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.
Furniture manufacturer Cassina is a prolific design house for more reasons than one: It not only owns the licenses to an exquisite collection of iconic chairs, sofas, tables and other pieces from the 20th and 21st centuries but also produces original works that are characterized by innovation and the finest Italian craftsmanship.
Cassina’s illustrious legacy includes being one of the first companies to bring industrial design to Italy in the 1950s. Founded in 1927 in Meda, Italy, by brothers Cesare and Umberto Cassina, the Italian manufacturing giant originally specialized in bespoke woodworking. In nearly a century since its founding, the company has shown incredible foresight about design trends and the evolution of technology.
In 1964, Cassina signed an exclusive licensing agreement to manufacture furniture by Le Corbusier and his collaborators — such as the LC4 chaise longue made with trailblazing French modernist Charlotte Perriand and Pierre Jeanneret — a move that would shape the future of the company. Cassina’s I Maestri collection is an ongoing initiative to restyle landmark designs from the 20th century, such as pieces by Gerrit Rietveld (the Red and Blue armchair from 1918), Charles Rennie Mackintosh, Erik Gunnar Asplund, Franco Albini and Frank Lloyd Wright. The company preserves the intentions and original styles of their designs but adds updated techniques, materials and processes — rendering them the best possible combination of past, present and future. The brand has also worked with contemporary icons like Zaha Hadid, Gio Ponti and Philippe Starck.
Cassina’s original designs are cutting-edge as well. They include pieces for everyday use, the development of which is guided by comfort and the marriage of Italian craftsmanship with industrial technology.
Some of Cassina’s pieces, both from its contemporary and I Maestri collections, can be found in the collections of museums like the Museum of Modern Art and the Vitra Design Museum. In 2014, the company became part of Haworth in its acquisition of Italian furniture group Poltrona Frau, and in 2015, Spanish designer Patricia Urquiola joined Cassina as its art director, leading the brand into its next century of inventive style.
Find a collection of new and vintage Cassina furniture on 1stDibs.
Set of Two Marco Zanuso Antropus Armchairs by Cassina
By Marco Zanuso, Cassina
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Armchairs designed by Marco Zanuso in 1949, relaunched in 2015. Manufactured by Cassina in Italy. Antropus was created at the end of the 1940s when Marco Zanuso was commissioned ...
Fabric
Set of Two Franco Albini Tre Pezzi Armchairs by Cassina
By Cassina, Franco Albini
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Armchair designed by Franco Albini in 1959. Relaunched in 2009. Manufactured by Cassina in Italy. In 1952, working with Franca Helg, his long-time assistant, Franco Albini designed ...
Metal
Set of Two Franco Albini Tre Pezzi Armchairs by Cassina
By Cassina, Franco Albini
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Armchair designed by Franco Albini in 1959. Relaunched in 2009. Manufactured by Cassina in Italy. In 1952, working with Franca Helg, his long-time assistant, Franco Albini design...
Metal
Set of Two Vico Magistretti 905 Armchairs by Cassina
By Cassina, Vico Magistretti
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Armchair model 905 designed by Vico Magistretti in 1964. Manufactured by Cassina in Italy. A modern chair with a cultural heritage, expression of the creative genius of Vico Magistretti who designed it in 1964. 905 is an elegant chair made of solid wood and cowhide, where design translates to practical simplicity. Produced by Cassina until 2000, this chair has now been relaunched, the finishes and details having been updated from the original archive model. The sophisticated elegance of the frame, which features cylindrical legs and curved arm-rests, has been rejuvenated thanks to Cassina’s extensive experience in handling leather, not to mention the company’s high quality carpentry skills. The complex nature of this piece is expressed in a design that looks simple but fully reflects the genius quality of the original concept, a veritable masterpiece of the crafts tradition proper to Meda, in the Brianza area north of Milan, the trademark registered by Cassina and a guarantee of utmost quality. The frame, in finest quality wood, bespeaks the perfect combination of the artisanal tradition and premier CNC technology, while the overall design stands out for the self-supporting seat crafted from one single piece of saddle leather, curved and slotted into the frame. The decorative stitching has been discontinued, while the rear of the chair still features the leather belt that lends support to the back and enhances its comfort quotient. The 905 chair features a solid wood structure with cylindrical legs and curved armrests, joined to a self-supporting cowhide seat, the quintessential expression of the time-tested experience of the Cassina joinery and saddlery. A masterpiece of complexity, this cowhide chair symbolizes the company’s talent at perfectly blending traditional artisan craftsmanship and the cutting-edge technology of latest-generation 5-axis CNC machines. Important information regarding images of products: Please note that some of the images show other colors and variations of the model, these images are only to present interior design proposals. The item that is selling is on the first image. Important information regarding color(s) of products: Actual colors may vary. This is due to the fact that every computer monitor, laptop, tablet and phone screen has a different capability to display colors and that everyone sees these colors differently. We try to edit our photos to show all of our products as life-like as possible, but please understand the actual color may vary slightly from your monitor About the designer: In 1920 Magistretti was born in Milan, the city in which he graduated in architecture in 1945, and where his professional career has spun its story ever since, chiefly in the fields of architecture, town planning and industrial design. The first recognition of his work came in 1948, when he won the Gran Premio at the 8th Triennale. After that came almost forty years of activity with other prizes and awards in recognition of Magistretti’s work in various sectors in different countries. Giving lessons and lectures in various faculties of architecture and schools of design in Italy and abroad, from Milan to New York, from Paris to London, a city to which he is particularly devoted, he has been an “Honorary Fellow” of the Royal College of Art since 1983. Furniture, lamps and other objects that he designed may be found all over the world and the most important design museums have given exhibitions in his honour and kept examples of his work in their permanent collections. Magistretti’s research has been continuous - into design, the culture of the project and innovative experimentation with materials and space solutions, not to mention shapes and functions far from the rigours of fashion that they have passed through during the years. He started designing for Cassina in 1960, and from that date on his signature is to be found on very many products. We recall in particular the Maralunga sofa of 1973 and the Nuvola Rossa...
Wood
Set of Two Vico Magistretti 905 Armchairs by Cassina
By Cassina, Vico Magistretti
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Set of two armchairs model 905 designed by Vico Magistretti in 1964. Manufactured by Cassina in Italy. A modern chair with a cultural heritage, expression of the creative genius of Vico Magistretti who designed it in 1964. 905 is an elegant chair made of solid wood and cowhide, where design translates to practical simplicity. Produced by Cassina until 2000, this chair has now been relaunched, the finishes and details having been updated from the original archive model. The sophisticated elegance of the frame, which features cylindrical legs and curved arm-rests, has been rejuvenated thanks to Cassina’s extensive experience in handling leather, not to mention the company’s high quality carpentry skills. The complex nature of this piece is expressed in a design that looks simple but fully reflects the genius quality of the original concept, a veritable masterpiece of the crafts tradition proper to Meda, in the Brianza area north of Milan, the trademark registered by Cassina and a guarantee of utmost quality. The frame, in finest quality wood, bespeaks the perfect combination of the artisanal tradition and premier CNC technology, while the overall design stands out for the self-supporting seat crafted from one single piece of saddle leather, curved and slotted into the frame. The decorative stitching has been discontinued, while the rear of the chair still features the leather belt that lends support to the back and enhances its comfort quotient. The 905 chair features a solid wood structure with cylindrical legs and curved armrests, joined to a self-supporting cowhide seat, the quintessential expression of the time-tested experience of the Cassina joinery and saddlery. A masterpiece of complexity, this cowhide chair symbolizes the company’s talent at perfectly blending traditional artisan craftsmanship and the cutting-edge technology of latest-generation 5-axis CNC machines. Important information regarding images of products: Please note that some of the images show other colors and variations of the model, these images are only to present interior design proposals. The item that is selling is on the first image. Important information regarding color(s) of products: Actual colors may vary. This is due to the fact that every computer monitor, laptop, tablet and phone screen has a different capability to display colors and that everyone sees these colors differently. We try to edit our photos to show all of our products as life-like as possible, but please understand the actual color may vary slightly from your monitor About the designer: In 1920 Magistretti was born in Milan, the city in which he graduated in architecture in 1945, and where his professional career has spun its story ever since, chiefly in the fields of architecture, town planning and industrial design. The first recognition of his work came in 1948, when he won the Gran Premio at the 8th Triennale. After that came almost forty years of activity with other prizes and awards in recognition of Magistretti’s work in various sectors in different countries. Giving lessons and lectures in various faculties of architecture and schools of design in Italy and abroad, from Milan to New York, from Paris to London, a city to which he is particularly devoted, he has been an “Honorary Fellow” of the Royal College of Art since 1983. Furniture, lamps and other objects that he designed may be found all over the world and the most important design museums have given exhibitions in his honour and kept examples of his work in their permanent collections. Magistretti’s research has been continuous - into design, the culture of the project and innovative experimentation with materials and space solutions, not to mention shapes and functions far from the rigours of fashion that they have passed through during the years. He started designing for Cassina in 1960, and from that date on his signature is to be found on very many products. We recall in particular the Maralunga sofa of 1973 and the Nuvola Rossa...
Wood
Set of Two Vico Magistretti 905 Armchairs by Cassina
By Cassina, Vico Magistretti
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Set of two Armchairs model 905 designed by Vico Magistretti in 1964. Manufactured by Cassina in Italy. A modern chair with a cultural heritage, expression of the creative genius of ...
Wood
Set of 2 Nino Zoncada Armchairs, Cassina, Model 1102 and 1102
By Nino Zoncada, Cassina
Located in Wolfurt, AT
Armchair models “1101” and “1102” by Cassina, Italy, 1958. Designed by Giovanni “Nino” Zoncada. Both armchairs professionally reupholstered in red fabric (Dedar Perfect Flower, color...
Fabric, Wood
Pair of Armchairs Mod. 849 by Gianfranco Frattini for Cassina, 1950s
By Gianfranco Frattini
Located in Brussels, BE
Pair of Armchairs Mod. 849 by Gianfranco Frattini for Cassina, 1950s
Fabric, Wood
Set of two Nino Zoncada Armchairs Model “1101” by Cassina
By Cassina, Nino Zoncada
Located in Wolfurt, AT
Armchairs Model “1101” by Giovanni “Nino” Zoncada for Cassina Model “1101” armchairs designed by Giovanni “Nino” Zoncada and manufactured by the renowned Italian company Cassina. Th...
Fabric, Wood
Set of 2 Gianfranco Frattini Chairs Modell 830, 1950s, Cassina, Italy
By Cassina, Gianfranco Frattini
Located in Wolfurt, AT
This pair of "Model 830" armchairs was designed by Gianfranco Frattini for the Italian company Cassina in the 1950s. Both pieces are upholstered in dark green fabric and are supporte...
Fabric, Wood
Italian Design Classic Cab 414 Armchairs by Mario Bellini for Cassina, Set of 2
By Cassina, Mario Bellini
Located in Renens, CH
Set of two Cab 414 armchairs in black leather by Mario Bellini for Cassina. These very comfortable lounge chairs are built up with a tubular steel...
Metal
Carlo de Carli, a Pair of Easy Chairs, Italy, Mid-1900s
By Cassina, Carlo di Carli
Located in Stockholm, SE
A pair of easy chairs, designed by Carlo De Carli. Italy, mid-1900s. Marked: Figli di Amedeo Cassina. Meda (Milano) Tel. 7238.
Wood
The South African home is a testament to the Italian designer and architect’s foresight and eco-sensitivity.
With its soothing soundscape, the piece pleases the ear as well as the eye.
