Marco Zanuso, Pair of Lady Chairs, 1950s, Made by Arflex, Italy, Reupholstered
View Similar Items
Marco Zanuso, Pair of Lady Chairs, 1950s, Made by Arflex, Italy, Reupholstered
About the Item
- Creator:Marco Zanuso (Designer),Arflex (Manufacturer)
- Design:Lady ArmchairLady Series
- Dimensions:Height: 31.11 in (79 cm)Width: 31.11 in (79 cm)Depth: 28.75 in (73 cm)Seat Height: 14.57 in (37 cm)
- Sold As:Set of 2
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1950s
- Condition:Reupholstered. Wear consistent with age and use. Beautifully reupholstered in Svensson fabric.
- Seller Location:Wargrave, GB
- Reference Number:Seller: Zanuso Lady Chairs (Blue)1stDibs: LU839534109352
Lady Armchair
While the scoop-like form of the Lady armchair, designed in 1951 by Italian architect and furniture maker Marco Zanuso (1916–2001), might not be the most visually arresting chair on the auction block today, it’s one of the classic pieces of mid-century modern furniture and was quite revolutionary for its time.
Like many designers of the day, Zanuso was fascinated with new materials like polyurethane foam and elastic tape. In the 1940s, he began experimenting with them through a collaboration with Italian manufacturer Arflex that would endure for years. For the Arflex line, Zanuso designed not only the Lady armchair — which won the gold medal at the Milan Triennale the year of its debut — but also the 1949 Antropus chair and the 1951 Sleep-o-matic sofa. While these works were radical for their materials, their construction methods were also groundbreaking. The Lady armchair, for instance, was manufactured in pieces and assembled at the very end of the production process, whereas traditional furniture was more frequently constructed as a whole.
Zanuso spent his entire career creating a new definition of modernism through his works and his words. He studied architecture at the Polytechnic University of Milan with some of the country’s most forward-thinking designers, opened his own firm in 1945 and even served as the editor of design magazines Domus and Casabella, sharing his philosophy of modern design in their pages. He certainly succeeded in creating a lasting impact on the design world, particularly through pieces like the Lady armchair. It’s manufactured today by Cassina.
Marco Zanuso
Italian designer Marco Zanuso helped cement his country’s place as a world leader in furniture design that used new materials in revolutionary ways.
Zanuso was part of a generation of furniture designers who encouraged a sharp departure from the traditionalism and classicalism that reigned over the design industry before the war. These designers, who are associated with what we now call mid-century modernism, experimented with new technologies and materials to deliver on the world’s newfound need for streamlined products that represented the future.
After graduating from the Polytechnic University of Milan in 1939 with a degree in architecture, Zanuso served in the Navy during World War II. Soon after the war, he opened his own design firm in Milan in 1945. He later became an editor at well-regarded design magazines Domus and Casabella. He used this editorial platform to both promote new Italian designs as well as his own pieces, some of which he made using unconventional materials like foam and latex. For instance, his famous Lady armchair from 1951 is a composition of foam rubber and Nastro Cord, a recently invented textile band of rubberized fabric that eliminated the need for metal springs. It was one of several pieces he designed for Italian manufacturer Arflex, along with the 1949 Antropus chair and the 1951 Sleep-o-matic sofa.
Zanuso often collaborated with other like-minded creatives. From 1955 until 1957, he was Olivetti’s architect, designing factories across Brazil, and for nearly two decades, he collaborated with German designer Richard Sapper. The pair’s most famous product is the 4999 children’s chair, manufactured in the 1960s by Kartell in Italy. The stackable chair was the first to be manufactured entirely of injection-molded plastic. Zanuso and Sapper also partnered on the 1962 Brionvega Doney 14, the first European-made portable transistor TV; its sleek, compact and curvy form deeply influenced the design of television sets that followed, which were far more sculptural in form than the rigid boxes that characterized early models.
From the 1970s onward, Zanuso taught architecture and industrial design at the Polytechnic University of Milan. He still exercised his creative talents, planning the headquarters for computer companies and renovating Italian theaters.
Each of Zanuso’s elegant works were demonstrative of a forward-looking sensibility. His projects saw an integration of novel industrial materials that not only helped emphasize the beauty of good design but also played a role in rendering these well-made products accessible to everyday consumers.
On 1stDibs, find a collection of vintage Marco Zanuso furniture, including armchairs, sofas, table lamps and other items.
- Marco Zanuso, Pair of Senior Chairs, 1950s and matching pair of ottomansBy Marco Zanuso, ArflexLocated in Wargrave, BerkshireMarco Zanuso, Pair of Senior Chairs, originally designed 1951, these examples likely dating from late 1950s/early 1960s and manufactured by Arflex. Accompanied by a pair of matching...Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsMetal, Brass
- Gianfranco Frattini, Pair of Lounge Chairs, model 849 for Cassina, 1950sBy Cassina, Gianfranco FrattiniLocated in Wargrave, BerkshireStunning pair of lounge chairs, designed by Gianfranco Frattini and produced by Cassina, 1950s. Model 849 in walnut, newly reupholstered in white bouclé fabric 74cm high, 84cm wide...Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsUpholstery, Walnut
- Gianfranco Frattini, Pair of Upholstered Armchairs, model 830, by Cassina, 1950sBy Cassina, Gianfranco FrattiniLocated in Wargrave, BerkshirePair of elegant model 830 armchairs, designed in the 1950s by Gianfranco Frattini and manufactured by Cassina. Each chair is supported on tapering conical wood legs, and measures 85...Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsUpholstery, Wood
- Model NV45 Easy Chair, Designed by Finn Juhl, Made by Niels Vodder, 1940sBy Finn Juhl, Niels VodderLocated in Wargrave, BerkshireModel NV45 easy chair, designed by Finn Juhl and manufactured by Niels Vodder, Denmark, 1940s. Original teak frame, recently upholstered in light oatmeal wool fabric with pale grey ...Category
Vintage 1940s Danish Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsUpholstery, Teak
- Finn Juhl, Pair of Fireplace Chairs, model BO59, by Bovirke, designed 1946By Bovirke, Finn JuhlLocated in Wargrave, BerkshireFinn Juhl, Pair of Fireplace Chairs, model BO59, by Bovirke, designed 1946 This iconic design is known as the Westermanns Kaminstol or Firepl...Category
Vintage 1950s Danish Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsUpholstery, Teak
- Hans Wegner, Ox Chair, Model AP-46, Designed 1960, Made by AP Stolen, CopenhagenBy Hans J. Wegner, A.P. StolenLocated in Wargrave, BerkshireOne of the most iconic designs of the 20th century, the Ox Chair by Hans J Wegner is recognised the world over. Combining function and comfort with style and innovation, the model AP...Category
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsSteel
- Authentic Marco Zanuso Lady Chair, Arflex, in Pure Mohair, Italy, 1950sBy Marco Zanuso, ArflexLocated in London, GBAn original and authentic Marco Zanuso lady chair, Arflex, Italy, 1950s. In good structural condition and newly upholstered in a luxurious, grey (with a hint of brown) 100% mohair fa...Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsBrass
- Marco Zanuso Lady Chair Arflex, Italy, 1951By Marco Zanuso, ArflexLocated in Roosendaal, Noord BrabantIconic so called 'Lady chair' designed by Marco Zanuso and manufactured by Arflex, Italy, 1951. This lady chair has chrome-plated legs and original upholstery in grey. The upholstery...Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsChrome
- Martingala Chair by Marco Zanuso for Arflex, Italy, circa 1950By Marco Zanuso, ArflexLocated in Amsterdam, NLStunning early edition martingala chair by Marco Zanuso, manufactured by Arflex, Italy, circa 1950. The chair is newly upholstered in high quality ...Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsMetal, Brass
- 1950's Italian Lady Armchair of Marco Zanuso for ArflexBy Marco ZanusoLocated in Paris, FRThe Iconic 20th-century collectible vintage Lady chair was designed by Marco Zanuso for Arflex in Italy in 1951. The very comfortable design features splayed expertly polished brass ...Category
20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsBrass
- Marco Zanuso for Arflex, Italy, Pair of ''Lady'' Armchairs in Blue Cotton VelvetBy Marco Zanuso, ArflexLocated in Chiavari, LiguriaAn exquisite pair of Lady lounge chairs, originally designed by the renowned Marco Zanuso for Arflex, Italy in 1951. These remarkable chairs have undergone meticulous reupholstering,...Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsMetal
- Marco Zanuso Senior Chair for Arflex, Italy, 1950sBy Marco Zanuso, ArflexLocated in Berlin, DENewly upholstered Marco Zanuso senior chair for Arflex, Italy - 1960s. Fabric is Holly Hunt, Forgiving Sins, color latte.Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsBrass