Vico Magistretti, Carimate Chair for Cassina

VICO MAGISTRETTI (Milan, 1920–2006) for Cassina.
“Carimate” Chair, designed in 1959.
Wood.
Early edition.
In good condition.
Measurements: 58 x 52 x 76 cm.

Originally designed in 1959 for the Carimate Golf Club north of Milan—from which the chair takes its name—Vico Magistretti’s bold and charismatic design became a highly prized collector’s item within the Italian designer’s body of work. The Carimate, a surprisingly memorable and comfortable chair, is known for its bold personality and finely detailed construction. The Carimate model perfectly encapsulates Magistretti’s approach to design: essential forms, refined functionality, and a warm sensibility deeply rooted in everyday life.

Vico Magistretti was an Italian industrial designer, known as a furniture designer and architect. He studied at the Polytechnic University of Milan, graduating in 1945, and was a follower of Ernesto Nathan Rogers. During the 1950s, he worked in the field of industrial design, creating furniture and lighting fixtures; some of his works are preserved in major museums across Europe, the United States, and Japan, with his presence in the permanent collection of New York’s MoMA being particularly noteworthy. Throughout his career, Magistretti was honored with numerous awards, including the gold medal at the 1951 Milan Triennale and the Grand Prix at the 1954 Triennale, the Compasso d’Oro award in 1967 and again in 1979, and the Gold Medal from the Chartered Society of Industrial Artists & Designers in 1986. The “Atollo” lamp, crafted from hand-blown opal Murano glass, was designed by Magistretti for the Italian manufacturer Oluce. Recognized as an international classic, it has been widely imitated and admired, winning numerous awards and standing as one of the most famous pieces in the designer’s body of work.