Gio Ponti Pair of Armchairs, Model "803" Manufactured by Cassina Italy, 1955
About the Item
- Creator:Gio Ponti (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 32.09 in (81.5 cm)Width: 31.5 in (80 cm)Depth: 29.53 in (75 cm)
- Sold As:Set of 2
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1955
- Condition:
- Seller Location:Barcelona, ES
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU2374317926642
Gio Ponti
An architect, furniture and industrial designer and editor, Gio Ponti was arguably the most influential figure in 20th-century Italian modernism.
Ponti designed thousands of furnishings and products — from cabinets, mirrors and chairs to ceramics and coffeemakers — and his buildings, including the brawny Pirelli Tower (1956) in his native Milan, and the castle-like Denver Art Museum (1971), were erected in 14 countries. Through Domus, the magazine he founded in 1928, Ponti brought attention to virtually every significant movement and creator in the spheres of modern art and design.
The questing intelligence Ponti brought to Domus is reflected in his work: as protean as he was prolific, Ponti’s style can’t be pegged to a specific genre.
In the 1920s, as artistic director for the Tuscan porcelain maker Richard Ginori, he fused old and new; his ceramic forms were modern, but decorated with motifs from Roman antiquity. In pre-war Italy, modernist design was encouraged, and after the conflict, Ponti — along with designers such as Carlo Mollino, Franco Albini, Marco Zanuso — found a receptive audience for their novel, idiosyncratic work. Ponti’s typical furniture forms from the period, such as the wedge-shaped Distex chair, are simple, gently angular, and colorful; equally elegant and functional. In the 1960s and ’70s, Ponti’s style evolved again as he explored biomorphic shapes, and embraced the expressive, experimental designs of Ettore Sottsass Jr., Joe Colombo and others.
Ponti's signature furniture piece — the one by which he is represented in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art in New York, Germany’s Vitra Design Museum and elsewhere — is the sleek Superleggera chair, produced by Cassina starting in 1957. (The name translates as “superlightweight” — advertisements featured a model lifting it with one finger.)
Ponti had a playful side, best shown in a collaboration he began in the late 1940s with the graphic artist Piero Fornasetti. Ponti furnishings were decorated with bright finishes and Fornasetti's whimsical lithographic transfer prints of things such as butterflies, birds or flowers; the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts possesses a 1950 secretary from their Architetturra series, which feature case pieces covered in images of building interiors and facades. The grandest project Ponti and Fornasetti undertook, however, lies on the floor of the Atlantic Ocean: the interiors of the luxury liner Andrea Doria, which sank in 1956.
Widely praised retrospectives at the Queens Museum of Art in 2001 and at the Design Museum London in 2002 sparked a renewed interest in Ponti among modern design aficionados. (Marco Romanelli’s monograph, which was written for the London show, offers a fine overview of Ponti’s work.) Today, a wide array of Ponti’s designs are snapped up by savvy collectors who want to give their homes a touch of Italian panache and effortless chic.
Find a range of vintage Gio Ponti desks, dining chairs, coffee tables and other furniture on 1stDibs.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: Barcelona, Spain
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 2 days of delivery.
- Pair of armchairs by Gio Ponti, Manufactured by Casa e Giardino, 1936By Gio PontiLocated in Barcelona, ESPair of armchairs Manufactured by Casa e Giardino Italy,1936 Fabric, walnut Measurements 80 cm x 75 cm x 81,5 cm h 31,5 in x 29,5 in x 32,1 in h Literature Laura Falconi, Gio Ponti...Category
Vintage 1930s Italian Armchairs
MaterialsFabric, Walnut
- Pair of Armchairs manufactured by Móveis CantuBy Jorge JabourLocated in Barcelona, ESPair of Armchairs Manufactured by Móveis Cantu Brazil, 1960s Structures executed in solid jacaranda, upholstered bodies and seats covered in grey fabric Measurements : 74cmx 80cmx99...Category
Vintage 1960s South American Armchairs
MaterialsFabric, Jacaranda
- Pair of Pale Pink Italian Armchairs Part of Set Model “P-35” by Osvaldo BorsaniBy Osvaldo BorsaniLocated in Barcelona, ESOsvaldo Borsani, (1911-1985) Pair of armchairs part of set model “P-35” Manufactured by Arredamenti Borsani, Varedo Italy, 1951 Walnut with fabric upholstery A pair of pale pi...Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsFabric, Walnut
- Gio Ponti Set of four Mid-century Blue Italian Dining Chairs Model "Leggera"By Gio Ponti, CassinaLocated in Barcelona, ESGio Ponti (1891-1979) Set of four dining chairs, model "leggera" Manufactured by Cassina Italy, 1951 Measurements 82.55 cm x 44.45cm x 45.72 cm. 32.55 in x 17.5 in x 18 in. Litera...Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Chairs
MaterialsUpholstery, Wood
- Martin Eisler & Carlos Hauner Model "Reversible" modern Brazilian armchair 1955By Carlo Hauner and Martin Eisler, Forma BrazilLocated in Barcelona, ESMartin Eisler(1913-1977) & Carlos Hauner (1927-1997) Armchair model “Reversible” Manufactured by Forma Moveis Brazil, 1955 Iron structure, brass, cotton upholstery Measurements: 10...Category
Mid-20th Century Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsIron
- Paolo Tilche Pair of Italian Mid-Century Modern Ratan Armchairs Model “Silvia”By Arform, Paolo TilcheLocated in Barcelona, ESPaolo Tilche (1925-2000) Pair of armchairs model “Silvia” Manufactured by Arform, Italy, 1956 Rattan Pair of Italian 20th century ratan armchairs ...Category
20th Century Italian Modern Armchairs
MaterialsRattan
- Gio Ponti Armchair, Model 803 by Cassina, Italy, 1954By Cassina, Gio PontiLocated in The Hague, NLThis rare armchair was designed by Gio Ponti and produced by Cassina, Italy in 1954. The model was numbered 803 and is one of the most iconic and recognizable Ponti designs produced ...Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsFabric, Upholstery, Walnut
- A Pair of Model 803 Armchairs by Gio Ponti for Cassina, 1950sBy Gio Ponti, CassinaLocated in Helsinki, FIA Pair of model 803 armchairs by Gio Ponti for Cassina, 1950s. Oak and fabric upholstery. Good vintage condition, minor patina consistent with age and use. The armchairs are sold as ...Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsFabric, Oak
- Pair of Armchairs, Mod. 803, Design by Gio Ponti, Cassina Production Italy, 1954By Gio PontiLocated in Napoli, ITPair of armchairs, mod. 803, designed by Gio Ponti and produced by Cassina, Italy, 1954. Full restored and newly upholster in cotton velvet rust with rust satin sides. Bibliography...Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsWood
- Mid Century 1950s Model 803 Armchair by Gio PontiBy Cassina, Gio PontiLocated in London, LondonArmchair by Gio Ponti Model 803 New upholstery Stained beech legs Made by Cassina Retailed by Illums Bolihus (label attached) Upholstered in Pierre Frey fabric with...Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsFabric, Velvet, Beech
- Pair of Gio ponti armchairs for Cassina, certificateBy Cassina, Gio PontiLocated in Milano, ITEnter a world where the essence of 1940s Italian design takes center stage, embodied by a rare pair of armchairs designed by the legendary Giò Ponti for a naval project. These except...Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsFabric, Silk, Wood
- Gio Ponti Armchair for Cassina, Italy, 1950sBy Cassina, Gio PontiLocated in New York, NYGio Ponti armchair manufactured by Cassina in the 1950s. In original condition with ebonized frame, green leather covering and brass feet. Condition: Good vintage condition, minor...Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
MaterialsWood
Recently Viewed
View AllRead More
Barnaba Fornasetti’s Hallucinatory House Has His Father’s Spirit
Behind a nondescript facade in northeastern Milan is the magical residence of Barnaba Fornasetti. It's a shrine to the style developed by his design-legend father, which still defies categorization.
Billy Cotton Layers His Interiors with Lived-In Comfort
The Brooklyn-based designer is adept at styles ranging from austere to over-the-top, espousing an architectural, detail-oriented approach also evident in his line of furniture and lighting.