Stendig Co. played a pivotal role in introducing modern European furniture to the American market, thanks to the business acumen of founder Charles Stendig.
Around 1950, the Brooklyn, New York–born Stendig (1924–2024) worked for Raymor, a purveyor of modern china and accessories that is best known for distributing designer Russel Wright’s American Modern line of ceramics. While at Raymor, Stendig focused on the company’s less popular pieces that were made in Italy and Scandinavia, recognizing their potential for the American market. In 1955, he left the company and decided to establish Stendig Co.
That year, a chance encounter with a Finnish trade representative led him to furniture company Asko — one of the largest companies operating in Scandinavia. Asko invited him and Joseph Carreiro, a professor at the Philadelphia College of Art (now the University of the Arts), to help refine their designs.
At Asko’s production facility in Finland, Stendig met several renowned Finnish designers such as Ilmari Tapiovaara, Tapio Wirkkala and Eero Aarnio, the iconic Ball chair creator. Stendig’s trip there was a success, and Stendig Co. began importing Finnish furniture to the United States.
In 1956, the first Stendig Co. showroom opened in Manhattan. A year later, during a trip to Zurich, Stendig came across a Bauhaus–inspired furniture store featuring pieces by Swiss designers Kurt Thut, Hans Eichenberger and Robert Haussmann, the store’s co-owner. Following a meeting with Haussmann, Stendig became the retailer’s exclusive U.S. distributor.
Throughout the late 1950s and early 1960s, Stendig Co. imported and sold furniture from influential European designers, including Swiss designer Bruno Rey, Italian architect and industrial designer Vico Magistretti and Hungarian-American architect and designer Marcel Breuer, creator of the Wassily lounge chair.
By the late 1960s, Stendig Co. moved its headquarters to an expansive space on Manhattan’s East Side and opened showrooms in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Chicago, each home to the company’s striking collection of mid-century European armchairs, sofas, dining room chairs, coffee tables and other furnishings. Stendig’s founder was by then representing Italian manufacturers Poltronova and Gufram and bringing revolutionary works of Italian Radical design to American shores.
In 1971, Charles Stendig sold the company to Burlington Industries. He retired in 1976. Today Stendig’s European imports are coveted by interior designers and vintage furniture collectors, and he will be forever known as the man who introduced modern European design to the United States.
Find a range of vintage Stendig Co. furniture on 1stDibs.
Ludwig Mies van der Rohe MR20 vintage Lounge chair and ottoman, 1960s
By Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Stendig Co.
Located in Esbjerg, DK
Ludwig Mies van der Rohe lounge chair with ottoman, rattan seat and back. Steel frame. Model MR20, made by Stendig.
Steel
Stendig Mid Century Modern Sculptural Chrome Stacking Side Chairs - Set of 8
By Stendig Co.
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Rare set of eight chrome stacking dining or game chairs by Stendig. The chairs have a great silhouette with sleek tubular chrome construction, and slightly upturned black seats. Circ...
Chrome
One Bruno Rey for Stendig Stacking Chair
By Bruno Rey
Located in Pasadena, TX
One chair designed by Bruno Rey and made by Stendig. One side chair with upholstered seat in a royal blue leather. 1 side chair 1 armchair Reupholste...
Fabric, Oak
Set of 4 Erik Kirkegaard Teak Mid-Century Side Chairs
By Erik Kirkegaard
Located in Queens, NY
Set of 4 midcentury Danish black vinyl and teak side chairs. Glostrup Mobelfabrik (Maker), Erik Kirkegaard (Designer).
Faux Leather, Wood, Teak
$3,420 / set
H 30.71 in W 21.26 in D 33.47 in
Mies Van Der Rohe MR20 Chrome & Wicker Lounge Chairs, 1970s
By Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Located in Almelo, NL
Stunning original Mies Van der rohe M20 lounge chair made from wicker and chrome. The wicker is in a great vintage state. The chromed tubula...
Chrome
$4,070Sale Price / set|25% Off
H 31.89 in W 18.9 in D 26.78 in
4 Ludwig Mies van der Rohe Mr10 Dining Chairs 1960s Knoll International
By Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Located in London, GB
Complete set of four chrome cantilever MR10 chairs by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, in brown leather. This set of chairs is an early 1960s example of his famous design produced by Knoll International. The MR10 chair was first designed in the 1920s, and this set of four features the chrome springs on the backs and seats. Later the design was improved, with a shortening of the springs and a reversion to an elastic corset cord. The chairs still bear the oval sticker marks on the back of the bottom of the seats. MR10 chairs are really comfortable, and are a real design Classic, as seen in many films and other media. Our MR10 chairs recently have been used to decorate the interior of a restaurant in London, which was featured in Architectural Digest, Dezeen, Elle Decoration, and many other publications (as shown in the images, which are property of Child Studio...
Steel, Chrome
MR10 chair by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, circa 1950
By Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Located in Dronten, NL
Iconic MR10 chair by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, circa 1950, representing an early and highly important example of modernist furniture design. This chair retains its original flat wick...
Steel, Chrome
Pair of Italian Mid-Century Modern Side Chairs
Located in Buchanan, NY
A sophisticated pair of 1950s Italian sidechairs in green leather with wicker backs and brass detailing. Add some classic mid-century modern elegance to your home with this gorgeous pair of 1950s Italian side chairs...
Upholstery
Don Albinson Stacking Side Chairs by Knoll Set of 14
By Knoll, Don Albinson
Located in Highland, IN
Important industrial designer Don Albinson, a Cranbrook peer of Charles and Ray Eames, Ralph Rapson, Harry Bertoia and Eero Saarinen worked in the Eames office as head designer for 1...
Aluminum
10 Mid Century Modern Stacking Chairs by AIR in White
Located in Port Jervis, NY
Simple and elegant set of 10 heavy duty stacking chairs in white plastic, not vinyl, by AIR. Lucite feet on all the legs, chairs are in excellent condition with minimal wear. Stacki...
Plastic, Lucite
$2,393Sale Price / set|20% Off
H 29.53 in W 19.3 in D 28.35 in
Early set Ludwig Mies van der Rohe MR10 cantilever chairs
By Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Located in Den Haag, NL
Two iconic MR10 cantilever chairs . Design by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe Chrome tube frame ,comes with Black Leather upholstery . This set of chairs is an early 1960s example of his ...
Chrome
$4,200 / set
H 30.71 in W 22 in D 33.5 in
Mies Van Der Rohe MR20 Chrome & Wicker Lounge Chairs, 1970s / sTENDIG
By Stendig Co., Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Located in Buffalo, NY
Mies Van Der Rohe MR20 Chrome & Wicker Lounge Chairs, 1970s. manufactured by Stendig... Classic Bauhaus / Modernist design,, Superior quality and construction.. Extremely comfortable...
Steel, Chrome
L. Mies Van Der Rohe — set of 4 "MR10" Chairs
By Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Located in Paris, FR
Set of four armchairs, model "MR10" 1980s reissue, equipped with leather instead of the textile used in the original 1930s edition. The reissued chairs are functional and can be use...
Chrome
A Pair of Mies van der Rohe 'MR20' Cantilevered Chairs
By Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Located in Dallas, TX
A pair of vintage MR20 cantilevered cane armchairs by Mies van der Rohe for Knoll International. This design traces back to the chair Mies presented in 1927 at the Weissenhof Estate ...
Steel, Chrome
Vintage MR 10 Side Chairs by Mies van der Rohe, Cane & Chrome, 1970s
By Stendig Co., Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Located in Detroit, MI
This set of vintage Mies van der Rohe MR 10 cantilevered cane side chairs made by Stendig are circa 1970. The MR chair was designed by modernist architect Mies van der Rohe in 1927 a...
Steel, Chrome
Midcentury Bentwood & Cane Cafe Chair by Joseph Hoffman for Stendig
By Josef Frank, Stendig Co., Josef Hoffmann
Located in Detroit, MI
This vintage midcentury Bentwood Prague Model 811 cafe dining chair was originally designed by Austrian architects Josef Hoffman & Josef Frank for Thon...
Cane, Beech, Bentwood
Andover Arm Chair in Rosewood by Davis Allen for Stendig
By Stendig Co., Davis Allen
Located in San Diego, CA
A nice "Andover" arm chair in rosewood by Davis Allen for Stendig, circa 1970s. The chair is in very good condition with clean modern lines and includes a solid rosewood frame, uphol...
Rosewood
Andover Arm Chair in Black Laquer by Davis Allen for Stendig
By Stendig Co., Davis Allen
Located in San Diego, CA
A nice "Andover" arm chair in black laquer by Davis Allen for Stendig, circa 1970s. The chair is in very good condition with clean modern lines and includes a black lacquer finish, s...
Wood, Lacquer
Italian Modern Wood Chair by Stendig
By Stendig Co., Davis Allen
Located in Palm Springs, CA
This very modern design chair was made by Standig in Italy, 1980s. It is strikingly modern in its simplistic sculptural shape and design. We have kept the original upholstery but wer...
Wood
Ludwig Mies van der Rohe MR 10 Set of Side Chairs
By Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Stendig Co.
Located in Esbjerg, DK
Ludwig Mies van der Rohe set of side chairs with rattan seat and back. Steel frame. Model MR10, made by Stendig.
Steel
Breuer Chair by Stendig
By Marcel Breuer, Stendig Co.
Located in New York, NY
Classic Breuer design Cesca chair, manufactured by Stendig. Vintage 1970s example, in excellent clean, original condition. Seat H 18 inches.
Sold
H 29.5 in W 19.5 in D 16.5 in
Joyful Set of Rare Red Carimate Dining Chairs by Vico Magistretti, 1950s
By Vico Magistretti, Stendig Co.
Located in New York, NY
Rare set of red Carimate dining chairs by Vico Magistretti for Stendig, 1950s. These chairs are in excellent vintage conditi...
Birch, Rush