Chiavari Chair by Giuseppe Gaetano Descalzi, Italy, 1970s

Italy / 1970 / chair / Chiavari / Giuseppe Gaetano Descalzi / brass / mid-century / Hollywood regency / vintage

This iconic chair in polished brass with green velvet upholstery was designed by Giuseppe Gaetano Descalzi and produced since the early 19th century in the Ligurian town of Chiavari. This chair shows some small signs of use but is in overall good condition.

Giuseppe Gaetano Descalzi, born in 1767 in Chiavari, Italy, is best known as the inventor of the famous Chiavari chair. Descalzi, also called “Il Campanino”, began his career as a cabinetmaker in the workshop of Felice Monteverde and later founded his own workshop with his brothers. In 1807, Descalzi was commissioned by the president of the Economic Society of Chiavari, the Marquis Stefano Rivarola, to design a modern chair. He created a simple yet elegant design that quickly became known as the Chiavari chair. Made of cherry wood and later also of other types of wood such as maple and beech, this chair is known for its light yet sturdy construction.