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Brazilian Modern Bar Cart in Hardwood by Carlo Hauner & Martin Eisler, 1950s

About the Item

Designed by Carlo Hauner and Martin Eisler for Forma S/A Móveis e Objetos de Arte, this bar cart reflects the disciplined elegance of Brazilian modernism. Executed in richly grained Brazilian rosewood (jacarandá), the structure is defined by slender uprights and gently contoured rails that lend the silhouette a sense of lightness and architectural clarity. The composition unfolds across three tiers. A lower platform provides grounded storage, while the central level features a removable glass tray framed in rosewood, introducing a refined interplay between transparency and depth. Above, an additional serving surface with a shaped gallery rail offers both utility and a subtle sculptural gesture. The original casters—discreetly integrated into the tapered legs—allow for mobility without interrupting the purity of line. The piece has been carefully refinished to revive the warmth and tonal variation of the jacarandá, preserving the crispness of its joinery and the integrity of its original glass elements. Both practical and formally resolved, the cart exemplifies Hauner and Eisler’s ability to balance material richness with structural restraint—an enduring expression of mid-century Brazilian design. Carlo Hauner's (1927-1997) partnership with Martin Eisler (1913-1977) embodied a new era of Brazilian Modernist design, establishing the iconic Brazilian Furniture company Forma as co-founders and head designers. Born in Brescia, Italy, Hauner began his career as a painter in Milan before eventually emigrating and establishing himself in Brazil. He founded Móveis Artesanal in São Paulo, later evolving into the renowned Forma in 1953 after partnering with Martin Eisler. Hauner and Eisler differentiated themselves by pioneering new production methods while simultaneously incorporating Brazilian motifs and cultural influences. Their skilled craftsmanship, coupled with the use of local materials such as hardwood, leather, and iron, resulted in elegant and versatile pieces that attracted a wider audience. Hauner and Eisler revolutionized furniture design, now internationally recognized as one of the leading mid-century Modern Brazilian design companies.

Creator:
Carlo Hauner and Martin Eisler (Designer)
Dimensions:
Height: 34.3 in (87.13 cm)Width: 18.9 in (48.01 cm)Depth: 27.2 in (69.09 cm)
Style:
Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Glass,Hardwood,Hand-Painted,Woodwork
Place of Origin:
Brazil
Period:
Mid-20th Century
Date of Manufacture:
c. 1950
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use. Wood has been refinished. The original wheels are wore down.
Seller Location:
New York, NY
Reference Number:
Seller: 1931stDibs: LU7095236772242

Shop All Carlo Hauner and Martin Eisler

Carlo Hauner and Martin Eisler

Forma began in São Paulo, under the leadership of Italian designer Carlo Hauner and Austrian architect and interior designer Martin Eisler. Hauner studied drawing and technical drawing at the Brera Academy in Milan. After participating in the Venice Biennale, he emigrated to São Paulo, where he established the furniture manufacturer Móveis Artesanal, for which Carlo and Martin — as well as Carlo’s brother Ernesto Hauner — would create a range of pieces for the home.

In 1936, Eisler earned a degree in architecture from the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna, where he studied under Oskar Strnad and Clemens Holzmeister. With World War II looming, he left Austria immediately after graduating. He first went to Czechoslovakia, to which some of his family had already fled. In 1938, he moved to Buenos Aires, Argentina, and opened his interior design firm Interieur Forma.

Eisler relocated to Brazil in the early 1950s, where he met Hauner. At the time, Eisler had been looking for help producing furniture for his brother-in-law, Ernesto Wolf, and contacted Hauner. The two found that they had a shared vision, and with financial help from Wolf, they opened Galeria Artesanal as a storefront for Móveis Artesanal.

Looking to expand into international sales, the duo rebranded the company Forma. Sérgio Rodrigues, who helped launch a branch of Artesanal in Curitiba, was put in charge of interiors at Forma. That company soon became one of the biggest names in Brazilian furniture — it sold its own sculptural rattan lounge chairs, bookcases and other case pieces crafted with rosewood or jacaranda, and Forma was eventually distributing furniture licensed from iconic American manufacturer Knoll, thereby bringing works by noted designers such as Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Charles Eames and Harry Bertoia to the Brazilian market.

Forma stands at the forefront of a revival of Brazilian modern furniture. Fashioned from high-grade regionally sourced hardwoods, leather and iron, even Forma's earliest creations have stood the test of time. The company’s alluring mid-century modern works appealed to homeowners at its peak, from the 1950s through the ’70s, and given the broadening interest in Brazilian furniture and the likes of designers such as Rodrigues, vintage Forma is making a major comeback today.

The Forma furniture company continued producing masterfully crafted furniture into the 1970s, until Eisler's death in 1977. Forma folded soon after, but Eisler's company in Argentina, Interieur Forma, is still in business today.

On 1stDibs, find vintage Carlo Hauner and Martin Eisler furniture for sale.