Fascinated with the concept of kinetics and its relation to furniture — famously a conduit for stillness — French designer Marc Held, who founded Paris design firm Archiform in 1960, devised his most famous chair, the Culbuto armchair, for Knoll between 1967 and 1972. For Held at the time, design was all about motion.
Guided by the notion that standing still is more tiresome than walking continually, Held imagined a piece of furniture that would facilitate constant motion when he designed the Culbuto chair. (The series also featured a low-back armchair and an accompanying ottoman.) The resulting seat, which features leather upholstery over a rounded, fiberglass base, is essentially the ultimate rocking chair. Dispensing with his initial idea of including a counterweight in the design, the finalized shape of the armchair allowed for 360-degree movement, enabling its sitter to move without interruption while remaining comfortably seated. The chair takes its name from the French word for somersault, which was, appropriately, used to name “Monsieur Culbuto,” a classic “roly-poly” toy — a doll with a rounded base that makes it bob from side to side.
The shape necessary to attain such movement on Held’s chair required molding fiberglass into a bulbous, hollow-ball shape, which, like the Ball chair, lends the piece a distinctly Spage Age appearance. Following the debut of the Culbuto chair, Held’s practice shifted to reflect a heavier focus on architecture rather than product design, and Knoll discontinued the chair after only a few years. As such, there are only a few examples of the Culbuto on the market, making it an enviable get for collectors of modern, innovative and unusual furnishings.
$45,339 / set
Marc Held Pair of “Culbuto” Armchairs
By Marc Held, Knoll
Located in Saint-Ouen, IDF
Exceptional pair of “Culbuto” armchairs, designed by French designer Marc Held in 1967 and produced by Knoll International, circa 1970. One of Marc Held’s most recognizable designs, ...
Leather, Fiberglass
1960 Rare Industrial desk by Marc Held for Strafor
By Marc Held
Located in London, Lambeth
Well balanced in function and form this rare desk by Marc Held Combine into Materials metalcvand plastic with three storage draws Cc 1960 for strafor France
Aluminum
chest-of-drawers-by-marc-held design -for-prisunic producer in years 1970
By Prisunic, Marc Held
Located in Biella, IT
chest-of-drawers-by-marc-held design -for-prisunic producer in years 1970 the meuble is modular in five piece
Plastic
Pair of Eero Saarinen Executive Armchairs for Knoll
By Eero Saarinen, Knoll
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Pair of Eero Saarinen Executive Armchairs for Knoll. Vintage production, reupholstered in 1998. All screws and self leveling glides intact. No rips in the textile. Cleaned and presen...
Metal
Industrial Equestrian Desk
Located in Westwood, NJ
The Industrial Equestrian desk of walnut and reclaimed wood with an iron base. The parquetry inlaid top with five drawers is flanked by two horse heads...
Iron
$857
H 19.69 in W 14.97 in D 14.97 in
Italian Space Age Red Modular Chest of Drawers by Castelli for Kartell, 1970s
By Kartell
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian Space Age Red plastic Modular chest of drawers by Anna Castelli for Kartell, 1970s Modular chest of drawers with square base and rounded corne...
Plastic
$195 / item
H 29.75 in W 27.5 in D 19.5 in
1960s Friso Kramer Style Industrial Desk Teak Formica Top by Werzalit
By Friso Kramer
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Industrial work desk attributed to the Friso Kramer style manufactured by Werzalit in Austria during the 1960s. The design features a compact cantilever frame construction in dark gr...
Metal
Rosewood Desk by Arne Vodder for Sibast Furniture 1960s
By Arne Vodder, Sibast
Located in Lejre, DK
Rosewood desk designed by Arne Vodder and manufactured by Sibast Furniture in the 1960s. The desk features a large work surface and a classic Danish design from the period. — Origin...
Rosewood
Vintage bamboo chest of drawers by maugrion, 1970s
Located in Leuven, Vlaams Gewest
Elegant wooden and bamboo chest of drawers with 3 large drawers. Produced by Maugrion, delivering quality rattan and bamboo furniture and sold in high segment furniture shops such a...
Bamboo
Rosewood Desk by Svend Aage Madsen for H.P. Hansen, 1960s
Located in Nørre Aaby, DK
This stunning rosewood desk, designed by Svend Åge Madsen for H.P. Hansen in the 1960s, features exquisite craftsmanship and an extraordinary design. While it shows some patina, it r...
Rosewood
Pair of rattan armchairs
Located in Isle Sur Sorgue, FR
Pair of beautiful rattan armchairs with fans patterns. Unique design, very comfortable with their white cushions. High quality of craftsmanship, entirely hand made. Excellent conditi...
Rattan
$9,151 / set
H 29.93 in W 35.44 in D 20.87 in
Afra & Tobia Scarpa for Knoll Pair of Armchairs "Bastiano," Italy 1970s
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa, Knoll
Located in Naples, IT
Elegant pair of club/lounge chairs Model Bastiano, designed by iconic Italian design duo Afra & Tobia Scarpa for Knoll, Italy. The chairs have a solid wooden frame and have recently...
Velvet, Wood
Desk by General Fireproofing GoodForm, Industrial
By General Fireproofing Company
Located in Miami, FL
Desk by General Fireproofing with eight drawers. Comes with glass top. Good condition with some normal wear.
Steel
Mid-century design chest of drawers
Located in Hronská Breznica, Banskobystrický kraj
Mid-century design chest of drawers in very good original condition. Wooden frame lined with black glass, the front of the drawers is a mirror.
Glass, Wood
$12,800 / item
H 31 in W 18 in D 80 in
Art Deco Chest of Drawers in Floral Design by Stephanie Odegard
By Stephanie Odegard Collection
Located in New York, NY
"Introducing the Floral Art Deco Chest of Drawers - Inspired by the Floral Motifs of Rajasthan Palaces Stephanie Odegard presents the Floral Art Deco Chest of Drawers, a masterpiece ...
Metal
1960s Culbuto Chairs by Marc Held for Knoll leather and fiberglass
By Marc Held, Knoll
Located in Virginia Beach, VA
A pair of "Culbuto" chairs designed by French designer, Marc Held for Knoll in the 1960s. These chairs only saw a limited run with knoll and very few circulate the after market. Lacq...
Leather, Fiberglass
French Minimalist Daybed by Marc Held for Prisunic 1970
By Prisunic, Marc Held
Located in bergen op zoom, NL
A minimalist Space Age daybed in white fibreglass by French designer Marc Held for Prisunic France 1970 This is a first edition model with a smooth inner surface without the ribs ...
Metal
