"Senior Chair", Design by Marco Zanuso, 1951
View Similar Items
"Senior Chair", Design by Marco Zanuso, 1951
About the Item
- Creator:Marco Zanuso (Designer),Arflex (Maker)
- Design:
- Dimensions:Height: 40.16 in (102 cm)Width: 37.01 in (94 cm)Depth: 27.96 in (71 cm)
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1951
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:Wolfurt, AT
- Reference Number:Seller: ID 1951stDibs: LU2981315938292
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.
Zanuso 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.
Arflex
From its unorthodox beginnings, Italian manufacturer Arflex grew into one of the leaders of 20th-century furniture design. Its furniture came to be known for its integration of new materials and bold appeal, and today a variety of vintage Arflex chairs, sofas and tables are emblems of mid-century modernism.
Arflex was established in Milan in 1947 by Pirelli employees Carlo Barassi, Pio Reggiani, Renato Teani and Aldo Bai. Barassi, a Milan Polytechnic graduate and visionary engineer at the Italian tire manufacturer, explored innovative technology and new uses for synthetic materials in domestic products (for Kartell, he codeveloped a ski rack for automobiles). The four founders partnered with a young architect named Marco Zanuso, who also desired to create furniture that featured an application of novel materials such as elastic tape and polyurethane foam.
One of Arflex’s inaugural pieces was Zanuso’s Lady armchair, a seat made of polyurethane foam that was manufactured in pieces and assembled at the very end of the production process. It won a gold medal at the 1951 Milan Triennale. A couple of years later, Arflex collaborated with Studio BBPR to create the office-chic Elettra and Neptunia chairs. The flourishing furniture company quickly established a reputation for compelling products and attracting and working with up-and-coming designers such as Roberto Menghi, who created Hall, a luxurious line of seating that would earn the Compasso d’Oro – Honorable Mention in 1959.
In the 1960s, Arflex continued to welcome the use of new and cutting-edge materials. Popular designs from this decade include Carlo Bartoli's fiberglass and polyester resin Gaia lounge chair and Cini Boer’s Bobo Relax lounger, one of history’s first seating pieces made of polyurethane foam (it has no internal frame). Boer, a pioneer of furniture design in Italy, also created the Strips sofa for the brand in 1972. Part of a plush modular seating system, the Strips sofa became an Arflex icon and was awarded the Compasso d'Oro in 1979.
Arflex continues to work with innovative designers to this day. Among their more recent collaborations is with Swedish design studio Claesson Koivisto Rune. The company's legendary creations are also on display at museums worldwide. The Lady chair, for example, is in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.
On 1stDibs, you can find a collection of vintage Arflex lounge chairs, armchairs, coffee tables and other furniture.
- Senior" Chair, Design by Marco Zanuso, Italy, 1951By Marco Zanuso, ArflexLocated in Wolfurt, ATThis "Senior" armchair model was designed by Marco Zanuso in the 1950s. The beautifully shaped armchair was marketed under the Arflex Italia label. It is upholstered in its original ...Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsBrass
- Armchair "Fiorenza" designed by Franco Albini in 1952 for Arflex, Italy.By Franco Albini, ArflexLocated in Wolfurt, ATArmchair "Fiorenza," designed by Franco Albini in 1952 for Arflex, Italy. A highly collectible model produced for only one year by Arflex. This stunning pair of armchairs features sc...Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsFabric, Wood
- Armchair, Design by Nino Zoncada, Italy, 1950sBy Nino ZoncadaLocated in Wolfurt, ATChair, design by Nino Zoncada, Italy, 1950s. The chair has the original cover with leather piping.Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Club Chairs
MaterialsFabric, Wood
- Pair of Cassina Chairs, Model 809, Design Figli de Amadeo dei Cassina, 1958By Figli di Amadeo Cassina, CassinaLocated in Wolfurt, AT"Modell 809" Armchair - Design by Figli de Amadeo dei Cassina for Cassina, 1958. Set of two chairs in two-tone covering, freshly upholstered and covered with Dedar Trevira "Sansone 4...Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsFabric, Wood
- Sessel "Delfino" - Entwurf von Erberto Carboni für Arflex, 1954.By Erberto Carboni, ArflexLocated in Wolfurt, ATThis Italian "Delfino" armchair was designed by Erberto Carboni in the 1950s and manufactured by Arflex. The piece of furniture is upholstered in original dark blue cord velvet and h...Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsBrass
- Set of Two Brown Armchairs in the Manner of Marco Zanuso, Ladychairs, ItalyBy Marco ZanusoLocated in Wolfurt, ATArmchairs - Italy, 1950s. This piece is identically constructed to the Lady chair, a design by Marco Zanuso, only the base of the chair differs. The arm...Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsMetal
- Pair of Marco Zanuso for Arflex 'Senior' Lounge Chairs, Italy, circa 1951By Marco Zanuso, ArflexLocated in New York, NYA pair of the iconic 'Senior' lounge chairs, designed by Marco Zanuso and manufactured by Arflex, in Italy, 1951. This pair have been fully restored and newly upholstered in our prof...Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsFabric
- 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
- Marco Zanuso Senior Lounge Chairs Arflex, Italy, 1951By Marco Zanuso, ArflexLocated in Roosendaal, Noord BrabantFantastic iconic lounge chair pair designed by world known designer Marco Zanuso and manufactured by Arflex, Italy 1951. These two lounge chairs have thei...Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsBrass
- Marco Zanuso Senior Chairs, Pure Mohair, Arflex, Italy, 1960sBy Marco Zanuso, ArflexLocated in London, GBAn pair of authentic marco zanuso senior chairs, Arflex, Italy, 1960s. These chairs have been reupholstered in a premium, ivory, 100% mohair velvet. Fast shipping worldwide.Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsBrass
- Rare Pair of Mid-Century Modern Triennale Lounge Chairs, Marco Zanuso Italy 1951By Marco Zanuso, ArflexLocated in New York, NYA rare and important pair of Italian Mid-Century Modern Triennale charis by Marco Zanuso circa 1951. Zanuso designed these Triennale lounge chairs...Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsBrass
- Pair of Lady armchair by Marco Zanuso for Arflex 1951By Marco Zanuso, ArflexLocated in Meulebeke, BEDesigned in 1951 by Italian architect and furniture maker Marco Zanuso, these iconic chairs are a symbol of stylish, material and technological innovation. They won a gold medal at t...Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsMetal