Carlo Ratti

CARLO RATTI (Italy), for Industria Legni Curvati.
Set of six chairs. Italy, ca. 1950s.
Seats made of curved plywood and bases made of black-lacquered metal.
In very good condition; the wood has been restored.
Measurements: 84 x 43 x 46 cm.

Set of six chairs designed by Carlo Ratti in 1950s Italy and produced by Industria Legni Curvati, a firm specializing in molded woodwork. The set clearly reflects the spirit of postwar Italian design: lightweight, functional, and visually modern pieces, conceived through precise technical solutions.

The appeal of these chairs lies in the combination of curved plywood and a black-lacquered metal frame. The warm, continuous wood forms the seat and backrest with an enveloping line, while the metal legs lend lightness and reduce the structure to its bare essentials. Ratti proposes a flexible chair with a clean silhouette and great versatility for home use.

Carlo Ratti was an Italian designer and manufacturer active primarily in the 1940s and 1950s. His work focused on experimentation with bentwood and industrial techniques applied to furniture, at a time when Italian design was beginning to establish itself internationally. Ratti collaborated with the firm Industria Legni Curvati (ILC), which specialized in the production of molded wood furniture, exploring the possibilities of plywood and lightweight structures that met the needs of modern life in the postwar period. His pieces are characterized by a simple and functional design language, influenced both by European rationalism and by the innovations of designers such as Alvar Aalto and Charles & Ray Eames, who were also exploring bentwood.