A modern Renaissance man, Italian designer Carlo di Carli wove his personal philosophy into his furniture creations. He believed that furniture should suit human movement and the surrounding environment, and each piece was made not only with an eye to form but also for everyday practicality. In today’s interiors, vintage di Carli furniture captures the extraordinary essence of Italian mid-century modernism.
Carlo di Carli was born in Milan in 1910. He studied at the Polytechnic University of Milan and developed an interest in design, architecture, writing and philosophy. After graduating in 1934, he worked under revered Italian architect and designer Gio Ponti. Shortly afterward, di Carli opened a studio with furniture maker Renato Angeli. In 1940, he began a relationship with the Milan Triennial design and art museum, where he eventually joined the board of directors.
Most of di Carli's furniture and architectural works came to fruition between the 1940s and 1970s. His architectural projects included the Church of Saint Ildefonso and the Via dei Giardini 7 building in Milan. However, di Carli is best known for his chair and table designs.
What sets di Carli’s chairs and other seating apart from those of other designers is that they are made to be lived in. As a result, his comfortable, functional and inviting designs earned the attention of leading Italian furniture companies like Cassina, Singer & Sons, Tecno and GUBI, and he played a significant role in 20th-century Italian furniture design.
In 1954, di Carli was awarded the Compasso d’Oro for his Cassina Model 683 chair. In 1957, he also won a Grand Prix at the Milan Triennial exhibition for a chair he designed for Tecno. Still committed to his academic pursuits, di Carli served as dean of the architecture faculty at the Polytechnic University of Milan from 1963 to 1968. He continued teaching until 1986 and continued writing until his death in 1999. His most important writings were published in a book titled Architettura, Spazio Primario.
Find vintage Carlo di Carli armchairs, dining chairs and coffee tables on 1stDibs.
1950's Silvio Cavatorta elegant blond wood writing desk
By Silvio Cavatorta
Located in Milano, IT
Silvio Cavatorta (1899-1957) Elegant blond wood writing desk with two side drawers and magazine rack, original opaline glass top. Cavatorta & Co., circa 1950. Silvio Cavatorta's w...
Maple
$11,900
H 26.78 in W 78.75 in D 31.5 in
Rare Sculptural Walnut Executive Desk by Arturo Roversi, Italy, 1950s
By Arturo Roversi
Located in Buccinasco, MI
A rare and highly architectural executive desk designed by Arturo Roversi and produced in Italy during the 1950s. Crafted in richly figured walnut, this remarkable freestanding desk...
Glass, Wood, Walnut
$46,520
H 30.71 in W 74.81 in D 37.01 in
Writing Desk by Silvio Cavatorta in Solid Walnut and Glass, Italy, 1950's
By Silvio Cavatorta
Located in Uithoorn, NL
A large symmetrical desk by Silvio Cavatorta in solid walnut with on both sides 3 drawers and in the middle a larger drawer with key and lock. For whom this lock is not safe enough...
Glass, Walnut
$8,900
H 33.47 in W 37.8 in D 25.99 in
Italian Mid-Century Modern Bureau Desk in Solid Wood, Italy, 1960s
Located in Curitiba, PR
A striking Italian Mid-Century Modern bureau desk crafted from solid wood, dating from the 1960s. This sculptural piece embodies the elegance and innovation of post-war Italian desig...
Hardwood
Silvio Cavatorta Writing Desk in Mahogany
By Silvio Cavatorta
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Silvio Cavatorta, writing desk, mahogany, brass, Italy, design 1948-1949 This elegantly shaped mahogany office table, designed by Silvio Cavatorta in the late 1940s, is a testament ...
Brass
$32,206
H 30.32 in W 109.85 in D 39.38 in
Mid-Century Large Dining Table by Carlo de Carli, Walnut, 1950s
By Carlo di Carli
Located in Brussels, BE
Mid-Century Large Dining Table by Carlo de Carli, Walnut, 1950s Carlo Di Carli (1910–1999) was an influential Italian architect, designer, and educator, widely recognized for his co...
Wood
Beautiful Angelo Mangiarotti Teak Desk, 1952
By Angelo Mangiarotti
Located in Berlin, DE
Beautiful, unique desk, and sculptural desk designed by Angelo Mangiarotti. Angelo Mangiarotti (* February 26, 1921 in Milan; † June 30, 2012) was an Italian industrial designer and...
Teak
Italian Walnut Flip-Top Console Table, Italy, circa 1950
Located in New York, NY
An Italian walnut flip-top console table with elegantly carved apron and tapered legs, with a rectangular top which opens to create a card or dining table. Fantastic modernist desig...
Walnut
$60,000
H 29 in W 67 in D 26 in
Sculptural Writing Desk att. to Joaquim Tenreiro, Brazilian Hardwood, 1950s
By Joaquim Tenreiro
Located in New York, NY
Attributed to Joaquim Tenreiro (1906–1992), this sculptural writing desk stands as an exceptional example of the designer’s refined vision for Brazilian modern furniture. Widely rega...
Wood
$20,278
H 31.5 in W 48.43 in D 33.47 in
Luigi Olivieri , rare modernist desk in walnut and blond maple
By Luigi Olivieri
Located in Milano, IT
COD-2136 Luigi Olivieri Rare modernist desk in walnut and blond maple with ground glass top and wooden band. Lacquered drawers with turned maple uprights and two doors on the sides....
Maple
Rare Chestnut Wood Writing Desk by Italo Gamberini, Tuscany, Italy, 1940s
By Italo Gamberini
Located in Brescia, Brescia
Elegant and highly refined writing desk designed by Italo Gamberini during the 1940s, an exceptional example of early Italian modernism where architectural rigor meets the warmth and...
Chestnut
Franco Albini Cicognino Side Table in Wood by Poggi Pavia, 1970s Italy
By Poggi, Franco Albini
Located in Brescia, Brescia
This exquisite Cicognino side table, designed by Franco Albini and produced by Poggi Pavia in the 1970s, is a timeless piece of Italian design. Crafted from high-quality wood, this t...
Wood, Teak
Sculptural Coffee Table Attributed to Paolo Buffa for La Permanente Mobili Cantù
By Paolo Buffa, La Permanente Mobili Cantù
Located in Brescia, Brescia
An exquisite sculptural coffee table attributed to Paolo Buffa for La Permanente Mobili Cantù, showcasing the timeless elegance and masterful craftsmanship of 1940s Italian design. T...
Walnut
Nicolay Diulgheroff Walnut Round Coffee Table, Italy 1950s
By Nikolay Diulgheroff
Located in Brescia, Brescia
Elegant and sculptural round coffee table designed by Nicolay Diulgheroff in the 1950s, crafted in richly grained walnut and recently restored by our atelier with a traditional shell...
Glass, Walnut
Rare Oval Coffee Table in Walnut and Brass by Nicolay Diulgheroff, Italy 1950s
By Nikolay Diulgheroff
Located in Brescia, Brescia
Rare and sculptural oval coffee table attributed to Nicolay (Nicolas) Diulgheroff, a key figure of Italian Futurism active across art, architecture, and design. This piece perfectly...
Brass
Round Onyx & Solid Walnut Dining Table by Osvaldo Borsani, 1950s
By Osvaldo Borsani
Located in Brescia, Brescia
This exceptional dining table is a rare and highly refined example of Italian post-war design, custom made in the 1950s for an important Milanese family closely connected to the Bors...
Onyx
