More often than not, vintage mid-century Brazilian furniture designs, with their gleaming wood, soft leathers and inviting shapes, share a sensuous, unique quality that distinguishes them from the more rectilinear output of American and Scandinavian makers of the same era.
Commencing in the 1940s and '50s, a group of architects and designers transformed the local cultural landscape in Brazil, merging the modernist vernacular popular in Europe and the United States with the South American country's traditional techniques and indigenous materials.
Key mid-century influencers on Brazilian furniture design include natives Oscar Niemeyer, Sergio Rodrigues and José Zanine Caldas as well as such European immigrants as Joaquim Tenreiro, Jean Gillon and Jorge Zalszupin. These creators frequently collaborated; for instance, Niemeyer, an internationally acclaimed architect, commissioned many of them to furnish his residential and institutional buildings.
The popularity of Brazilian modern furniture has made household names of these designers and other greats. Their particular brand of modernism is characterized by an émigré point of view (some were Lithuanian, German, Polish, Ukrainian, Portuguese, and Italian), a preference for highly figured indigenous Brazilian woods, a reverence for nature as an inspiration and an atelier or small-production mentality.
Hallmarks of Brazilian mid-century design include smooth, sculptural forms and the use of native woods like rosewood, jacaranda and pequi. The work of designers today exhibits many of the same qualities, though with a marked interest in exploring new materials (witness the Campana Brothers' stuffed-animal chairs) and an emphasis on looking inward rather than to other countries for inspiration.
Find a collection of vintage Brazilian furniture on 1stDibs that includes chairs, sofas, tables and more.
$472 / item
Stuffed Butterfly with Frame
Located in Roma, IT
Stuffed butterfly is a decorative object of 1970s. 19.5 x 25.5 cm. Good conditions
Animal Skin
Brazilian Mid-Century Brass Photo Frame
Located in Miami, FL
Mid-Century Brazilian modern patinated brass picture frame, 1970s.
Brass
$519 / item
Morpho Helenor with Frame
Located in Roma, IT
Morpho anassibia is a stuffed embalmed butterfly in a frame. Species Morpho anassibia blue. 19.5 x 25 cm. Very good conditions!
Animal Skin
$672 / item
H 9.76 in W 7.76 in D 0.6 in
High-Quality Photo Frame with Butterfly Motif in Silver and Gold Metal.
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Contemporary, high-quality photo frame with ginkgo and butterfly motif in silver and gold metal. Add a touch of botanical beauty to your home decor with this exquisitely designed ph...
Metal
$2,240
H 0.99 in W 3.94 in D 3.94 in
Sterling Silver Gold-Plated Square Photo Frame with Translucent Enamel Salimbeni
By Salimbeni
Located in Firenze, FI
Square photo frame in 9251000 sterling silver gold-plated with translucent fired enamel on guilloché. Modern contemporary style. Cut glass. Blue velvet panel. External dimensions 10...
Gold Plate, Sterling Silver, Enamel
$1,250
H 10.75 in W 8.5 in D 0.5 in
Vintage Tiffany & Co. Sterling Silver Mid-Century Picture or Photo Frame
By Tiffany & Co.
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A fine vintage signed silver picture or photo frame. By Tiffany. In sterling silver. With a robust easel back stand. Marked to the base. Simply an wonderful frame from Tiffany! ...
Sterling Silver
$302Sale Price|20% Off
H 2.37 in W 1.97 in D 0.79 in
Antique Picture Frame, Brass Photo Frame, France, 2 x 3 cm
Located in Greven, DE
Beautiful picture frame, France circa 1930. Picture size: 2 cm x 3 cm. Brass frames are distinguished by their characteristic golden color, which intensifies over time through the fo...
Brass
$4,042
H 0.99 in W 7.49 in D 4.73 in
Photo Frame Butterfly-Shaped Fired Enamel on Guillochè Sterling Silver Salimbeni
By Salimbeni, Giorgio Salimbeni
Located in Firenze, FI
Butterfly-shaped photo frame in 925/1000 sterling silver gold plated with translucent polychrome fired enamels on hand engraving that imitates the veins of the wings. External dimens...
Gold Plate, Sterling Silver, Enamel
$1,155 / set
H 13.98 in W 13.98 in D 1.58 in
Antique Edwardian Glazed Entomology Butterfly Framed Display Cases. c.1910
Located in London, GB
A wonderful pair of mounted butterfly specimen display frames, c.1910. Each is housed in a simple ebonised wooden frame that sets a quiet, museum‑like backdrop for the arrangement w...
Wood, Glass
Mid-Century Photo Frame by Fontana Arte
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Rare and elegant picture frame with thick "nile green" beveled glass panels and brass frame / Made in Italy by Fontana Arte, circa 1950s Measures: width 9 inches, height 5.5 inches, ...
Brass
Murano Art Glass Picture Frame with Multicolor Murrine, circa 1990
By Lavorazione Arte Murano
Located in Atlanta, GA
This superb Murano art glass picture frame was hand-crafted in Italy circa 1990. Murano mosaic Murrine plaques adorn the frame's picture view, which features an L-shaped Plexiglass f...
Glass, Art Glass, Murano Glass, Lucite, Plexiglass
Clear with Gold Flecks Murano Photo Frame
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage photo frame with hand blown clear Murano "Torciglione" glass border infused with gold flecks / Made in Italy circa 1960s Measures: Height: 11 inches / width: 12.5 inches / de...
Brass
1940s Shell Picture Frame (with glass)
Located in Tarrytown, NY
1940s Shell Picture Frame (with glass) Shell with crack in it (as shown) Stand not sold with frame Hinged arm missing from back of frame
Shell
Michael Aram Butterfly Ginkgo Photo Frame, Cast Bronze, India, 1999
By Michael Aram
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Michael Aram Butterfly Ginkgo Easel Photo Frame with original box. The Michael Aram Butterfly Ginkgo Collection, including the photo frame, celebrates the representation of flora and...
Bronze
$584
H 9.85 in W 7.88 in D 0.79 in
Gucci Metal Photo Frame, White Glass, Mid-Century Modern, Italy, 1970s
By Gucci
Located in Florence, Tuscany
A white metal Gucci photo frame made in the 1970s. It is stamped Gucci on the base, has the Gucci Gs insignia on the front and a Gucci button on the back. The piece is 50 years old a...
Metal
Brazilian Mid-Century Brass and Wood Picture Frame, 1970s - 2 of 2
Located in Miami, FL
Mid-Century Brazilian brass and wood photo frame with wood tube accents by Nova Metal, 1970s. Visible photo size: W3-3/8” H4-1/2” Ships from Brazil Two available. See our other li...
Brass
Brazilian Mid-Century Brass and Wood Picture Frame, 1970s - 1 of 2
Located in Miami, FL
Mid-Century Brazilian brass and wood photo frame with wood tube accents by Nova Metal, 1970s. Visible photo size: W3-3/8” H4-1/2”
Brass
Mid-Century Brazilian Modern Picture Frame Circa 1970s
Located in Miami, FL
Brazilian modern picture frame in tessellated stone with wood backing circa 1970s. Viewable photo size: W6-1/2” H8-1/2”
Stone
Brazilian Mid-Century Brass Picture Frame, 1970s
Located in Miami, FL
Mid-Century Brazilian brass and wood photo frame with plastic tube accents by LUX, 1970s. Visible photo size: W3-3/8” H4-1/2” Ships from Brazil.
Brass
Studio Handwrought Brass and Mineral Stone Picture Frame
Located in Norwood, NJ
This studio one of a kind handwrought textural and dimensional picture frame is a mixed media of brass and mineral stones. The jeweled like frame/mirror ...
Agate, Amethyst, Rock Crystal, Brass
Sold
H 7 in W 6 in D 2.5 in
Brass, Amethyst and Quartz Hand Forged Picture Frame Desk Accessory Vintage
Located in North Miami, FL
This fabulous hand forged Brazilian vintage picture frame is from the 1970s and is one of a kind. The brass has dimensional designs and jutting stones o...
Amethyst, Quartz, Brass, Copper
Trama Collection Fabric Sample
Located in Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo
Linen Sample for Trama Collection
Linen, Hardwood
Sold
H 10.25 in W 7 in D 3.85 in
Hand Forged One of Kind Brass, Mixed Metal, Amethyst & Quartz Picture Frame
Located in North Miami, FL
This beautiful combination of hand forged brass mixed with copper elements and protrusions of chunks of amethyst rose quartz and quartz picture frame is one of a kind. It is vintage ...
Amethyst, Quartz, Brass, Copper
Sold
H 10 in W 8.5 in D 5.5 in
Sculptural and Jeweled Brass/Amethyst, Quartz and Agate Picture Frame/Mirror
Located in North Miami, FL
This studio one of a kind hand-wrought textural and dimensional picture frame is a mixed media of brass with inlays of copper hints. The jeweled like frame/mirror has dimensional jut...
Agate, Amethyst, Brass, Copper
Sold
H 14 in W 12.5 in D 6 in
Hand-Wrought Brass, Amethyst, Rose Quartz & Carnelian Picture Frame/Mirror
Located in North Miami, FL
This gorgeous hand-wrought free standing picture frame and or mirror is in the brutalist style. Chunks of protruding quartz, amethyst and carnelian are embedded in the brass. This co...
Amethyst, Carnelian, Brass
60's Jacaranda Mirror by Sergio Rodrigues
Located in Los Angeles, CA
1960's jacaranda round mirror by Sergio Rodrigues