With his stylish and technically innovative furniture, Osvaldo Borsani helped change the face of Italian design in the 1950s and ’60s. His sofas and chairs, featuring deeply upholstered seating and adjustable position settings, have an aura of optimism and efficiency that still seems fresh and lively today.
Born in the commune of Varedo in northern Italy’s Lombardy region, Borsani studied at the Brera Academy in Milan — the same school attended by such luminaries as designer Piero Fornasetti and artist Lucio Fontana — as well as the Polytechnic University of Milan. Borsani first worked for his father’s furniture-making firm, Arredamenti Borsani, an atelier influenced by the more expressive and curvaceous wing of Art Deco design.
By 1953, when, along with his twin brother, Fulgenzio — the pair also created this visionary mid-century villa — Borsani opened the furniture company Tecno, his design sensibilities had evolved toward furnishings with strong, simple forms enhanced by mechanical innovations, as with the P40 adjustable armchair. Borsani would be the firm’s lead designer for 30 years, while fostering work by Vico Magistretti, Carlo De Carli, Robin Day and others.
Similar to Gio Ponti in the earliest years of his career, Borsani first created designs marked by lush and buoyant lines: tables with voluptuous curved legs, sofas with undulating backrests.
But Borsani’s best-known and most novel pieces date from Tecno’s initial furniture lines: the adjustable D70 sofa, which folds open to make a daybed, and the P40 recliner. The latter — now included in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art and the Victoria & Albert Museum — is an articulated lounger with a back, seat and leg rest that can be moved into 486 different positions. Not only is it extremely comfortable, it is also enduringly chic.
Find a collection of vintage Osvaldo Borsani tables, dining chairs and other furniture on 1stDibs.
Art Deco Style Vintage Sideboard by Osvaldo Borsani, 1950s
By Osvaldo Borsani, Atelier Borsani Varedo
Located in Ceglie Messapica, IT
Italian Midcentury Modern Big Sideboard in Art Deco Style, Osvaldo Borsani for Atelier Borsani Varedo, Italy 1950s Beautiful large sideboard crafted from solid poplar wood, beautifu...
Brass
Vintage Italian Sideboard by Consorzio Mobili Cantù
By Consorzio Esposizione Mobili Cantù
Located in Ceglie Messapica, IT
1960s Mid-Century Modern Walnut Sideboard by Consorzio Mobili Cantù Crafted by Consorzio Mobili Cantù, Italy, in the 1960s, the piece features seven drawers made of solid walnut, each with a sleek white formica front, creating an eye-catching contrast between the wood and the modern material. In addition to the drawers, there is one large cozy flap drawer that adds extra storage and a touch of functionality. The chest is veneered in high-quality zebra walnut, a striking wood that adds texture and depth to the overall design. The iron and brass legs provide a sturdy yet elegant foundation, perfectly complementing the refined woodwork. The Consorzio Mobili Cantù was composed of several smaller furniture manufacturers and artisans that came together to produce innovative, high-quality pieces often collaborations between skilled iconic designers (Gio Ponti, Parisi, Bellini, etc) and their company's talented craftsmen. Fully restored to its original condition, the piece remains in really good condition with only minor signs of wear and age, making it a rare and well-preserved example of Italian mid-century modern furniture...
Brass, Iron
Vintage Sideboard in Solid Teak and Brass Feet, Scandinavia, 1950s
Located in Ceglie Messapica, IT
Vintage sideboard in solid teak and brass feet, Scandinavia, 1950s. A 1950s solid teak wood sideboard with brass legs and pommels. A delicat...
Brass
Mid Century Modern Console Table by FIMSA, Beech Wood, Italy, 1960s
By Fimsa
Located in Ceglie Messapica, IT
Mid Century Modern Vintage Wood Console Table, FIMSA Italy, 1960s Peculiar console table, crafted in Italy by FIMSA in the 1960s made from ...
Iron
Midcentury Modern Art Deco Style Italian Dining Set by Osvaldo Borsani, 1950s
By Atelier Borsani Varedo, Osvaldo Borsani
Located in Ceglie Messapica, IT
Midcentury Modern Art Deco Style Italian Dining Set by Osvaldo Borsani, 1950s Exquisite dining set, designed by Borsani that includes a beautifully shaped dining table and six match...
Brass
Midcentury Modern MIM Roma Walnut Desk, Italy 1970s
By MIM Roma
Located in Ceglie Messapica, IT
Midcentury Modern Solid Walnut Desk from the 1970s, MIM Rome Italy This Mid-Century Modern solid wood desk, produced by the renowned Italian company MIM Rome in the 1970s, is a stun...
Walnut
Italian Art Deco Sideboard with Bar Cabinet Attributed to Osvaldo Borsani, 1940s
By Osvaldo Borsani
Located in Traversetolo, IT
Osvaldo Borsani designed this beautiful Italian sideboard in the 1940s. With its unique design and excellent manufacturing quality, the sideboard stands out from the crowd. The gl...
Brass
Italian 1940s Art Deco Sideboard in Macassar, Parchment, Attr. Osvaldo Borsani
By Osvaldo Borsani
Located in Meda, MB
Refined Art Deco sideboard produced in Italy in the 1940s, attributed to Osvaldo Borsani. The structure is in fine Macassar wood, while the drawers are covered in parchment. On the f...
Brass
Italian Art Deco Sideboard Attributed to Osvaldo Borsani in Maple, Late 1940s
Located in Meda, MB
Elegant Italian Art Deco sideboard from the late 1940s, attributed to Osvaldo Borsani, defined by a refined contrast between light maple surfaces and a darker structural frame typica...
Brass
Osvaldo Borsani Mid-Century Modern Italian Sideboard with Bar Cabinet, 1950s
By Osvaldo Borsani
Located in Puglia, Puglia
Sideboard with bar mobile Osvaldo Borsani for Furniture Varedo Borsani. The locker in the center has a limelight and four drawers, in the upper part 3 folding doors and inside the co...
Brass
Italian Art Deco Sideboard Attributed to Osvaldo Borsani, 1940s
Located in Meda, MB
Elegant Art Deco sideboard produced in Italy in the early 1940s, attributable to the design of Osvaldo Borsani. The attribution is supported by period references and by strong stylis...
Metal
Italian Art Deco Sideboard with Mirror in the Style of Osvaldo Borsani, 1940s
By Osvaldo Borsani
Located in Traversetolo, IT
This elegant Italian sideboard, produced in the 1940s, is a refined example of high-end Italian decorative furniture inspired by the work of Osvaldo Borsani. Its sculptural proportio...
Marble
