Entrepreneur Aurelio Zanotta founded Zanotta in 1954 in Nova Milanese, Italy. Originally called Zanotta Poltrona, it specialized in traditional furniture. By the early 1960s, however, Zanotta had established a reputation for edgy mid-century modern design. Today’s vintage furniture collectors know the brand well for its innovative and wholly sculptural chairs, coffee tables and more.
One of Zanotta’s earliest successes was the Mezzadro stool — better known as the Tractor stool — designed by Pier Giacomo Castiglioni and his brother Achille in the late 1950s. In 1965, Zanotta was among the first furniture companies to work with expanded polyurethane foam and frameless construction, such as for the Throw-Away sofas and armchairs designed by Willie Landels. Another popular design was the Blow chair — designed by Jonathan De Pas, Donato D’Urbino, Paolo Lomazzi and Carla Scolari — viewed by many as a physical expression of late '60s carefree culture.
In 1969, amid the provocative movement we now call Italian Radical Design, Zanotta’s Sacco chair garnered major attention. The boundary-pushing beanbag chair was the brainchild of designers Piero Gatti, Cesare Paolini and Franco Teodoro who presented it to Aurelio Zanotta as a transparent vinyl sack loosely filled with small polystyrene balls. He suggested its signature brightly colored leather.
The Sacco chair won the 1970 ADI Design Museum’s Compasso d’Oro award. In 1972, the Museum of Modern Art in New York included it in the landmark exhibition “Italy: The New Domestic Landscape” curated by designer Emilio Ambasz. In 2020, it received a Compasso d’Oro ADI Lifetime Achievement Award for 50 years of enduring popularity. It is now in museum collections around the world including the Triennale Design Museum of Milan, the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, and London’s Victoria & Albert Museum.
After Aurelio Zanotta died in 1991, the company remained in his family and has been run by his three children since 2002. Zanotta continues to set the bar high for furniture design with trend-setting pieces.
On 1stDibs, find a collection of vintage Zanotta seating, tables and other furniture.
Zanotta Susanna Armchair in Super Leather 0906 & Chromium Plated Frame
By Zanotta, Gabriele Mucchi
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Zanotta Susanna Armchair in Super Leather 0906 & Chromium Plated Frame Frame in chromium-plated, or in natural or black nickel- satin finished, ...
Steel
Zanotta Nena Armchair in Green Leather Upholstery with Matt Black Frame
By Lanzavecchia + Wai, Zanotta
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Zanotta Nena Armchair in Green Leather Upholstery with Matt Black Frame by Lanzavecchia + Wai Steel frame varnished graphite or matt black. Seat and cushion upholstered with polyu...
Upholstery
Zanotta Kent Armchair in Red Upholstery with Black Varnished Steel Frame
By Ludovica + Roberto Palomba 1, Zanotta
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Zanotta Kent Armchair in Red Upholstery with Black Varnished Steel Frame by Ludovica+Roberto Palomba Revolving base in varnished steel, colors: black or...
Steel
Zanotta Nena Armchair in Blue Fabric Upholstery with Matt Black Frame
By Lanzavecchia + Wai, Zanotta
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Zanotta Nena Armchair in Blue Fabric Upholstery with Matt Black Frame by Lanzavecchia + Wai Steel frame varnished graphite or matt black. Seat and cushion upholstered with polyure...
Upholstery
Zanotta Judy Armchair in Grey Upholstery with Black Painted Steel Frame
By Zanotta
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Zanotta Judy Armchair in Grey Upholstery with Black Painted Steel Frame by Frank Rettenbacher Black or graphite painted steel legs. Stiff polyurethane seat with self-extinguishing...
Steel
Zanotta Arom Armchair in Brown Naturale Extra Leather
By Zanotta, Noé Duchaufour-Lawrance
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Zanotta Arom Armchair in Brown Naturale Extra Leather Steel frame. Upholstery with self-extinguishing polyurethane foam/heat-bound polyester fibre with elastic strips suspension. Fixed internal nylon cover. Removable external fabric, Pied de poule or leather cover. The exterior body can be covered with cowhide 95, combined with fabric or leather. Cannot be covered with cowhide 95 in the shade white 0704. Arom is the latest armchair...
Upholstery
Customizable Zanotta Arom Chair by Noé Duchaufour Lawrance
By Noé Duchaufour-Lawrance, Zanotta
Located in New York, NY
Price listed for starting fabric and exterior in cowhide. extra charge for exterior cover in leather. Armchair. Steel frame. Upholstery with self-extinguishing polyurethane foam/heat-bound polyester fibre with elastic strips suspension. Fixed internal nylon cover. Removable external fabric, Pied de poule or leather cover.The exterior body can be covered with cowhide 95, combined with fabric or leather. Cannot be covered with cowhide 95 in the shade white 0704. Arom is the latest armchair...
Leather, Fabric
Pair of Swiveling White Faux Leather "Montenapo" Armchairs by Zanotta Italy 1965
By Zanotta
Located in Geneva, CH
Rare pair of swiveling white capitoned faux leather "Montenapo" armchairs by Mario Scheinchenbauer, produced by Zanotta, Italy, 1965 Good original vintage condition. Swiveling on a...
Faux Leather
Customizable Zanotta Calla Chair by Noé Duchaufour Lawrance
By Noé Duchaufour-Lawrance, Zanotta
Located in New York, NY
Price listed for starting fabric. Armchair. Steel frame. Upholstery with self-extinguishing polyurethane foam/heat-bound polyester fibre with elastic strips suspension. Fixed internal nylon cover. Removable external fabric, Pied de poule or leather cover.The exterior body can be covered with cowhide 95, combined with fabric or leather. Cannot be covered with cowhide 95 in the shade white 0704. Arom is the latest armchair...
Leather, Fabric
$3,590
Oliva Armchair
By Zanotta
Located in Sarasota, FL
The sculptural seat ensemble dances on the delicacy of the legs. Viewed from the front, the armchair evokes the idea of an open shell, embodied by the soft seat and back, with their...
Cotton
Italian mid-century brown 86 Morettina armchair by B. Marstaller Zanotta, 1980s
By Bernard Marstaller, Zanotta
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian mid-century Brown Armchair 86 Morettina by Bernard Marstaller for Zanotta, 1980s iconic and vintage armchair mod. 86 Morettina with wooden structure, fixed by interlocking. T...
Metal
Zanotta Susanna Armchair in Scozia 0609 Leather & Chromium Plated Frame
By Gabriele Mucchi, Zanotta
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Zanotta Susanna Armchair in Scozia 0609 Leather & Chromium Plated Frame Frame in chromium-plated, or in natural or black nickel- satin fi...
Steel
Zanotta Susanna Armchair in Leather 0309 & Chromium Plated Frame
By Gabriele Mucchi, Zanotta
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Zanotta Susanna Armchair in Leather 0309 & Chromium Plated Frame Frame in chromium-plated, or in natural or black nickel- satin finishe...
Steel
Zanotta Susanna Pied De Poule 64804 Fabric Armchair with Black Steel Frame
By Gabriele Mucchi, Zanotta
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Zanotta Susanna Pied De Poule 64804 Fabric Armchair with Black Steel Frame Frame in chromium-plated, or in natural or black nickel- satin finished, or black painted tubular steel. A...
Steel
Zanotta Susanna Armchair in Teolo 30607 Fabric & Nickel-Satin Finished Frame
By Gabriele Mucchi, Zanotta
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Zanotta Susanna Armchair in Teolo 30607 Fabric & Nickel-Satin Finished Frame Frame in chromium-plated, or in natural or black nickel- satin finished, or black painted tubular ...
Steel
Zanotta Susanna Armchair in Leather 0340 & Chromium Plated Frame
By Gabriele Mucchi, Zanotta
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Zanotta Susanna Armchair in Leather 0340 & Chromium Plated Frame Frame in chromium-plated, or in natural or black nickel- satin finishe...
Steel
Zanotta Susanna Armchair in Scozia 0618 Leather & Chromium Plated Frame
By Gabriele Mucchi, Zanotta
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Zanotta Susanna Armchair in Scozia 0618 Leather & Chromium Plated Frame Frame in chromium-plated, or in natural or black nickel- satin finish...
Steel
Zanotta Susanna Armchair in Scozia 0613 Leather & Chromium Plated Frame
By Gabriele Mucchi, Zanotta
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Zanotta Susanna Armchair in Scozia 0613 Leather & Chromium Plated Frame Frame in chromium-plated, or in natural or black nickel- satin finish...
Steel
Zanotta Susanna Armchair in Scozia 0679 Leather & Chromium Plated Frame
By Gabriele Mucchi, Zanotta
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Zanotta Susanna Armchair in Scozia 0679 Leather & Chromium Plated Frame Frame in chromium-plated, or in natural or black nickel- satin finish...
Steel
Zanotta Susanna Armchair in Leather 0313 & Chromium Plated Frame
By Gabriele Mucchi, Zanotta
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Zanotta Susanna Armchair in Leather 0313 & Chromium Plated Frame Frame in chromium-plated, or in natural or black nickel- satin finishe...
Steel
Zanotta Susanna Armchair in Leather 0306 & Chromium Plated Frame
By Gabriele Mucchi, Zanotta
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Zanotta Susanna Armchair in Leather 0306 & Chromium Plated Frame Frame in chromium-plated, or in natural or black nickel- satin finishe...
Steel
Zanotta Calla Armchair in White and Black Upholstery with Steel Frame
By Noé Duchaufour-Lawrance, Zanotta
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Zanotta Calla Armchair in White and Black Upholstery with Steel Frame by Noé Duchaufour Lawrance Base on castors or fixed with feet. Steel fr...
Upholstery
Zanotta Dan Armchair in Blue Elastic Seat & Back with Matt Black Steel Frame
By Patrick Norguet, Zanotta
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Zanotta Dan Armchair in Blue Elastic Seat & Back with Matt Black Steel Frame by Patrick Norguet Chair with armrests. Steel frame varnished iron grey or matt black. Seat and backre...
Steel
Zanotta Club Armchair with Cushion in Purple Upholstery with Steel Structure
By Prospero Rasulo, Zanotta
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Zanotta Club Armchair with Cushion in Purple Upholstery with Steel Structure by Prospero Rasulo Painted steel internal structure. Weave in PVC thread with nylon internal reinforce...
Steel
Zanotta Judy Armchair in Red Upholstery with Black Painted Steel Frame
By Zanotta
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Zanotta Judy Armchair in Red Upholstery with Black Painted Steel Frame by Frank Rettenbacher Black or graphite painted steel legs. Stiff polyurethane seat with self-extinguishing ...
Steel