Skip to main content

Franco Albini Decorative Objects

Italian, 1905-1977

While working under the polymath Gio Ponti — arguably the most important figure in 20th-century Italian modernism — furniture designer Franco Albini nurtured a love for modern forms combined with traditional craft techniques.

Albini is widely known for working with organic materials such as rattan and cane for his chairs and other seating, but he also played a pivotal role in the Italian rationalist movement of the early 20th century, which saw architects and furniture makers applying a strict emphasis on geometry in their work. Rationalists drew on Ancient Roman architecture but rejected ornament, much in the way that Le Corbusier and celebrated Bauhaus figures such as Ludwig Mies van der Rohe had in their modernist furniture.

Albini received his degree in architecture from the Polytechnic University of Milan in 1929, and, in 1931, he founded his practice in Milan, where he tackled workers’ housing and other reconstruction projects. A gifted urban planner, he also developed the Palazzo Bianco, Palazzo Rosso and Tesoro di San Lorenzo museums in Genoa. While Albini is revered for his Margherita chair — a Triennale Milano award winner created for Bonacina in 1951 — he also collaborated with manufacturers Poggi and Cassina in the 1940s on seating, tables and more that embodied his artistic vision. Of that mid-century work, the one piece that perhaps best captures this vision is the iconic Luisa chair.

With its cherry red upholstery and sinuous wooden legs that seem to float aboveground, the Luisa is a genuine masterpiece. It is also a testament to Albini’s perfectionism, as it endured several prototypes — including one made by Knoll in the late 1940s — and took approximately 15 years to design. Poggi launched the final version of the armchair in 1955, earning Albini the prestigious Compasso d’Oro from Italy’s Association for Industrial Design. It is produced today by Cassina. Albini named the chair for someone who likely saw the process firsthand: his personal secretary of two decades, Luisa Colombini.

Find vintage Franco Albini furniture on 1stDibs.

14
2
to
15
1
16
16
16
15
2
14
1
1
1
1
Height
to
Width
to
8
8
6
4
2
16
16
196
1,310
738
486
447
Creator: Franco Albini
Ziricote Wood Vase h25 design Franco Albini - edit b Officina della Scala
By Franco Albini
Located in Milano, IT
Designed by Franco Albini in 1940 and edited by Officina della Scala for the very first time from a sketch belonging to a project called “Furniture Perspective”; this vase in an uniq...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Franco Albini Decorative Objects

Materials

Wood, Ziricote

Ash Wood Vase h25 design Franco Albini - edit by Officina della Scala
By Franco Albini
Located in Milano, IT
Designed by Franco Albini in 1940 and edited by Officina della Scala for the very first time from a sketch belonging to a project called “Furniture Perspective”; this vase in an uniq...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Franco Albini Decorative Objects

Materials

Wood, Ash

Maple Wood Vase h25 design Franco Albini - edit b Officina della Scala
By Franco Albini
Located in Milano, IT
Designed by Franco Albini in 1940 and edited by Officina della Scala for the very first time from a sketch belonging to a project called “Furniture Perspective”; this vase in an uniq...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Franco Albini Decorative Objects

Materials

Wood, Maple

Ziricote Wood Vase h50 design Franco Albini - edit b Officina della Scala
By Franco Albini
Located in Milano, IT
Designed by Franco Albini in 1940 and edited by Officina della Scala for the very first time from a sketch belonging to a project called “Furniture Perspective”; this vase in an uniq...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Franco Albini Decorative Objects

Materials

Wood, Ziricote

Ash Wood Vase h50 design Franco Albini - edit by Officina della Scala
By Franco Albini
Located in Milano, IT
Designed by Franco Albini in 1940 and edited by Officina della Scala for the very first time from a sketch belonging to a project called “Furniture Perspective”; this vase in an uniq...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Franco Albini Decorative Objects

Materials

Wood, Ash

Marble Vase RossoLevanto h50 design Franco Albini - edit by Officina della Scala
By Franco Albini
Located in Milano, IT
Designed by Franco Albini in 1940 and edited by Officina della Scala for the very first time from a sketch belonging to a project called “Furniture Perspective”; this vase in an uniq...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Franco Albini Decorative Objects

Materials

Marble

Marble Vase Giallo Siena h25 design Franco Albini - edit by Officina della Scala
By Franco Albini
Located in Milano, IT
Designed by Franco Albini in 1940 and edited by Officina della Scala for the very first time from a sketch belonging to a project called “Furniture Perspective”; this vase in an uniq...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Franco Albini Decorative Objects

Materials

Marble

Marble Vase Azul Bahia h50 design Franco Albini - edit by Officina della Scala
By Franco Albini
Located in Milano, IT
Designed by Franco Albini in 1940 and edited by Officina della Scala for the very first time from a sketch belonging to a project called “Furniture Perspective”; this vase in an uniq...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Franco Albini Decorative Objects

Materials

Marble

Maple Wood Vase h50 design Franco Albini - edit b Officina della Scala
By Franco Albini
Located in Milano, IT
Designed by Franco Albini in 1940 and edited by Officina della Scala for the very first time from a sketch belonging to a project called “Furniture Perspective”; this vase in an uniq...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Franco Albini Decorative Objects

Materials

Wood, Maple

Marble Vase Irish Green h50 design Franco Albini - edit by Officina della Scala
By Franco Albini
Located in Milano, IT
Designed by Franco Albini in 1940 and edited by Officina della Scala for the very first time from a sketch belonging to a project called “Furniture Perspective”; this vase in an uniq...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Franco Albini Decorative Objects

Materials

Marble

Breccia Pontificia Vase h25 design Franco Albini - edit by Officina della Scala
By Franco Albini
Located in Milano, IT
Designed by Franco Albini in 1940 and edited by Officina della Scala for the very first time from a sketch belonging to a project called “Furniture Perspective”; this vase in an uniq...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Franco Albini Decorative Objects

Materials

Marble

Breccia Pontificia Vase h50 design Franco Albini - edit by Officina della Scala
By Franco Albini
Located in Milano, IT
Designed by Franco Albini in 1940 and edited by Officina della Scala for the very first time from a sketch belonging to a project called “Furniture Perspective”; this vase in an uniq...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Franco Albini Decorative Objects

Materials

Marble

Marble Vase Azul Bahia h25 design Franco Albini - edit by Officina della Scala
By Franco Albini
Located in Milano, IT
Designed by Franco Albini in 1940 and edited by Officina della Scala for the very first time from a sketch belonging to a project called “Furniture Perspective”; this vase in an uniq...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Franco Albini Decorative Objects

Materials

Marble

Marble Vase Irish Green H25 design Franco Albini - edit by Officina Della Scala
By Franco Albini
Located in Milano, IT
Designed by Franco Albini in 1940 and edited by Officina della Scala for the very first time from a sketch belonging to a project called “Furniture Perspective”; this vase in an uniq...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Franco Albini Decorative Objects

Materials

Marble

Franco Albini 1960 Rattan Cane & Bamboo Rocking Horse, Animal Sculpture Italy
By Franco Albini
Located in Miami, FL
Original Franco Albini Mid-Century Modern Rattan and Bamboo Rocking Horse, Animal Sculpture. Rattan and bamboo rocking horse core with basket we...
Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Franco Albini Decorative Objects

Materials

Bamboo, Cane, Rattan

Steel Centrepiece by Franco Albini for Sirrah, Italy, 1970s
By Sirrah, Franco Albini
Located in Milan, IT
Steel centrepiece by Franco Albini for Sirrah. Removable top with double layer of holes for flowers.
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Franco Albini Decorative Objects

Materials

Steel

Related Items
Unique Ziricote Shelf Sculpted by Jörg Pietschmann
By Jörg Pietschmann
Located in Geneve, CH
W0177 · Ziricote Measures: H 2.5 x W 103 × D 11.5 cm Dark brown to black wood, bright edge. Holder by two steel pins for discreet mounting. Polished oil finish. In Pietschmann’s scu...
Category

2010s German Organic Modern Franco Albini Decorative Objects

Materials

Ash

Well shaped 70´s design Jopeko Keramik " gastliches Heim " vase 1840 / 25
By Furbishure by unHeim
Located in Berlin, DE
Diese Vase mit dem LABEL "Gastliches Heim" ist die Antwort der DDR auf die Stilrichtung "fat lava". Die strengen geometrischen Formen stehen im wunderbaren Kontrast zur rauhen Oberfl...
Category

Mid-20th Century German Scandinavian Modern Franco Albini Decorative Objects

Materials

Ceramic

Bill Haskell Signed Carved Wood Turned Maple Burl Wood Vase
Located in Studio City, CA
A beautiful work with elegant shape by California master woodturner artist Bill Haskell. The piece is signed and noted "Maple Burl" on the base. Wo...
Category

20th Century American Modern Franco Albini Decorative Objects

Materials

Maple, Wood

Franco Albini Midcentury Rocking Horse Sculpture
By Franco Albini
Located in New York, NY
Franco Albini midcentury rocking horse sculpture. Midcentury rattan and wicker rocking horse sculpture, Italy, circa 1960. Dimensions: H 24 in. x...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Franco Albini Decorative Objects

Materials

Rattan

Set of Three Box Vase Ceramic & Wood by Franco Pozzi Gallarate, Italy 1970s
By Franco Pozzi
Located in Rome, IT
Set of three box vases in ceramic with wooden cover by the Italian designer Franco Pozzi. Made in Italy in the 1970s. The original signature is still visible on the bottom of...
Category

1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Franco Albini Decorative Objects

Materials

Ceramic, Wood

Scala Vase
By Animate Objects
Located in Teşvikiye, 34
Animate Object's vase collection is inspired by the idea of abstract cut-out shapes and forms coming together to create unique decors. The Scala vase, inspired by geometric architect...
Category

2010s Turkish Arts and Crafts Franco Albini Decorative Objects

Materials

Aluminum

Scala Vase
Scala Vase
H 11.82 in W 7.88 in D 4.34 in
Murano Glass "Bullicante" Vase Signed by Franco Moretti
By Franco Moretti
Located in Roma, RM
Mid-Century Modern iridescent transparent vase, signed Franco Moretti, Murano – Venice, 1970's. Triangular-shaped vase with round base and bubble inclus...
Category

1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Franco Albini Decorative Objects

Materials

Murano Glass

Ceramic Vase by Franco Bucci for Laboratorio Pesaro, 1960s
By Franco Bucci, Laboratorio Pesaro
Located in Brescia , Brescia
Crafted in the 1960s, this exquisite vase embodies the essence of minimalist sophistication, boasting clean lines and a sleek silhouette. The vase features a pristine white base ado...
Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Franco Albini Decorative Objects

Materials

Ceramic

Steel Centrepiece by Franco Albini for Sirrah, Italy, 1970s
By Sirrah, Franco Albini
Located in Milan, IT
Steel centrepiece by Franco Albini for Sirrah. Removable top with double layer of holes for flowers.
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Franco Albini Decorative Objects

Materials

Steel

Franco Bucci Italian Black Ceramic Bottle Vase, 1970s
By Franco Bucci
Located in Reggio Emilia, IT
Italian black ceramic vase bottle designed by Italian artist Franco Bucci, Pesaro; black glazed ceramic, marked with a graphic symbol under the b...
Category

1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Franco Albini Decorative Objects

Materials

Ceramic

Lizzie Wilkins Della Robbia Birkenhead Arts & Crafts Vase
Located in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire
A stylish and sought after English Arts & Crafts twin handled art pottery vase hand painted by Lizzie Wilkins for Della Robbia Birkenhead and dated 1896. The vase of flagon shape is ...
Category

1890s English Arts and Crafts Antique Franco Albini Decorative Objects

Materials

Terracotta

Vintage Marble Glass Vase Designed by Richard Glass, circa 1980
By Aureliano Toso
Located in Berghuelen, DE
A vintage vase designed by the British glass artists Richard Glass, circa 1980. White opaque glass with brown inclusions and clear glass overlay. The intention of the design was to r...
Category

Late 20th Century British Mid-Century Modern Franco Albini Decorative Objects

Materials

Art Glass

Franco Albini decorative objects for sale on 1stDibs.

Franco Albini decorative objects are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of stone and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Franco Albini decorative objects, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. We have 2 vintage editions of these items in-stock, while there is 14 modern edition to choose from as well. Many of the original decorative objects by Franco Albini were created in the mid-century modern style in italy during the 21st century and contemporary. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider decorative objects by Tobia Scarpa, Venfield, and Egidio Di Rosa and Pier Alessandro Giusti. Prices for Franco Albini decorative objects can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $638 and can go as high as $27,471, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $6,122.

Recently Viewed

View All