Vico Magistretti Chairs
Italian, 1920-2006
As one of the founding fathers of modern Italian design, prolific architect and industrial designer Ludovico Magistretti (known by his nickname Vico) was guided by his philosophy, “There is no excuse for bad design.” His architectural projects are widely revered, and an ingenious meld of form and function can be found in his stylish and deceptively simple table lamps, sofas, armchairs and other mid-century furnishings.
Born in Milan, Magistretti followed in the footsteps of his father and grandfather (both architects) to study architecture at the Polytechnic University of Milan. At the outbreak of World War II, he fled to Switzerland, and it was there he met his role model and mentor, renowned humanist architect Ernesto Nathan Rogers. Magistretti was inspired by Rogers’s vision to revive postwar Italy, and they collaborated on several reconstruction projects. Among Magistretti’s first architectural designs is a “poetic” round church, which he created for the QT8, an experimental Milanese neighborhood.
When Magistretti returned to Milan in 1945, he worked at his father’s architectural firm. It wasn’t until the early 1950s that he expanded his talents into design while working with furniture artisans.
In the 1960s, Magistretti began his 30-year working relationship with famed entrepreneur Cesare Cassina of the Cassina furniture manufacturing company. In their design approach, the two men shared a vision of the relationship between modernity and tradition and enjoyed a close bond (Magistretti designed Cassina’s luxurious villa in 1965). However, their friendship was not without contention.
Legend has it that upon seeing the prototype for Magistretti’s Maralunga sofa, Cassina hated it so much that he punched it, breaking the back of the sofa, which crumpled into itself.
“Right, great, it looks perfect to me like that,” an unfazed Magistretti allegedly responded, and the Maralunga’s slumped, adjustable-height backrest was born. Incidentally, the Maralunga sofa won Italy’s Compasso d’Oro award as did his Eclisse lamp for Artemide and his Atollo lamp for Oluce.
Magistretti died in 2006, but his designs live on in galleries, museums and private residences and offices around the world.
Find a range of vintage Vico Magistretti furniture and lighting on 1stDibs.
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Creator: Vico Magistretti
set of 10 "Carimate" chairs
By Cassina, Vico Magistretti
Located in Forest, BE
An icon of Italian design, the Carimate chair combines a lacquered solid wood frame with a handwoven straw seat. Designed by Vico Magistretti for Cassina in the 1960s, it stands out ...
Category
1960s Italian Vintage Vico Magistretti Chairs
Materials
Straw, Wood, Lacquer
$24,011 / set
Italian Midcentury Black Wood Golem Chairs, Vico Magistretti, Carlo Poggi, 1968
By Vico Magistretti, Succ. Carlo Poggi
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian mid century modern set of four black lacquered curved wood Golem chairs by Vico Magistretti for Carlo Poggi Pavia, 1968.
Golem model chairs with black lacquered wooden struct...
Category
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vico Magistretti Chairs
Materials
Wood
Vico Magistretti "Carimate" Dining Chairs for Cassina, 1960, Set of 6
By Vico Magistretti, Cassina
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
Vico Magistretti "Carimate" dining chairs for Cassina, red lacquered wood and straw seat, Italy, 1960, set of six.
The "Carimate" chair is one of Vico Magistretti’s most famous ch...
Category
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vico Magistretti Chairs
Materials
Straw, Wood
Vico Magistretti "Carimate" Dining Chairs for Cassina, 1960, Set of 14
By Cassina, Vico Magistretti
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
Vico Magistretti "Carimate" dining chairs for Cassina, green lacquered wood and straw seat, Italy, 1960, set of fourteen.
The "Carimate" chair is one of Vico Magistretti’s most famo...
Category
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vico Magistretti Chairs
Materials
Straw, Wood
Vico Magistretti "Carimate" Dining Chairs for Cassina, 1960, Set of 10
By Vico Magistretti, Cassina
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
Vico Magistretti "Carimate" dining chairs for Cassina, green lacquered wood and straw seat, Italy, 1960, set of ten.
The "Carimate" chair is one of Vico Magistretti’s most famous ...
Category
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vico Magistretti Chairs
Materials
Straw, Wood
Vico Magistretti "122" Chairs for Cassina, 1967, Set of 10
By Vico Magistretti, Cassina
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
Vico Magistretti "122" chairs for Cassina, black structure, Italy, 1967 set of ten.
The "122" chairs designed by Vico Magistretti in 1967 have a sculptural design, created with a wo...
Category
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vico Magistretti Chairs
Materials
Leather, Beech, Plywood
Vico Magistretti "122" Chairs for Cassina, 1967, Set of 4
By Vico Magistretti, Cassina
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
Vico Magistretti "122" chairs for Cassina, black structure, Italy, 1967 set of four.
The "122" chairs designed by Vico Magistretti in 1967 have a sculptural design, created with a w...
Category
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vico Magistretti Chairs
Materials
Leather, Beech, Plywood
Vico Magistretti "Carimate" Dining Chairs for Cassina, 1960, Set of 6
By Vico Magistretti, Cassina
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
Vico Magistretti "Carimate" dining chairs for Cassina, green lacquered wood and straw seat, Italy, 1960, set of six.
The "Carimate" chair is one of Vico Magistretti’s most famous ...
Category
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vico Magistretti Chairs
Materials
Straw, Wood
Vico Magistretti "Carimate" Dining Chairs for Cassina, 1960, Set of 12
By Cassina, Vico Magistretti
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
Vico Magistretti "Carimate" dining chairs for Cassina, black lacquered wood and straw seat, Italy, 1960, set of twelve.
The "Carimate" chair is one of Vico Magistretti’s most famous...
Category
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vico Magistretti Chairs
Materials
Straw, Wood
Vico Magistretti for Artemide Pair of Red Vicario Chairs, Italy 1970s
By Vico Magistretti, Artemide
Located in Naples, IT
The Vicario armchair was designed by Vico Magistretti at the end of the 1960s for Artemide. Made of ABS plastic, this chair features flowing shapes and a perfect balance of design, f...
Category
1970s European Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vico Magistretti Chairs
Materials
Plastic
Sedie in noce e pelle modello 122 Vico Magistretti per Cassina 1967
By Cassina, Vico Magistretti
Located in Milano, MI
Le sedie Modello 122 sono una creazione del celebre designer italiano Vico Magistretti, noto per la sua capacità di combinare estetica moderna e funzionalità senza tempo
Realizzate d...
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Vico Magistretti Chairs
Materials
Leather, Wood
$4,649 Sale Price / set
42% Off
Vico Magistretti Model Vm110 Vico Duo
By Fritz Hansen, Vico Magistretti
Located in Berkeley, CA
The Vico Duo is a stylish veneer stacking chair by Vico Magistretti that is versatile and perfectly suited for agile workspace and hospitality design.
Frit...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Vico Magistretti Chairs
Materials
Oak
$370 / item
Gaudi Chairs by Vico Magistretti for Artemide
By Vico Magistretti, Artemide
Located in Chicago, IL
c. 1980s. Price is for the set. Contact us if you’d like to purchase a single item. Plastic frame, Made in Italy.
Category
1980s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Vico Magistretti Chairs
Materials
Plastic
$2,900 / set
Vicario Chair by Vico Magistretti for Artemide
By Vico Magistretti, Artemide
Located in Chicago, IL
c. 1970s. Indoor/outdoor use, has two holes as pictured for water draining.
Category
1970s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Vico Magistretti Chairs
Materials
Plastic
Italian modern green plastic Chairs Selene Vico Magistretti for Artemide, 1960s
By Artemide, Vico Magistretti
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian modern green plastic Chairs Selene by Vico Magistretti for Artemide, 1960s
Set of eight iconic chairs model Selene in green plastic with square seat. The structure is monoco...
Category
1960s Italian Modern Vintage Vico Magistretti Chairs
Materials
Plastic
Space Age Vintage Yellow Plastic Armchair Gaudi by Vico Magistretti 1968 Italy
By Vico Magistretti, Artemide
Located in Vienna, AT
Space Age vintage armchair model Gaudi by Vico Magistretti from plastic in yellow color tone for Artemide 1968, Italy.
The wonderful armchair model Gaudi in the rare color tone lemon yellow shows...
Category
1960s Italian Space Age Vintage Vico Magistretti Chairs
Materials
Plastic
Vico Magistretti "122" Chairs for Cassina, Red Leather, 1967, Set of 6
By Cassina, Vico Magistretti
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
Vico Magistretti "122" chairs for Cassina, dark brown wood and red leather, Italy, 1967, set of six.
The "122" chairs designed by Vico Magistretti in 1967 have a sculptural design, ...
Category
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vico Magistretti Chairs
Materials
Leather, Beech, Plywood
Vico Magistretti Model Vm111 Vico Duo
By Fritz Hansen, Vico Magistretti
Located in Berkeley, CA
The Vico Duo is a stylish veneer stacking chair by Vico Magistretti that is versatile and perfectly suited for agile workspace and hospitality design.
The ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Vico Magistretti Chairs
Materials
Oak
$448 / item
Magistretti Carimate Full Gloss Dining Chair Hand Finished with Custom Seatpads
By Vico Magistretti
Located in Cheltenham, GB
The much-adored Carimate Chair, coveted amongst Magistretti collectors, is a sophisticated addition to any dining table setting. They were originally crafted for the Carimate golf cl...
Category
1960s British Scandinavian Modern Vintage Vico Magistretti Chairs
Materials
Cotton, Linen, Oak
Vico Magistretti Set of Nine Red Selene Chairs by Heller 2002s
By Heller, Vico Magistretti
Located in Montecatini Terme, IT
Set of nine Selene stackable chairs in red polyester reinforced with fiberglass, designed by Vico Magistretti in 1967 and produced by Heller in 2002.
The Selene chair was designed in 1967 by Magistretti to be produced in a plastic material, as he affirmed: "The seat and the back are simple curved surfaces. For me, the legs represented the real image of the piece, with as small a volume as that of any common wooden chair. I solved it by exploiting the molding of a plastic material formed by a simple 3-millimeter-thick sheet with a simple but very resistant "S" cross-section which inter-related the object with ordinary chairs without however the elephant legs so untypical of chairs. It was fun working with the model maker on the wood model." When produced in series, "a unit comes out of the machine every five minutes": Selene is the fruit of a single compression molding process on a pre-impregnated sheet (Ottagono 15 / 1969). Magistretti solves the problem of leg resistance by adopting an "S-shaped" configuration that confers resistance to a sheet only 3 millimeters thick. The formal and structural solution had already been previously adopted for the Chimera lamp (a self-supporting methacrylate sheet) and in developing the legs of the Demetrio table...
Category
Early 2000s European Mid-Century Modern Vico Magistretti Chairs
Materials
Plastic, Rubber
Vico Magistretti, Pair of Chairs, Model 122, Cassina, 1960s
By Vico Magistretti, Cassina
Located in Paris, FR
A pair of dark brown walnut stackable dining chairs. Each with a bent plywood back, the seat upholstered with burgundy velvet on four feet.
Manufactured by Cassina.
Italy.
1967.
P...
Category
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vico Magistretti Chairs
Materials
Leather, Walnut
Vico Magistretti Midcentury “Carimate” Dining Chair for Cassina, 1963, Set of 4
By Vico Magistretti, Cassina
Located in Vicenza, IT
Set of 4 “Carimate” chairs designed by Vico Magistretti and produced by Cassina in 1963.
Initially commissioned for the Carimate Golf club near Milan, they were then produced for t...
Category
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vico Magistretti Chairs
Materials
Beech, Straw
Vico Magistretti "Carimate" Dining Chairs for Cassina, 1960, Set of 10
By Cassina, Vico Magistretti
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
Vico Magistretti "Carimate" dining chairs for Cassina, black lacquered wood and straw seat, Italy, 1960, set of ten.
The "Carimate" chair is one of Vico Magistretti’s most famous ...
Category
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vico Magistretti Chairs
Materials
Straw, Wood
Mid-Century Modern Italian Pair of Armchairs in Lacquered Wood By Magistretti
By Vico Magistretti
Located in Prato, IT
Mid-Century Modern Italian Pair of armchairs in lacquered wood with upholstered leather seat by Vico Magistretti. 1970s
Category
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vico Magistretti Chairs
Materials
Leather, Upholstery, Wood
Cassina green Carimate Chair in rare birchwood by Vico Magistretti, Set of 6
By Vico Magistretti, Cassina
Located in Munich, Bavaria
Cassina Model Carimate chair by Vico Magistretti.
Comfortable dining chairs with with armrests.
This version is very rare in birchwood.
It is very hard to find it in birch.
Made of ...
Category
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vico Magistretti Chairs
Materials
Papercord, Lacquer, Birch
Vico Magistretti Set of Twelve Black Carimate Chairs by Cassina 1960s
By Vico Magistretti, Cassina
Located in Montecatini Terme, IT
Set of twelve Carimate chairs with structure in black lacquered beech wood and woven straw seat, designed by Vico Magistretti and produced by Cassina in the 1960s.
The Carimate cha...
Category
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vico Magistretti Chairs
Materials
Straw, Beech
Vico Magistretti "Carimate" Dining Chairs for Cassina, 1960, Set of 10
By Vico Magistretti, Cassina
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
Vico Magistretti "Carimate" dining chairs for Cassina, red lacquered wood and straw seat, Italy, 1960, set of ten.
The "Carimate" chair is...
Category
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vico Magistretti Chairs
Materials
Straw, Wood
Great set of 10 Carimate dining chairs by Vico Magistretti for Cassina Italy
By Vico Magistretti
Located in Buggenhout, Oost-Vlaanderen
Very nice, elegant & matching set of 10 'Carimate' dining chairs. The chairs have a lacquered wooden frame with straw seating.
Designed by Vico Magistretti in 1960.
Born in 1960, t...
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Vico Magistretti Chairs
Materials
Wood
Vico Magistretti "Carimate" Dining Chairs for Cassina, 1960 Set of 12
By Vico Magistretti, Cassina
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
Vico Magistretti "Carimate" dining chairs for Cassina, red lacquered wood and straw seat, Italy, 1960, set of twelve.
The "Carimate" chair is one of Vico Magistretti’s most famous c...
Category
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vico Magistretti Chairs
Materials
Straw, Wood
Vico Magistretti "122" Chairs for Cassina, Red Leather, 1967, Set of 4
By Vico Magistretti, Cassina
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
Vico Magistretti "122" chairs for Cassina, dark brown wood and red leather, Italy, 1967, set of four.
The "122" chairs designed by Vico Magistretti in 1967 have a sculptural design,...
Category
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vico Magistretti Chairs
Materials
Leather, Beech, Plywood
Vico Magistretti "Carimate" Dining Chairs for Cassina, 1960, Set of 14
By Vico Magistretti, Cassina
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
Vico Magistretti "Carimate" dining chairs for Cassina, green lacquered wood and straw seat, Italy, 1960, set of fourteen.
The "Carimate" chair is one of Vico Magistretti’s most fa...
Category
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vico Magistretti Chairs
Materials
Straw, Wood
Vico Magistretti "Carimate" Dining Chairs for Cassina, 1960, Set of 6
By Vico Magistretti, Cassina
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
Vico Magistretti "Carimate" dining chairs for Cassina, green lacquered wood and straw seat, Italy, 1960, set of six.
The "Carimate" chair is one of Vico Magistretti’s most famous ch...
Category
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vico Magistretti Chairs
Materials
Straw, Wood
Vico Magistretti "Carimate" Dining Chairs for Cassina, 1960, Set of 12
By Vico Magistretti, Cassina
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
Vico Magistretti "Carimate" dining chairs for Cassina, green lacquered wood and straw seat, Italy, 1960, set of twelve.
The "Carimate" chair is one of Vico Magistretti’s most famous...
Category
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vico Magistretti Chairs
Materials
Straw, Wood
Vico Magistretti "Carimate" Dining Chairs for Cassina, 1960, Set of 12
By Cassina, Vico Magistretti
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
Vico Magistretti "Carimate" dining chairs for Cassina, green lacquered wood and straw seat, Italy, 1960, set of twelve.
The "Carimate" chair is one of Vico Magistretti’s most famous...
Category
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vico Magistretti Chairs
Materials
Straw, Wood
Vico Magistretti "Carimate" Dining Chairs for Cassina, 1960, Set of 14
By Cassina, Vico Magistretti
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
Vico Magistretti "Carimate" dining chairs for Cassina, red lacquered wood and straw seat, Italy, 1960, set of fourteen.
The "Carimate" chair is one of Vico Magistretti’s most famo...
Category
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vico Magistretti Chairs
Materials
Straw, Wood
Vico Magistretti "Carimate" Dining Chairs for Cassina, 1960, Set of 10
By Vico Magistretti, Cassina
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
Vico Magistretti "Carimate" dining chairs for Cassina, red lacquered wood and straw seat, Italy, 1960, set of ten.
The "Carimate" chair is one of Vico Magistretti’s most famous ch...
Category
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vico Magistretti Chairs
Materials
Straw, Wood
Vico Magistretti chairs for sale on 1stDibs.
Vico Magistretti chairs 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 Vico Magistretti chairs, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. We have 80 vintage editions of these items in-stock, while there is 3 modern edition to choose from as well. Many of the original chairs by Vico Magistretti 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 chairs by Giancarlo Piretti, Gio Ponti, and Charlotte Perriand. Prices for Vico Magistretti chairs can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $257 and can go as high as $33,600, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $6,675.
Creators Similar to Vico Magistretti
Questions About Vico Magistretti Chairs
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022The Carimate chair for Cassina is one of the most celebrated pieces of Vico Magistretti but this designer is also well known for the Eclipse Table Lamp, Selene Stacking Chair, Chimera Lamp and more. He is seen as one of Italy’s most influential industrial designers, furniture designers and architects. Shop a collection of Magistretti furniture from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.
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