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 Quaderna 756 Sideboard by Superstudio in White Laminate
By Superstudio, Zanotta
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Quaderna 756 is a sideboard designed by Superstudio and produced by the Zanotta brand. Honeycomb core structure coated with white Print laminate, digitally printed with black squares...
Laminate
$12,070 / item
Zanotta Quaderna 757 Cupboard by Superstudio
By Zanotta, Superstudio
Located in New York, NY
Cupboard. Honeycomb core structure coated with white Print laminate, digitally printed with black squares at 3 cm spacing. Internal black laminate plating. Adjustable internal shelve...
Laminate
$15,230 / item
Zanotta Quaderna 756 Sideboard by Superstudio
By Superstudio, Zanotta
Located in New York, NY
Sideboard. Honeycomb core structure coated with white Print laminate, digitally printed with black squares at 3 cm spacing. Internal black laminate plating. Adjustable internal shelv...
Laminate
Swedish 19th century painted pine cupboard
Located in Debenham, Suffolk
Swedish 19th century painted cupboard circa 1890. Good quality sideboard/cabinet which would be ideal as a linen cupboard or the kitchen. Double door cupboard with channeled detail...
Pine, Paint
$3,172
H 36.03 in W 68.12 in D 19.69 in
Large & Heavy Solid Cherrywood Multiyork Sideboard Cupboard with Six Drawers
By Multiyork
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
We ar delighted to offer for sale this stunning, hand made in England from solid Cherrywood, Multiyork sideboard with six drawers. A very good looking well made and solid piece of...
Cherry
$12,900 / set
H 30 in W 47.38 in D 18.75 in
Willy Rizzo Black Laminated Wood & Chrome Sideboard, Dresser, Cabinet Italy Pair
By Willy Rizzo
Located in Miami, FL
Mid-Century Modern Willy Rizzo pair of very heavy black laminated wood dresser, sideboard, cabinet with circle chrome pulls and elegant chrome corners. Fea...
Chrome
19th Century Swedish Blue Short Corner Cabinet Cupboard
Located in Round Top, TX
Low corner cabinet from Sweden with a (newer) blue painted finish softly scraped to reveal the natural pine below resulting in attractive, warm patina. Traditional carved fluted dia...
Wood, Pine, Paint
Art Deco Superior Quality Blonde Walnut Cupboard, circa 1930
Located in Devon, England
A real treasure from the 1930s is this Art Deco cupboard. Originally a bedroom piece with two very spacious, very generously sized open shelves with a sectioned area at the base for shoes. However this piece would also lend itself very well as a piece of office furniture. On first viewing this piece one can't not be impressed by the obvious quality and size, made from solid mahogany for the carcass with bleached blonde walnut...
Chrome
$16,857 / item
H 23.63 in W 51.19 in D 16.93 in
Modern Organ Sideboard, White Onyx, Oak, Handmade in Portugal by Greenapple
By Greenapple, GF Modern
Located in Lisboa, PT
Organ Modern Sideboard, Modern Collection, Handcrafted in Portugal - Europe by Greenapple. The Oak sideboard stands out for its fluid, organic curves and seamless design. Its sculpt...
Onyx, Quartz, Travertine, Marble, Stainless Steel
sideboard by Audoux Minnet
Located in Saint Ouen, France
Magnificent and charming split pencil bamboo sideboard from the 1950s by Adrien Audoux and Frida Minet. "Adrien Audoux and Frida Minnet were a French duo who worked together in the m...
Ceramic, Rattan
17th Century Jacobean Carved Oak Two-Piece Sideboard Cupboard
Located in Sheffield, MA
Elizabethan period, two-piece (top and bottom) antique Jacobean oak cabinet or cupboard with inset two-doors above and two-doors below, both runni...
Oak
$1,282
H 41.93 in W 42.33 in D 17.92 in
Beautiful Victorian Brown Hardwood Two Tier Whatnot Cupboard on Castors
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
We are delighted to offer for sale this charming brown Mahogany Victorian Whatnot cupboard on castors. This attractive and solid piece is well pre...
Hardwood
$5,332
H 35.83 in W 70.48 in D 22.45 in
VINTAGE CIRCA 1940's COLD STORAGE SIDEBOARD CUPBOARD WITH ORIGINAL FIXTURES
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
Royal House Antiques Royal House Antiques is delighted to offer for sale this stunning vintage circa 1940's cold storage sideboard unit with old distressed paint Please note the de...
Metal
Exceptional Mastercraft Brass, Laminate and Glass Sideboard
By Mastercraft
Located in Ottawa, Ontario
An exceptional Mastercraft brass, laminate and glass sideboard, with two lower doors with large brass ring pulls opening to a bottom shelf and one middle shelf, Above the doors is a ...
Brass
$2,126
H 30.12 in W 59.85 in D 18.12 in
Postmodern vintage pastel pink blue peach laminate waterfall sideboard USA 1980s
Located in Hastings, GB
Postmodern pastel colourwash / watercolour effect laminate waterfall sideboard, USA 1980s. The interior is also fully finished in the pastel lamina...
Laminate