If an Italian soldier named Renzo Frau had never traveled to Great Britain and set eyes on a Chesterfield armchair, it is unlikely that legendary handcrafted furniture maker Poltrona Frau and its classic sofas, armchairs and vanities would exist today.
Upon completing his service in the Italian army during the early 1900s, the Sardinian-born Frau worked for faux leather manufacturing company Dermoide Patent in Turin. While at the firm, he was sent to England, where he became enamored with leather Chesterfield armchairs. Intrigued and inspired by their rolled arms and tall, imposing profile, Frau returned to Turin, where he started his own leather-upholstered furniture company, Poltrona Frau, in 1912. He began to import the sumptuous Edwardian seating for the high-end domestic market.
Frau made slight modifications to the English seat that he’d so admired, and among Poltrona Frau’s first successful designs was an iconic armchair in 1919 appropriately called the Chester. Believed to have been custom-made for Filiberto Ludovico of Savoy, Duke of Pistoia, the Chester reflected the era’s emerging Art Deco style. Frau’s chair was comfortable and functional, and he implemented the traditional upholstery technique capitonné, which refers to stuffing that is buttoned. The Chester featured a pouf and an arm that was possibly included to hold the Duke’s ashtray. The seat’s high-quality craftsmanship and integration of exquisite full-grain leather made it covetable among Italy’s elite.
When Renzo Frau died in 1926, Poltrona Frau was appointed furniture supplier to Italy’s royal family. The company furnished grand hotels, designed the interiors for Expo Turin 1928 and outfitted an Italian transatlantic ocean liner.
For more than a century, Poltrona Frau has collaborated with hundreds of leading architects and designers from around the world. It issued such iconic mid-century modern pieces as Gio Ponti’s Dezza armchair, the 1960s-era Dilly Dally vanity by Italian designer Luigi Massoni, stackable tubular steel Movie armchairs by Italian architect Mario Marenco and French architect Jean-Marie Massaud’s sleek, angular Kennedee office sofa.
Poltrona Frau has established showrooms all over the world and creates interiors for Italian automotive brands Maserati and Ferrari. The company is owned by Haworth and continues to introduce innovative, handmade home furnishings while occasionally gazing back into time — its Chester line, a modular seating system by Poltrona Frau CEO Nicola Coropulis and Roberto Lazzeroni, is a contemporary interpretation of the founder’s original Chesterfield-style seating.
Find vintage Poltrona Frau club chairs, coffee tables, desks and other furniture on 1stDibs.
$10,721
H 33.08 in W 139.77 in D 65.36 in
Francesco Binfaré Flap Sofa or Daybed in White Leather by Edra 2000s Italy
By Francesco Binfaré, Edra
Located in Cascina, Pisa
A beautiful flap sofa designed by Francesco Binfaré for Edra upholstered in white leather with nine reclinable parts. The sofa presents a steel structure an...
Metal
$13,104
H 33.08 in W 139.77 in D 67.72 in
Francesco Binfaré White Flap Sofa in Leather and Steel by Edra 2000s
By Francesco Binfaré, Edra
Located in Cascina, Pisa
Flap sofa with a structure in steel and foam covered with white leather, was designed by Francesco Binfaré and produced by Edra in the early 2000s. The Flap...
Metal
$5,500 / set
H 29 in W 113 in D 39 in
Italian Modern Domino Modular White Leather Sofa by Gamma Arredamenti
By Gamma Arredamenti
Located in Secaucus, NJ
Elegant Modern Domino modular three pieces white leather sofa by Gamma Arredamenti. Its hallmark is a pristine high-end modern design, modular-seating system, effortlessly delivers supreme comfort levels and real relaxation for hours on end. Defined with innovative stitched detailing, showcase the manufacturer's incredible attention to detail. This versatile modular three pieces seating system allows for extreme customization to arrange the three units in different ways, so you can create your own solutions according to your personal taste and space requirements, creating new looks and varying the volumes. With its sophisticated silhouette and unusual design Domino will reign supreme in your home's living area, creating an inviting, intimate ambiance. Highly comfortable with generously deep seats. Specifications: Fully upholstered in Italian ultra-elegant, genuine natural high-quality white leather. Seat suspensions in reinforced elastic webbing. Hardwood frame Lightweight steel base with polished chrome finish. Model: Domino square corner Made by: Gamma Arredamenti Period Manufactured: Circa 1990s Manufactured in Italy Overall dimensions: Height 29" x Width 113" x Depth 39" x Seat...
Steel, Chrome
$10,126 / set
H 23.63 in W 106.3 in D 63 in
"Sity" Sectional Sofa in White Leather by Citterio for B&B Italia
By Antonio Citterio, B&B Italia
Located in Grand Cayman, KY
Designed by Antonio Citterio in 1986 for B&B Italia, this "Sity" sectional sofa in white leather contains one asymmetrical curved island daybed and a rectangular daybed. New excep...
Leather
$12,446 / item
H 29.93 in W 61.03 in D 33.86 in
De Sede DS-31 Two-seater Sofa in White Leather by Antonella Scarpitta
By De Sede, Antonella Scarpitta
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The DS-31 model series is one of the classics of our manufacture. This is where design, craftsmanship and leather expertise come together to form a timelessly beautiful item of uphol...
Leather
$3,871
H 36.23 in W 84.65 in D 40.95 in
Domino two-seater sofa, designed by Massimo MOROZZI for CASSINA, in white leather
By Cassina, Massimo Morozzi
Located in Torino, IT
Two-Seat Sofa Domino, design Massimo MOROZZI for CASSINA, in white leather. ORIGIN Italy PERIOD Anni 80 DESIGNER Massimo MOROZZI MARK Cassina MODEL Domino MATERIALS Wood and me...
Metal
$6,194Sale Price|20% Off
H 32.29 in W 96.86 in D 36.23 in
Diesis sofa for B&B by Paolo Nava and Citterio in white leather
By Antonio Citterio, Paolo Nava, B&B Italia
Located in Milano, IT
"Diesis" Two-Seater Sofa by B&B Italia - White Leather, Designed by Antonio Citterio and Paolo Nava, c. 2001 An icon of modern furniture design, this "Diesis" two-seater sofa by B&B ...
Metal, Steel
White Leather Barocco Sofa Model 1320 by Zanotta, Italy 1980
By Emaf Progetti, Zanotta
Located in Chicago, IL
White Leather Barocco Sofa Model 1320 by Zanotta, Italy 1980’s. Designed by Emaf Progetti. Original beautiful condition. Measures 26.5” tall 78” long 39” deep, seat height 16” seat...
Chrome
$15,884 / item
H 25.2 in W 109.45 in D 41.74 in
Zanotta Kilt Monobloc Sofa in White Leather by Emaf Progetti
By Zanotta, Emaf Progetti
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Zanotta Kilt Monobloc Sofa in White Leather by Emaf Progetti Steel frame. Elastic strips suspension. Upholstery in graduated polyurethane/heat-bound polyester fibre. Fixed internal ...
Upholstery
$23,408
H 25.99 in W 145.67 in D 145.67 in
Italian modern modular white sofa Erasmo by Afra and Tobia Scarpa for B&B, 1970s
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa, B&B Italia
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian modern modular white sofa Erasmo by Afra and Tobia Scarpa for B&B, 1970s Modular sofa mod. Erasmo covered in white fabric tending to beige. The sofa is composed of eight modu...
Fabric, Plastic
