to build a complete, historically correct MP-116 suite. This listing is for one MP-116 lounge seat, though up to four matching pieces are available. The set comes directly from the original owner and is accompanied by photocopies of the 1973 Brazil Contempo...
Category

1970s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Percival Lafer

Materials

Leather, Fruitwood

Pair of Percival Lafer MP-116 Modular Lounge Chairs in Original Tan Leather
By Percival Lafer, Sergio Rodrigues, De Sede
Located in Chattanooga, TN
A rare and thoroughly documented pair of Percival Lafer MP-116 modular lounge chairs, produced in Brazil in the early 1970s and presented in their original tan leather upholstery with solid Brazilian Jatobá wood frames. The chairs come directly from the original owner and are accompanied by an exceptional provenance set, including the 1973 Brazil Contempo...
Category

1970s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Percival Lafer

Materials

Leather, Fruitwood

Brazilian Modern Sofa, Percival Lafer 1960's
By Percival Lafer
Located in Uccle, BE
Sofa Mod. MP-13, 1960's Made by Lafer S. e Co, Sao Paulo Rosewood, chrome and faux leather H 70 x L219 x W80 x Seat Height 41Percival Lafer Mid-Century Brazilian sofa made of Walnut ...
Category

Mid-20th Century Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Percival Lafer

Materials

Chrome

Brazilian Modern Sofa, Percival Lafer 1960's
Brazilian Modern Sofa, Percival Lafer 1960's
$6,916 Sale Price
39% Off
H 27.17 in W 86.23 in D 31.5 in
Percival Lafer MP93 lounge chairs made in Brazil 1972
By Percival Lafer
Located in Roosendaal, Noord Brabant
This very nice set with possibillity up to 6 MP93 lounge chairs, designed and manufactured by Percival Lafer MP in Brazil in 1972, represents a rare and exquisite example of mid-cent...
Category

1970s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Percival Lafer

Materials

Leather, Wood

Percival Lafer MP93 lounge chairs made in Brazil 1972
Percival Lafer MP93 lounge chairs made in Brazil 1972
$4,286 / item
H 25.99 in W 35.83 in D 32.68 in
Craft Lounge Chairs, Lafer Lounge Chairs, Brown Leather and Walnut, Modern
By Craft Associates, Percival Lafer
Located in Oak Harbor, OH
Craft lounge chairs, lafer lounge chairs, brown leather and walnut, Modern Designer: Percival Lafer Manufacturer: Craft Associates® Furniture Period/Model: Mid-Century Modern S...
Category

2010s American Mid-Century Modern Percival Lafer

Materials

Leather, Walnut

Mid Century Brutalist Sofa by Percival Lafer made in Brazil c 1970's
By Percival Lafer
Located in New York, NY
Rare Brutalist Mid Century sofa, designed by Percival Lafer, made in Brazil, circa 1970's. The sofa features a frame constructed of rare hardwood, with original and extremely comfort...
Category

Mid-20th Century Brazilian Brutalist Percival Lafer

Materials

Leather

Mid Century Brutalist  Sofa by Percival Lafer made in Brazil c 1970's
Mid Century Brutalist  Sofa by Percival Lafer made in Brazil c 1970's
$10,000 Sale Price
20% Off
H 22 in W 80 in D 24 in
Rare MP-61 Sofa, Percival Lafer, Brazil, 1970s
By Percival Lafer
Located in Amsterdam, NL
The MP-61 series from 1972 were the first designs in which Percival Lafer used a fully visible fiberglass shell. The molded shell allowed greater freedom in shaping the form while si...
Category

1970s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Percival Lafer

Materials

Leather, Fiberglass, Hardwood

Rare MP-61 Sofa, Percival Lafer, Brazil, 1970s
Rare MP-61 Sofa, Percival Lafer, Brazil, 1970s
$32,792 / set
H 25.2 in W 86.62 in D 35.44 in
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Percival Lafer Sale Prices

Sold DateSold PriceCategoryMaterialCreation Year
2025$6,295Lounge Chairs, ArmchairsVelvet, Rosewood1970s
2025$14,750Lounge ChairsLeather, WalnutContemporary
2025$11,500ArmchairsUpholstery, Wood1967
2025$1,995Coffee and Cocktail Tables, End TablesSmoked Glass, Rosewood1970s
2025$5,850Lounge ChairsLeather, Hardwood1960
2025$16,000Lounge ChairsLeather, Chrome, Rosewood1970s
2025$4,050ArmchairsLeather, Chrome, Hardwood1967
2025$4,299SofasLeather1960's
2025$9,000SofasLeather, Rosewood1970s
2025$12,500SofasRosewood, Leather1970's
2025$6,796Sofas, LoveseatsLeather, Rosewood, Upholstery1970s
2025$19,565ChairsRosewood, Leather1970's
2025$3,600Coffee and Cocktail TablesLeather, Slate, Rosewood1970s
2025$6,000Lounge ChairsLeather, Jacaranda, Canvascirca 1960s
2025$6,150ArmchairsLeather, HardwoodCirca 1970s
2025$4,997ArmchairsLeather, Wood1960s
2025$810Side TablesGlass, Rosewood, Chrome1970s
2025$3,400SofasLeather, Canvas, PineCirca 1970’s
2025$1,401Coffee and Cocktail TablesMahogany1960
2025$56,700Lounge Chairs, ArmchairsLeather, Fiberglass, Wood1976
$9,302
Average sold price of items in the past 12 months
$810-$56,700
Sold price range of items in the past 12 months

Creators Similar to Percival Lafer

Percival Lafer furniture for sale on 1stDibs.

Percival Lafer 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 Percival Lafer furniture, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. We have 167 vintage editions of these items in-stock, while there is 4 modern edition to choose from as well. Many of the original furniture by Percival Lafer 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 Sergio Rodrigues, Móveis Cimo, and Geraldo de Barros. Prices for Percival Lafer furniture can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $595 and can go as high as $36,000, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $5,423.
Questions About Percival Lafer
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    Percival Lafer is a leading contemporary Brazilian furniture designer most famous for his Mid-Century Modern sofas and chairs constructed with hardwood and luxurious leather. Lafer is a pioneer of the Brazilian Modernist movement. On 1stDibs, find authentic Percival Lafer furniture from top sellers.

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