Poltronova Armchairs
Poltronova is known for embracing the creativity that opposites can introduce to a space. Its radical modernist furniture and lighting fixtures are simultaneously grounded in classic aesthetics and inspired by what were then new and provocative artistic movements in mid-century Italy, when the company was founded. This tension resulted in unique and extraordinary pieces at the manufacturer, from eccentric, glove-shaped armchairs to striking dining tables that feature a mix of materials and textures.
Italian designer Sergio Cammilli founded Poltronova in Tuscany in 1957. That same year, it won the Compasso d’Oro for the Panchetto chair designed by Luciano Nustrini. Revolutionary Italian architect Ettore Sottsass — a maestro of postmodern design who would later establish the Memphis Group — came on board as an art director in 1958. Poltronova manufactured many of his furniture and ceramic designs. Sottsass’s lighting, seating and other works for Poltronova showcase the designer’s bold experimentation with solid wood, glass, metal and laminate materials.
Other established names in Italian furniture design collaborated with Poltronova’s Sottsass and Cammilli, including Giovanni Michelucci, Gae Aulenti and Angelo Mangiarotti. However, the company truly set itself apart in its collaborations with Superstudio and Archizoom Associati, groups that were part of an irreverent, avant-garde movement in art and design that took shape during the 1960s in Florence, Turin and Milan. Collectives associated with the movement — which would one day be called Italian Radical design — drew on Pop art and minimalism and explored working with unconventional materials to create colorful, quirky and uniquely shaped objects and furnishings. At the time, Poltronova also worked with up-and-coming names in the art world, like painter Max Ernst and sculptor Mario Ceroli.
Poltronova showcased its groundbreaking designs in many exhibitions, such as “La Casa Abitata,” which was held in Florence in 1965. At Milan's Eurodomus trade show in 1970, Poltronova debuted an entire bedroom collection designed by Sottsass — including his sensuous Ultrafragola mirror. The brand’s furnishings were included in a 1972 exhibition at New York’s Museum of Modern Art called "Italy: The New Domestic Landscape," and in 1977, Poltronova again won the Compasso d’Oro for a book called Fare Mobili con Poltronova (Making Furniture with Poltronova).
Poltronova's enduring and acclaimed furniture designs came to be loved far outside Italy. During the 1960s, importer Charles Stendig represented the company and helped introduce it to the American market.
In 2005, Poltronova established the Centro Studi Poltronova to recreate some of the company's iconic furniture. The brand has also recently collaborated with English architect Nigel Coates, who worked with a Poltronova master craftsman in Italy to design a series of limited-edition furniture in 2011, including the Domo chair.
On 1stDibs, find vintage Poltronova tables, seating, storage cabinets and more.
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Creator: Poltronova
Poltronova JOE Armchair by De Pas, D’Urbino, Lomazzi
By Gionathan de Pas & Donato D’Urbino & Paolo Lomazzi, Poltronova
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Joe is a big comfortable chair in the form of a giant baseball glove, mounted on invisible wheels. With this project the designers, inspired by the poetics of Pop Art, gave material ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Poltronova Armchairs
Materials
Metal
Sgarsul armchairs by Gae Aulenti for Poltronova, Italy, 1960s
By Gae Aulenti, Poltronova
Located in Milano, IT
Sgarsul armchairs by Gae Aulenti for Poltronova, Italy, 1960s
It is a rocking armchair characterized by an elegant and sinuous bent and stained beech wood frame, a comfortable and s...
Category
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Poltronova Armchairs
Materials
Leather, Wood
Sgarsul rocking chair in leather and wood Gae Aulenti for Poltronova Italia 1962
By Gae Aulenti, Poltronova
Located in Catania, IT
Sgarsul rocking chair designed by Gae Aulenti for Poltronova in 1962.
Bentwood frame, black leather seat and cushion.
In excellent vintage condition, absent signs of wear and cracks ...
Category
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Poltronova Armchairs
Materials
Leather, Bentwood
Poltronova MIES Armchair by Archizoom Associati
By Archizoom Associati, Poltronova
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The Mies armchair was born in 1969 from the idea of using a strip of para rubber or India rubber —strong, elastic materials— as a seat. The structure, a triangle in chrome—plated met...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Poltronova Armchairs
Materials
Metal
Poltronova JOE WHIP Armchair by De Pas, D’Urbino, Lomazzi
By Poltronova, Gionathan de Pas & Donato D’Urbino & Paolo Lomazzi
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Joe is a big comfortable chair in the form of a giant baseball glove, mounted on invisible wheels. With this project the designers, inspired by the poetics of Pop Art, gave material ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Poltronova Armchairs
Materials
Metal
Poltronova SUPERONDA Dynamic Sofa in Red by Archizoom Associati
By Lella & Massimo Vignelli for Casigliani, Poltronova
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Designed in 1967 by the Florentine Radical group Archizoom, this was the first sofa without a conventional frame. It is composed of two waves made from a polyurethane block cut into ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Poltronova Armchairs
Materials
Leather
Poltronova SARATOGA Armchair by Lella and Massimo Vignelli
By Lella & Massimo Vignelli for Casigliani, Poltronova
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The series is composed of an armchair and sofas with two, three or four seats. The rigid structure, made by assembling four parts of equal thickness, with rounded edges, contains sli...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Poltronova Armchairs
Materials
Leather, Wood
Joe Armchair by Jonathan de Pas, Donato D'urbino and Paolo Lomazzi, 1970s
By Paolo Lomazzi, Jonathan de Pas, Poltronova, Donato D’Urbino
Located in Roma, IT
Vintage "Joe" Armchair designed by Jonathan de Pas, Donato D'Urbino and Paolo Lomazzi for Poltronova. Original piece from 1970s.
Shaped like a baseball glove, this wonderful armchair is considered on of the most iconic pieces of european midcentury design. It was designed as it is a tribute to the great american baseball player Joe Di Maggio.
Fully original, with vintage 1970s leather...
Category
1970s Italian Modern Vintage Poltronova Armchairs
Materials
Leather, Polystyrene
Poltronova SARATOGA Large Sofa by Lella and Massimo Vignelli
By Lella & Massimo Vignelli for Casigliani, Poltronova
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The series is composed of an armchair and sofas with two, three or four seats. The rigid structure, made by assembling four parts of equal thickness, with rounded edges, contains sli...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Poltronova Armchairs
Materials
Leather, Wood
Poltronova SUPERONDA Dynamic Sofa in White by Archizoom Associati
By Lella & Massimo Vignelli for Casigliani, Poltronova
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Designed in 1967 by the Florentine Radical group Archizoom, this was the first sofa without a conventional frame. It is composed of two waves made from a polyurethane block cut into ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Poltronova Armchairs
Materials
Leather
Poltronova JOE PLUSH Armchair by De Pas, D’Urbino, Lomazzi
By Poltronova, Gionathan de Pas & Donato D’Urbino & Paolo Lomazzi
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Joe is a big comfortable chair in the form of a giant baseball glove, mounted on invisible wheels. With this project the designers, inspired by the poetics of Pop Art, gave material ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Poltronova Armchairs
Materials
Metal
Poltronova SUPERONDA DRESSING Dynamic Sofa by Archizoom Associati
By Lella & Massimo Vignelli for Casigliani, Poltronova
Located in Brooklyn, NY
In 2017 Poltronova pays tribute to Superonda –an anti–design iconic piece of furniture that fully preserves its outrageously playful nature– by calling on all members of the Radical ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Poltronova Armchairs
Materials
Fabric
Sofa from "Mobili nella Valle" series by Mario Ceroli for Poltronova
By Mario Ceroli, Poltronova
Located in Halle, DE
Sculptural sofa from the “Mobili nella Valle” series by Italian artist Mario Ceroli. Made by Poltronova in Italy in the 1970s. Marked with brand stamp signature. Made from rough sawn...
Category
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Poltronova Armchairs
Materials
Pine
Poltronova JOE JEANS Armchair by De Pas, D’Urbino, Lomazzi
By Gionathan de Pas & Donato D’Urbino & Paolo Lomazzi, Poltronova
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Joe is a big comfortable chair in the form of a giant baseball glove, mounted on invisible wheels. With this project the designers, inspired by the poetics of Pop Art, gave material ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Poltronova Armchairs
Materials
Metal
Poltronova SUPERONDA POIS Dynamic Sofa by Archizoom Associati
By Poltronova, Lella & Massimo Vignelli for Casigliani
Located in Brooklyn, NY
In 2017 Poltronova pays tribute to Superonda –an anti–design iconic piece of furniture that fully preserves its outrageously playful nature– by calling on all members of the Radical ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Poltronova Armchairs
Materials
Leather
"La Stringa" by Gae Aulenti for Poltronova Sofa of Two Armchairs 1960s
By Poltronova, Gae Aulenti
Located in Byron Bay, NSW
"Stringa" sofa designed by Gae Aulenti for Poltranova in 1962. A tubular chrome frame holds leather seats on top of felt upholstered cushions. The leather cushions are attached wi...
Category
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Poltronova Armchairs
Materials
Chrome
Poltronova SUPERONDA STRIPES Dynamic Sofa by Archizoom Associati
By Lella & Massimo Vignelli for Casigliani, Poltronova
Located in Brooklyn, NY
In 2017 Poltronova pays tribute to Superonda –an anti–design iconic piece of furniture that fully preserves its outrageously playful nature– by calling on all members of the Radical ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Poltronova Armchairs
Materials
Leather
Poltronova SARATOGA Medium Sofa by Lella and Massimo Vignelli
By Lella & Massimo Vignelli for Casigliani, Poltronova
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The series is composed of an armchair and sofas with two, three or four seats. The rigid structure, made by assembling four parts of equal thickness, with rounded edges, contains sli...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Poltronova Armchairs
Materials
Leather, Wood
Pair of Poltronova Armchairs with Ashtrays, Italy 1960s
By Poltronova
Located in Greding, DE
Pair of Poltronova armchairs with red lacquered frame, veneered armrests and three-piece seat covered with black leather. In the armrests are embedded small ashtrays.
Category
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Poltronova Armchairs
Materials
Leather, Wood
Gae Aulenti Locus Solus Chair
By Poltronova, Gae Aulenti
Located in Vancouver, BC
Designed by Gae Aulenti and produced by Poltronova, are one of Aulenti’s most playful design pieces, with close features of the architectural structures she designed for Milan's Piaz...
Category
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Poltronova Armchairs
Materials
Metal, Chrome
Poltronova SARATOGA Small Sofa by Lella and Massimo Vignelli
By Lella & Massimo Vignelli for Casigliani, Poltronova
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The series is composed of an armchair and sofas with two, three or four seats. The rigid structure, made by assembling four parts of equal thickness, with rounded edges, contains sli...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Poltronova Armchairs
Materials
Leather, Wood
Ettore Sottsass Canada Armchair in Blue Velvet and Wood Poltronova 1960s
By Ettore Sottsass, Poltronova
Located in Montecatini Terme, IT
Canada settee armchair with a structure in wood, seat, and back in padded blue-green velvet.
It was designed by Ettore Sottsass Jr in 1959 and produced by the Italian company Poltro...
Category
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Poltronova Armchairs
Materials
Velvet, Wood
Mies Armchair with Ottoman Designed by Archizoom for Poltronova, 1960s
By Poltronova, Archizoom Associati
Located in Parma, IT
Armchair with pouf Mies design Archizoom for Poltronova 1960s.
Chromed steel armchair and ottoman structure, caucciu'rubbe seat with pony headrest, pouf with lighting and pony footr...
Category
1960s Italian Vintage Poltronova Armchairs
Materials
Steel
Poltronova PLASMA Armchair and footrest by Nigel Coates
By Nigel Coates, Poltronova
Located in Brooklyn, NY
In the context of Nigel Coates’ growing interest in furniture, the Plasma armchair reflects the English designer’s taste for designing essential forms by digital means. Composed of a...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Poltronova Armchairs
Materials
Metal
Poltronova SUPERONDA Dynamic Sofa in Black by Archizoom Associati
By Lella & Massimo Vignelli for Casigliani, Poltronova
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Designed in 1967 by the Florentine Radical group Archizoom, this was the first sofa without a conventional frame. It is composed of two waves made from a polyurethane block cut into ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Poltronova Armchairs
Materials
Leather
Franco Bettonica P 40 Armchair in Walnut and Fabric by Poltronova 1960s
By Franco Bettonica, Poltronova
Located in Montecatini Terme, IT
P 40 armchair with structure in walnut wood, the seat and back are composed of a removable padded cushion covered with fabric and sustained by a fabric structure directly attached to...
Category
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Poltronova Armchairs
Materials
Fabric, Walnut
Poltronova SUPERONDA SPOTS Dynamic Sofa by Archizoom Associati
By Poltronova, Lella & Massimo Vignelli for Casigliani
Located in Brooklyn, NY
In 2017 Poltronova pays tribute to Superonda –an anti–design iconic piece of furniture that fully preserves its outrageously playful nature– by calling on all members of the Radical ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Poltronova Armchairs
Materials
Fabric
Sgarsul armchair by Gae Aulenti for Poltronova, Italy, 1960s
By Gae Aulenti, Poltronova
Located in Milano, IT
Sgarsul model armchair, Gae Aulenti by Poltronova, Italy, 1960s
One of designer Gae Aulenti's most famous design pieces, black painted wood frame and brown leather fabric.
Dim : 1...
Category
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Poltronova Armchairs
Materials
Leather, Wood
Poltronova SUPERONDA BABELE DECODED Dynamic Sofa by Archizoom Associati
By Lella & Massimo Vignelli for Casigliani, Poltronova
Located in Brooklyn, NY
In 2017 Poltronova pays tribute to Superonda –an anti–design iconic piece of furniture that fully preserves its outrageously playful nature– by calling on all members of the Radical ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Poltronova Armchairs
Materials
Fabric
Pair of vintage Italian design armchairs "Saratoga" - Poltronova 1970s
By Poltronova, Massimo and Lella Vignelli
Located in Milano, MI
The< series of Saratoga sofas and armchairs were designed in 1964 by famous designers Lella & Massimo Vignelli for Poltronova. The frame is made of glossy polyester lacquered wood in...
Category
Late 20th Century Mid-Century Modern Poltronova Armchairs
Materials
Cotton, Wood
Poltronova SUPERONDA NO-STOP Dynamic Sofa by Archizoom Associati
By Lella & Massimo Vignelli for Casigliani, Poltronova
Located in Brooklyn, NY
In 2017 Poltronova pays tribute to Superonda –an anti–design iconic piece of furniture that fully preserves its outrageously playful nature– by calling on all members of the Radical ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Poltronova Armchairs
Materials
Fabric
Liuto armchair by Paolo Portoghesi for Poltronova
By Poltronova, Paolo Portoghesi
Located in Ravenna, IT
Rare early version of the famous Liuto armchair designed by Paolo Portoghesi for Poltronova in 1970. The armchair traces classic forms, and the shapes are accentuated by white stitch...
Category
1970s Italian Neoclassical Revival Vintage Poltronova Armchairs
Materials
Fabric, Wood
Pair of 'Arcata' Easy Chairs by Gae Aulenti, Walnut and Burgundy Leather, 1968
By Poltronova, Gae Aulenti
Located in Antwerp, BE
Gae Aulenti; Easy Chairs; armchairs; Arcata; Poltronova; Italian Design; Italy; 1968; Walnut; Burgundy Leather; Mid-Century Modern;
Pair of 'Arcata' Easy Chairs by Gae Aulenti, Wa...
Category
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Poltronova Armchairs
Materials
Leather, Walnut
Armchairs by Umberto Brandigi for Poltronova Set of Six Beech & Fabric
By Poltronova, Umberto Brandigi
Located in Byron Bay, NSW
Set of six beech and fabric armchairs by Umberto Brandigi for Poltronova.
Poltronova is an Italian design company known for its contributions to the world of modern and contemporar...
Category
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Poltronova Armchairs
Materials
Fabric, Beech
Arcata Chairs by Gae Aulenti for Poltronova, 1960s, Set of 2
By Poltronova, Gae Aulenti
Located in Quarrata, IT
Gae Aulenti “Arcata” model 1960s armchairs. Manufactered by Poltronova. Wooden structure, original leather uphokster.
Category
1960s Vintage Poltronova Armchairs
Materials
Leather, Wood
Gae Aulenti Arcata Easy Chair in Walnut and Burgundy Leather, 1960s
By Gae Aulenti, Poltronova
Located in Antwerp, BE
Gae Aulenti; Easy Chairs; Armchairs; Arcata; Poltronova; Italian Design; Italy; 1968; Walnut; Burgundy Leather; Mid-Century Modern;
Gae Aulenti Arcata...
Category
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Poltronova Armchairs
Materials
Leather, Walnut
Poltronova armchairs for sale on 1stDibs.
Poltronova armchairs 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 Poltronova armchairs, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original armchairs by Poltronova 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 armchairs by Tecno, Gianni Moscatelli, and Luigi Caccia Dominioni. Prices for Poltronova armchairs can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $1,350 and can go as high as $16,000, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $8,243.