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
Vico Magistretti "Carimate" Dining Chairs for Cassina, 1960, Set of 16
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 sixteen.
The "Carimate" chair is one of Vico Magistretti’s most fam...
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 famo...
Category
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vico Magistretti Chairs
Materials
Straw, Wood
Vico Magistretti Golem Chair, A LOT OF Brasil Collection, Brazil, 2013
By Vico Magistretti
Located in São Paulo, BR
The Golem chair by designer Vico Magistretti is a high quality piece of art design by A LOT OF Brasil. Produced in wood with a finish that can be in mahog...
Category
20th Century Brazilian Modern Vico Magistretti Chairs
Materials
Leather, 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 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 Philadelphia, PA
Vico Magistretti "Carimate" dining chairs for Cassina, wood and beautiful dark green velvet, Italy, 1960, set of six. The "Carimate" chair is one of Vico Magistretti’s most famous ch...
Category
Mid-20th Century European Mid-Century Modern Vico Magistretti Chairs
Materials
Beech
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 for Cassina Set of Eight Chairs in Red Velvet and Walnut
By Vico Magistretti, Cassina
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Vico Magistretti for Cassina, set of eight dining chairs, model '122', walnut, velvet, 1967
This Italian set designed by Vico Magistretti features a remarkable sculpted back that is...
Category
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vico Magistretti Chairs
Materials
Velvet, Walnut
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 lemo...
Category
1960s Italian Space Age Vintage Vico Magistretti Chairs
Materials
Plastic
Italian Set of Red Villabianca Chairs by Vico Magistretti for Cassina, 1985
By Cassina, Vico Magistretti
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian Mid-Century Modern set of red and black Villabianca chairs by V. Magistretti for Cassina, 1985
Set of 4 Villabianca chairs, with round section beech frame and graphic line o...
Category
1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vico Magistretti Chairs
Materials
Fabric, 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...
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 Vico Magistretti, Cassina
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 16
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 sixteen.
The "carimate" chair is one of Vico Magistretti’s most famou...
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 "Carimate" Dining Chairs for Cassina, 1960, Set of 14
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 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
Attributed to Cassina Rare Cube Maralunga Leather Chairs and Ottoman, Set of 3
By Vico Magistretti, Cassina
Located in Fort Lauderdale, FL
Extremely rare full cube style in natural hide leather and in original condition. Inherently stylish and intriguing! Elegant from every angle-his best design. Dripping with style mak...
Category
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vico Magistretti Chairs
Materials
Leather, Wood
Vico Magistretti "Carimate" Dining Chairs for Cassina, 1960, Set of 16
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 sixteen.
The "Carimate" chair is one of Vico Magistretti’s most famou...
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 Vico Magistretti, Cassina
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
Vico Magistretti "Carimate" dining chairs for Cassina, black 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 16
By Vico Magistretti, Cassina
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
Vico Magistretti "Carimate" dining chairs for Cassina, black lacquered wood and straw seat, Italy, 1960, set of sixteen.
The "Carimate" chair is one of Vico Magistretti’s most fam...
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, red 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 6
By Vico Magistretti, Cassina
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
Vico Magistretti "Carimate" dining chairs for Cassina, black lacquered wood and straw seat, Italy, 1960, set of six.
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
Pair of ‘Selene’ Chairs in Plastic by Vico Magistretti, 1968
By Artemide, Vico Magistretti
Located in Berlin, BE
Pair of ‘Selene’ chairs in plastic by Vico Magistretti, 1968
The selene chair was designed by Vico Magistretti for Artemide in 1968.
Additional info...
Category
20th Century Vico Magistretti Chairs
Materials
Plastic
Pair of Vico Magistretti "Carimate" Chairs
By Vico Magistretti, Cassina
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vico Magistretti “Carimate” chairs
Produced by Cassina in the 1960’s
Black frames with natural woven seats
Timeless classic, modern...
Category
1960s Italian Vintage Vico Magistretti Chairs
Materials
Rush, 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 "Carimate" Dining Chairs for Cassina, 1960, Set of 12
By Vico Magistretti, Cassina
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
Space Age Red Plastic Vintage Chair Selene by Vico Magistretti, Italy
By Vico Magistretti
Located in Vienna, AT
Space Age red vintage plastic chair model Selene designed by Vico Magistretti 1968 for Artemide Milano, Italy.
The chair shows a very good vintag...
Category
Late 20th Century Italian Space Age Vico Magistretti Chairs
Materials
Plastic
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
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
Vico Magistretti Set of Six Black Carimate Chairs by Cassina 1960s
By Cassina, Vico Magistretti
Located in Montecatini Terme, IT
Set of six 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 chair ...
Category
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vico Magistretti Chairs
Materials
Straw, Beech
Italian modern black wood chairs Carimate by Vico Magistretti for Cassina, 1970s
By Cassina, Vico Magistretti
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian modern black wood chairs Carimate by Vico Magistretti for Cassina, 1970s
Set of four chairs mod. Carimate in black lacquered wood with glossy ...
Category
1970s Italian Modern Vintage Vico Magistretti Chairs
Materials
Straw, Wood
Set of 5 Carimate chairs by Vico Magistretti, Italy, 1960s
By Vico Magistretti
Located in Palermo, PA
Set of 5 Carimate chairs by Vico Magistretti, Italy, 1960s
Dimensions: H= 74 cm; W= 59 cm; D= 47 cm; H seat.= 44 cm.
Category
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vico Magistretti Chairs
Materials
Leather, Wood
Space Age Vintage Brown Plastic Armchairs "Gaudi" by Vico Magistretti, 1968
By Vico Magistretti, Artemide
Located in Brescia , Brescia
The exquisite Gaudi Space Age armchairs by Vico Magistretti for Artemide, with a captivating vintage patina in brown chocolate plastic. Designed with a sleek and futuristic aesthetic...
Category
1960s Italian Space Age Vintage Vico Magistretti Chairs
Materials
Plastic
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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