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.
"Paracar" Totemic White Floor Lamp by Zanotta, Italy, 1970s
By Zanotta
Located in Milan, IT
Opaline plexiglass round shade and plastic body. Top and base can be enlightened separately with a beautiful floor switch Literature: Casa Vogue magazine #4 May 1970 page 93
Plastic
Italian Designer, Floor Lamp, Brass, Italy, 1970s
Located in High Point, NC
A brass floor lamp designed by an Italian Designer, Italy, 1970s. Brass is unpolished and has retained beautiful patina. Each socket takes one light-bulb on standard medium base, n...
Brass
Italian Murano Floor Lamp by Carlo Nason, 1970s
By Carlo Nason, Mazzega
Located in Oud Beijerland, NL
Gorgeous Modern to Postmodern Italian Carlo Nason floor lamp with Mazzega Murano white blown glass & chrome, 1970's. Beautiful condition, keeping in mind that this is vintage and no...
Metal
Chimera Floor Lamp By Vico Magistretti, Italy, 1970s
By Vico Magistretti
Located in Charmes, FR
Very good condition for this 1st edition with neon of the iconic Chimera floor lamp designed by Vico Magistretti for Artemide and produced in Italy in the 1960s. Metal base with obvi...
Plexiglass
Italian Designer, Floor Lamp, Brass, Italy, 1970s
Located in High Point, NC
An adjustable brass and acrylic floor lamp likely designed and produced in Italy, c. 1970s. In good vintage condition, with visible wear consistent with age and use. Oxidation and t...
Brass
Floor Lamp by La Murrina Murano, Italy, 1970s
By La Murrina
Located in SAINT-OUEN, FR
Floor lamp by the editor La Murrina Murano, blown glass ball typical from the manufacture with those bubble in the glass. Chrome structure. Simple and elegant. It s a famous maker li...
Chrome
1970s Italian Glass Floor Lamp
Located in Praha, CZ
- Very good original condition with minor signs of use - 1x E26-E27 bulb - US plug adapter included
Chrome
Italian Modernist Floor Lamp, 1970s
Located in London, GB
A highly unusual Italian modernist floor lamp of bold sculptural form, combining striking industrial materials with unmistakable European ...
Steel
Vintage Floor Lamp by Goffredo Reggiani, Italy, 1970s
By Goffredo Reggiani
Located in Roma, IT
Vintage Floor Lamp in chromed metal with travertine base realized by Goffredo Reggiani in 1970s. 5 adjustable lights. Very good condition.
Marble, Metal
Italian Floor Lamp - 1970s
Located in Paris, FR
Floor lamp or floor lamp in cream-white lacquered metal with gold highlights. Circular shade and base. Wear on the gold trim; cream-white lacquer has been restored. Halogen bulb ...
Metal, Brass
Floor Lamp, Sirrah "Totem", Kazuhide Takahama, Italy, 1970s
By Kazuhide Takahama
Located in Tokyo, Tokyo
A striking floor lamp model Totem, designed by Kazuhide Takahama for Sirrah. This piece embodies Takahama’s signature architectural minimalism, with its vertical monolithic form cra...
Steel
TOTEM Italian Floor Lamp
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
A TOTEM floor lamp metal et Lucite.
Metal
Design Floor Lamp Italy, 1970s
Located in Praha, CZ
Made of metal and plastic Bulb 1 x 60W, E27 or E26 Polished Fully functional Good original condition Cable compatible with USA.
Chrome