Martin Eisler was an influential figure in mid-century modern furniture design, particularly within the Brazilian design movement. Born in Vienna, Austria, in 1913, Eisler was part of a generation of European architects and designers whose work and lives were profoundly affected by the upheaval of the Second World War. His father was the art historian Max Eisler, a founding member of the Austrian Werkbund, which likely influenced Eisler's early exposure to design and architecture.
It was in Brazil that Eisler's design sensibilities fully blossomed. He met Carlo Hauner, with whom he would form a formidable partnership, founding the iconic Brazilian furniture company Forma. Their designs are celebrated for integrating Brazilian materials and craftsmanship with modernist design principles, creating furniture that was both accessible and aesthetically sophisticated.
Eisler's furniture designs, such as the Reversível and Costela chairs, are lauded for their innovative use of materials and form. His work often featured Brazilian woods and thin tubular frames, showcasing a finesse in blending structure with visual lightness. The collaboration between Eisler and Hauner was marked by a shared vision that helped define Brazilian mid-century modern design, making it distinctive and sought after globally.
Find vintage Martin Eisler furniture on 1stDibs.
(Biography provided by Herança Cultural)
Expandable Dining Table in Caviuna by Carlo Hauner and Martin Eisler, circa 1955
By Martin Eisler, Carlo Hauner, Carlo Hauner and Martin Eisler
Located in New York, NY
Carlo Hauner and Martin Eisler are most known for well-shaped armchairs made in iron, but the production is far more complex, handcrafted, and extensive. The wood pieces produced by ...
Wood
Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Dining Table by Carlo Hauner & Martin Eisler, 1950
By Martin Eisler, Carlo Hauner and Martin Eisler, Carlo Hauner
Located in New York, NY
Designed by Carlo Hauner and Martin Eisler in the 1950s, this table was conceived to maximize space and functionality, assuming two distinct configurations. In its standard position,...
Rosewood
Dining Table with Cane Top by Carlo Hauner, Brazilian Midcentury, 1950s
By Martin Eisler, Carlo Hauner, Carlo Hauner and Martin Eisler
Located in New York, NY
Carlo Hauner and Martin Eisler's pieces of furniture are highly designed and well-executed, with ingenious constructive details – very distinctive of any production of the time in Br...
Wood, Cane
Carlo Hauner Martin Eisler coffee table by Forma Italy 1955
By Carlo Hauner and Martin Eisler
Located in Roosendaal, Noord Brabant
The Carlo Hauner Martin Eisler versatile table for Forma Italy in 1955, is a piece of furniture that embodies both functionality and style. With its adaptable design, this table seam...
Rosewood
Carlo Hauner, Side Tables, Iron, Rosewood, Brazil, 1960s
By Carlo Hauner
Located in High Point, NC
A pair of black-painted iron and rosewood side tables designed by Carlo Hauner, Brazil, c. 1960s. Provenance: Adesso, Los Angeles
Iron
$6,973
H 51.97 in W 51.97 in D 28.35 in
Carlo Scarpa Mid-Century Brown Walnut “Scuderia” Dining Table for Bernini, 1977
By Bernini, Carlo Scarpa
Located in Vicenza, IT
“Scuderia” dining table, designed by Carlo Scarpa and produced by the Italian manufacturer Bernini in 1977. Originally, Carlo Scarpa designed the table to restore the stable of Villa Valmarana in Vicenza in 1972. The table features a solid walnut structure. Available also five “Kentucky” dining...
Walnut
$9,500
H 29.8 in W 80.5 in D 45.25 in
Giuseppe Scapinelli Attribution, Dining Table, Wood, Glass, Brazil, 1950s
By Giuseppe Scapinelli
Located in High Point, NC
A wood and glass dining table attributed to Giuseppe Scapinelli, Brazil, c. 1950s. Small chip in glass near one of the corners. Dimensions (inches): 29.8”H x 80.5”W x 45.25”D
Glass, Wood
Italian Midcentury Extendable Dining Table by Vittorio Dassi, 1950s
By Vittorio Dassi, Dassi Mobili Moderni
Located in Traversetolo, IT
Stylish Italian Mid-Century Modern dining table designed by Vittorio Dassi and produced by Dassi Mobili Moderni in 1950-1960. The table is extendable, adding one or two leaves and su...
Teak
Carlo Hauner, Coffee Table, Caviúna, Iron, Rattan, Brass, Brazil, 1950s
By Carlo Hauner
Located in High Point, NC
A caviúna wood, black-painted iron, rattan and brass coffee table designed by Carlo Hauner and produced by Móveis Artesanal, Brazil, c. 1950s. With makers label to underside as ill...
Brass, Iron
Italian Mid-Century Dining Table Attr. to Paolo Buffa, 1950s
By Paolo Buffa
Located in Rome, IT
Elegant dining table, Paolo Buffa, 1950s. The piece is really rare and important. The marble top is supported by a center column on four bronze finished feet. Available as well the ...
Walnut
Lazy Susan Round Dining Table Very Rare Brazilian Rosewood Top
By Herman Miller, George Nelson
Located in Kansas City, MO
Early, rare rosewood lazy susan dining table designed by George Nelson for Herman Miller. The center white laminate area is a lazy susan so it turns in a circular motion. This is the...
Steel
Italian Vintage Dining Table with Glass Top, Italy 1950s
By Paolo Buffa
Located in Hellouw, NL
This Italian vintage dining table brings the refined aesthetic of the 1950s into contemporary interiors. A sophisticated blend of form and material, this piece encapsulates the grace...
Glass, Mahogany
$14,527
H 28.35 in W 55.52 in D 55.52 in
Quatour Dining Table by Carlo Scarpa, Mid-Century Modern, Italy
By Carlo Scarpa
Located in Berlin, DE
The Quatour Dining Table by Carlo Scarpa is a stunning example of the Italian architect’s mastery of form and material. This version features a matte black oil finish with a subtle b...
Wood
$3,254
H 30.32 in W 62.21 in D 31.11 in
Dining table by Carlo Ratti made by Industria Legni Curvati, 1950s, Italy
By Industria Legni Curvati, Carlo Ratti
Located in Wolfurt, AT
This Italian dining table was designed by Carlo Ratti in the 1950s. The table was manufactured in Milan by the company Industria Legni Curvati. The wooden table legs are encased in ...
Metal, Brass
$13,365
H 19.3 in Dm 23.63 in
Martin Eisler & Carlo Hauner Round Brazilian Wood and Glass Coffee Table
By Forma Brazil, Carlo Hauner and Martin Eisler
Located in Barcelona, ES
Martin Eisler (1913-1977) & Carlo Hauner (1927-1997) Coffee table Manufactured by Forma Moveis Brazil, 1950s Ebonized wood, glass top Midcentury design Brazilian coffee table. Measurements 60 cm diameter x 49 height cm. 23.50 in diameter x 19.3 height in. Literature Brazil Modern, the rediscovery of 20th century Brazilian furniture – Aric Chen, 2016. Martin Eisler (Vienna, Austria, 1913 - São Paulo, Brazil, 1977), was an architect and furniture designer. He was part of a group of European architects and designers who left Europe during the chaos of the Second World War and went to live and work in Brazil. Eisler stood out amongst this group of creatives, his work was at the forefront of modern furniture design in Brazil which flourished through the 1950s and 1960s in the region. The work of Martin Eisler in partnership with Carlo Hauner (1927-1996) was of particular significance. Eisler left Europe in 1938 due to the rise of fascist regimes. He first lived in Argentina, where he was settled and worked as an architect, set designer and interior designer, he opened up an interior design firm Interieur Forma. In 1940, he married Rosl Wolf, the daughter of German immigrants. Born in Brescia in 1927, Carlo Hauner studied technical drawing and drawing at the Brera Academy in Milan, Italy. In 1948 he successfully participated in the Venice Biennale after which he moved to Brazil, where he dedicated himself to the design of textile, ceramics, furniture and architecture. In only a very short time he founded a furniture production company and purchased a factory from Lina Bo Bardi and her husband Pietro Bardi, renaming it Móveis Artesanal. In 1953 Hauner met Martin Eisler, who was looking for help to produce furniture for the home of his brother-in-law, Ernesto Wolf. Eisler reached out to Hauner and the rest is history. The two men connected and with Wolf’s financial backing, they opened Galeria Artesanal (a store for their company Móveis Artesenal) on a busy street in São Paulo. Being highly ambitious and with an eye on the international market as well as the upcoming office market, Móvies Artesanal later changed into Forma. Along with Oca, Forma became one of the biggest names in Brazilian furniture production. Even managing to attract an exclusive license to sell Knoll furniture, bringing big names in international design such as Mies Van Der Rohe, Charles Eames and Harry Bertoia to the Brazilian furniture market. Hauner and Eisler’s designs are characterized by the use of Brazilian woods, thin tubular frames and a range from furniture, to ceramics and textiles. Some of their most famous designs are the “rib” lounge chair...
Glass, Wood