Pair of Regent Armchairs by Marco Zanuso for Arflex, Italy
View Similar Items
Pair of Regent Armchairs by Marco Zanuso for Arflex, Italy
About the Item
- Creator:Marco Zanuso (Designer),Arflex (Manufacturer)
- Dimensions:Height: 31.11 in (79 cm)Width: 32.29 in (82 cm)Length: 31.11 in (79 cm)Seat Height: 14.18 in (36 cm)
- Sold As:Set of 2
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1960
- Condition:Reupholstered.
- Seller Location:Barcelona, ES
- Reference Number:Seller: Pair of Regent Armchairs by Marco Zanuso for Arflex, Italy1stDibs: LU6100226912772
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.
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.
- Lady Armchair by Marco Zanusso for Arflex, ItalyBy Marco Zanuso, ArflexLocated in Barcelona, ESLady armchair designed by Marco Zanuso in 1951 for Arflex, Italy. Early edition with original velvet fabric and brass bases.Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsMetal, Brass
- Illum Wikkelsø Lounge Chairs for Arflex, Italy, 1960By Illum Wikkelsø, ArflexLocated in Barcelona, ESPair of lounge chairs designed in 1960 by Illum Wikkelsø for Arflex, Italy. Wikkelsø's model 451 redesign in 1960 for Arflex, Italy with metal or wood base. This pair are with a blac...Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsFabric, Walnut
- Pair of Leather Armchairs by Rudolf Bernd Glatzel for Kill InternationalBy Kill International, Rudolf Bernd GlatzelLocated in Barcelona, ESPair of armchairs designed in 1960's by Rudolf Bernd Glatzel for Kill International, Germany. Wood frame upholstered with black aniline leather with loose cushions.Category
Vintage 1960s German Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsLeather, Wood
- Set of Six Oxford Chairs by Martin Grierson for Arflex, 1963By Arflex, Martin GriersonLocated in Barcelona, ESSet of six Oxford chairs designed in 1963 by British designer Martin Grierson for Arflex, Italy. Plywood molded shell upholstered in original black vinyl and polished steel bases.Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsSteel
- Paper Knife Armchair by Kai kristiansen for Magnus Olesen, Denmark, 1956By Magnus Olesen, Kai KristiansenLocated in Barcelona, ESPaper Knife armchair designed in 1956 by Kai Kristiansen for Magnus Olesen, Denmark. Teak frame upholstered with new wool fabric from...Category
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Armchairs
MaterialsFabric, Teak
- André Vandenbeuck King Lounge Chair with OttomanBy Arflex, Andre VandenbeuckLocated in Barcelona, ESKing lounge chair with ottoman designed by André Vandenbeuck in 1960's and produced by Arflex, Italy. Swivel lounge chair and ottoman upholstered in leather, wood arms and polished s...Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsSteel
- Regent Armchairs by Marco Zanuso, Arflex, Italy, 1960'sBy Marco ZanusoLocated in New York, NYRegent armchairs by Marco Zanuso, Arflex, Italy, 1960's Designed in 1960 by Marco Zanuso, the Regent is less well known than his clas...Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsSteel
$14,480 Sale Price / set20% Off - Marco Zanuso Pair of Arflex Regent Armchairs in Blue Velvet "Nobilis" Italy 1960By Marco Zanuso, ArflexLocated in Catania, ITMarco Zanuso for Arflex, pair of armchairs, 'Regent' model, blue velvet by Nobilis Paris, metal, wood, Italy, design 1960s. Beautiful pair of Regent lou...Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsMetal
- Marco Zanuso for Arflex Pair of 'Lady' ArmchairsBy Marco Zanuso, ArflexLocated in Waalwijk, NLMarco Zanuso for Arflex, pair of easy chairs, fabric, metal, Italy, 1951 A quintessential representation of 1950s Italian Design, the 'Lady' armchair stands as a celebrated testamen...Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsMetal
$11,800 / set - Marco Zanuso for Arflex 'Regent' Lounge Chair in Patterned UpholsteryBy Marco Zanuso, ArflexLocated in Waalwijk, NLMarco Zanuso for Arflex, lounge chair model 'Regent', fabric, metal, wood, Italy, 1960 Admirable ‘Regent’ lounge chair designed by Marco Zanuso ...Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsMetal
- Woodline armchair by Marco Zanuso for Arflex, 1964By Marco Zanuso, ArflexLocated in Premariacco, ITAn icon of 1960s Italian design, this Woodline armchair was designed by Marco Zanuso for Arflex in 1964 and constructed of black lacquered plywood and a seat upholstered in high-qual...Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsHide, Plywood
- Marco Zanuso pair of armchairs model Woodline Arflex Italy 1964By Marco Zanuso, ArflexLocated in Etten-Leur, NLIconic pair of Woodline lounge chairs designed by Marco Zanuso for Arflex, Italy 1964. These fantastic shaped chairs feature a black lacquered plywood frame and the seat is covered w...Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsLeather, Plywood