Entrepreneur Aurelio Zanotta founded Zanotta in 1954 in Nova Milanese, Italy. Originally called Zanotta Poltrona, it specialized in traditional furniture. By the early 1960s, however, Zanotta had established a reputation for edgy mid-century modern design. Today’s vintage furniture collectors know the brand well for its innovative and wholly sculptural chairs, coffee tables and more.
One of Zanotta’s earliest successes was the Mezzadro stool — better known as the Tractor stool — designed by Pier Giacomo Castiglioni and his brother Achille in the late 1950s. In 1965, Zanotta was among the first furniture companies to work with expanded polyurethane foam and frameless construction, such as for the Throw-Away sofas and armchairs designed by Willie Landels. Another popular design was the Blow chair — designed by Jonathan De Pas, Donato D’Urbino, Paolo Lomazzi and Carla Scolari — viewed by many as a physical expression of late '60s carefree culture.
In 1969, amid the provocative movement we now call Italian Radical Design, Zanotta’s Sacco chair garnered major attention. The boundary-pushing beanbag chair was the brainchild of designers Piero Gatti, Cesare Paolini and Franco Teodoro who presented it to Aurelio Zanotta as a transparent vinyl sack loosely filled with small polystyrene balls. He suggested its signature brightly colored leather.
The Sacco chair won the 1970 ADI Design Museum’s Compasso d’Oro award. In 1972, the Museum of Modern Art in New York included it in the landmark exhibition “Italy: The New Domestic Landscape” curated by designer Emilio Ambasz. In 2020, it received a Compasso d’Oro ADI Lifetime Achievement Award for 50 years of enduring popularity. It is now in museum collections around the world including the Triennale Design Museum of Milan, the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, and London’s Victoria & Albert Museum.
After Aurelio Zanotta died in 1991, the company remained in his family and has been run by his three children since 2002. Zanotta continues to set the bar high for furniture design with trend-setting pieces.
On 1stDibs, find a collection of vintage Zanotta seating, tables and other furniture.
Zanotta Toi Small Table in White Finish with Plywood Top by Salvatore Indriolo
By Zanotta
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Zanotta Toi Small Table in White Finish with Plywood Top by Salvatore Indriolo Stiff polyurethane frame. Aluminum-covered plywood top. Varnish in black, white or red. Organizer co...
Aluminum
Zanotta Medium Tweed Mini Table in Natural Oak Top with Black Frame
By Zanotta, Garcia and Cumini
Located in Brooklyn, NY
"Zanotta Medium Tweed Mini Table in Natural Oak Top with Black Frame by Garcia Cumini 1 3/16” thick top available either in natural pa...
Oak
Zanotta Dan Armchair in Blue Elastic Seat & Back with Matt Black Steel Frame
By Patrick Norguet, Zanotta
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Zanotta Dan Armchair in Blue Elastic Seat & Back with Matt Black Steel Frame by Patrick Norguet Chair with armrests. Steel frame varnished iron grey or matt black. Seat and backre...
Steel
Zanotta Extra Large Nyx Bed Frame in Black Painted Steel by Emaf Progetti
By Zanotta, Emaf Progetti
Located in Brooklyn, NY
"Zanotta Extra Large Nyx Bed Frame in Black Painted Steel by Emaf Progetti Demountable steel frame painted in the shade of black or white. Suspension in natural bent beech strips, w...
Steel
Zanotta Dan Chair in Anthracite Elastic Seat & Back with Matt Black Steel Frame
By Zanotta, Patrick Norguet
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Zanotta Dan Chair in Anthracite Elastic Seat & Back with Matt Black Steel Frame by Patrick Norguet Steel frame varnished iron grey or matt black. Seat and backrest made of elastic...
Steel
Zanotta Large Grangala Bed with Single Springingin in Grey Upholstery
By Gabriele Rosa, Zanotta
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Zanotta Large Grangala Bed with Single Springingin in Grey Upholstery with Steel Frame by Gabriele Rosa Bed with single springing. Steel feet and shel...
Steel
Zanotta Large Ambrosiano Table in Carrara Marble Top with Black Frame by Mist-o
By Zanotta, Mist-O
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Zanotta Large Ambrosiano Table in Carrara Marble Top with Black Frame by Mist-o Trestles in solid natural oak or painted black with open pore. Matt black painted stainless steel spars. Top available either in 1/2” thick smoky grey tempered plate glass matching the black painted trestle; or in 7/8” thick oak-plated particle wood...
Carrara Marble
Zanotta Club Armchair with Cushion in Purple Upholstery with Steel Structure
By Zanotta, Prospero Rasulo
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Zanotta Club Armchair with Cushion in Purple Upholstery with Steel Structure by Prospero Rasulo Painted steel internal structure. Weave in PVC thread with nylon internal reinforce...
Steel
Zanotta Small Ambrosiano Table in Smoky Grey Glass with Black Frame by Mist-o
By Zanotta, Mist-O
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Zanotta Small Ambrosiano Table in Smoky Grey Glass with Black Frame by Mist-o Trestles in solid natural oak or painted black with open pore. Matt black painted stainless steel spars. Top available either in 1/2” thick smoky grey tempered plate glass matching the black painted trestle; or in 7/8” thick oak-plated particle wood...
Smoked Glass
Zanotta Judy Armchair in Red Upholstery with Black Painted Steel Frame
By Zanotta
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Zanotta Judy Armchair in Red Upholstery with Black Painted Steel Frame by Frank Rettenbacher Black or graphite painted steel legs. Stiff polyurethane seat with self-extinguishing ...
Steel
Zanotta Servietto Towel Rack with Black Steel Frame by Achille Castiglioni
By Zanotta, Achille Castiglioni
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Zanotta Servietto Towel Rack with Black Steel Frame by Achille Castiglioni Polypropylene base and steel frame, painted in the colours: black or white. Additional Information: ...
Steel
Zanotta Small Ambrosiano Table in Onsernone Stone Top with Natural Oak Frame
By Zanotta, Mist-O
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Zanotta Small Ambrosiano Table in Onsernone Stone Top with Natural Oak Frame by Mist-o Trestles in solid natural oak or painted black with open pore. Matt black painted stainless steel spars. Top available either in 1/2” thick smoky grey tempered plate glass matching the black painted trestle; or in 7/8” thick oak-plated particle wood...
Stone
Zanotta Small Grangala Bed with Single Springingin in Grey Upholstery
By Gabriele Rosa, Zanotta
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Zanotta Small Grangala Bed with Single Springingin in Grey Upholstery with Steel Frame by Gabriele Rosa Bed with single springing. Steel feet and shelves covered with cowhide pigm...
Steel
Zanotta Arom Armchair in Black Vale Fabric and Exterior in Black Cowhide
By Zanotta, Noé Duchaufour-Lawrance
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Zanotta Arom Armchair in Black Vale Fabric and Exterior in Black Cowhide Steel frame. Upholstery with self-extinguishing polyurethane foam/heat-bound polyester fibre with elastic strips suspension. Fixed internal nylon cover. Removable external fabric, Pied de poule or leather cover. The exterior body can be covered with cowhide 95, combined with fabric or leather. Cannot be covered with cowhide 95 in the shade white 0704. Arom is the latest armchair...
Upholstery
Small table mod. 6500 by Alessandro Mendini for Zanotta
By Zanotta, Alessandro Mendini
Located in Ravenna, IT
Small table designed in 1986 by Alessandro Mendini for Zanotta. The tabletop features a daisy design, made entirely of mosaic. The central leg, which supports the top, reaches the gr...
Aluminum, Steel
1999 Zanotta Alfa Grey Leather Sectional Modular Sofa by Emaf Progetti 2x Avail
By Zanotta, Emaf Progetti
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Listed for sale is a single (two are available, but they are sold separately) "Alfa" sectional/modular sofa, designed by Emaf Progetti. The sofa is beautifully constructed and uphols...
Metal
Servofumo dinner holder by Achille Castiglioni produced by Zanotta in 1961
By Zanotta, Achille Castiglioni
Located in Ravenna, IT
Servofumo dinner holder designed by Achille Castiglioni and produced by Zanotta in 1961. From a gray-painted polypropylene base rises a steel support rod, featuring a black-painted a...
Aluminum, Steel
Zanotta “Alfa 1326” L- Shape Sofa & Ottoman in Yellow Linen & Black Leather
By Zanotta
Located in Barrowford, GB
This is a rare, pristine “Alfa 1326” L-Shape 4-Seat Sofa in a Mustard-Yellow woven-linen fabric & Ottoman in Black Leather from the world renown Italian furniture house of Zanotta. ...
Linen
Garth Roberts Raw Dining Table Zanotta 7090 Adjustable Planks & Design
By Zanotta, Garth Roberts
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
We are delighted to offer for sale this Garth Roberts award winning Raw table retailed through Zanota. Canadian Garth Roberts is another designer whose accomplishments make you wo...
Steel
Postmodern “625” Coffee / Side Table by Peter Noever for Zanotta, 1980s
By Zanotta
Located in Renens, CH
Coffee / side table designed by Peter Granite for Zanotta during the 1980s. Granite top with a Stove-enamelled cast-iron base. Materials: Granite, cast-iron Origination: Italy, 198...
Granite
Zanotta Servopluvio Umbrella Stand by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
By Zanotta
Located in New York, NY
Umbrella stand. Base in polypropylene, container in aluminium and steel support frame, painted in the shade black for outdoors.
Aluminum, Steel
Zanotta Aster Coat Stand by Alessandro Dubini
By Zanotta
Located in New York, NY
Clothes-stand. Steel frame painted talc, amaranth or black. Two different dimensions.
Steel
Set of 4 "Mezzadro Tractor" Stools by Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
By Achille Castiglioni, Zanotta
Located in Brussels, BE
Set of 4 "Mezzadro Tractor" stools by Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni for Zanotta, 1970.
Metal
Zanotta 1009 Club Chair for Indoor or Outdoor Designed by Prospero Rasulo
By Zanotta, Prospero Rasulo
Located in New York, NY
Armchair and sofa for outdoor and indoor use. Steel internal structure painted for outdoor use. Weave in PVC thread with nylon internal reinforcement, in the shade of brown. Upon request a small seat...
Nylon, PVC
Alessandro Mendini's Cuculia Bowl for Zanotta, 1985
By Zanotta, Alessandro Mendini
Located in Dallas, TX
The Cuculia centerpiece bowl, designed in 1985 by renowned architect and designer Alessandro Mendini, is an extraordinary example of Italian design that continues to inspire. Made of...
Plastic
Lialta chair designed by Roberto Barbieri in 2006 and produced by Zanotta
By Zanotta, Roberto Barbieri
Located in Ravenna, IT
Lialta chair designed by Roberto Barbieri in 2006 and produced by Zanotta in Italy. With a polished aluminum alloy frame, the seat features soft, sinuous curves. Its high back gives ...
Aluminum