A pair of vintage Zig Zag side chairs by Cassina, produced in the 1980s in beautifully figured cherry wood and marked underneath. A Gerrit Rietveld design that never lost any of its force.
This famous silhouette still reads as one of the boldest gestures in 20th-century furniture: a chair reduced to the barest possible idea of sitting, yet entirely resolved.
Designed by Gerrit Rietveld in the early 1930s, the Zig Zag was radical from the moment it appeared. It seemed almost impossible, a chair without conventional legs, built as a single angular movement in space. What looks delicate is in fact remarkably stable, and that tension between visual lightness and structural intelligence remains the heart of the design. Few chairs are so instantly recognizable, and fewer still feel this modern nearly a century later.
These 1980s Cassina examples have particular warmth thanks to the cherry wood. The woodgrain is especially decorative, with a lively striped pattern that softens the geometry and gives the piece a richer, more sensual surface. In certain light, the planes almost seem to shift tone, making the chairs feel both disciplined and expressive at once.
Cassina obtained the official rights to produce the Zig Zag in 1973, and older licensed editions have become increasingly sought after because of the often more expressive woodgrain used and also because the older they get, the more their value increases. This set offers the chance to acquire an iconic Rietveld design (x2) in a particularly attractive material.
A modest form, but one with extraordinary presence: part chair, part construction, part line drawing in wood.
They are structurally in perfect condition, cosmetic wear present but no major damage - one shows light scratches on the seat, the other has some dents on the seat (visible in the images). Normal wear consistent with 45 years of careful use. The cherry shows a lovely depth and grain with Cassina’s original natural polish.
Shipping / Terms
Please email to request a personal quote for the total price including crated shipment (or courier/parcel shipment). Local pickup is welcome.
Designer
Gerrit Rietveld
Manufacturer
Cassina Italy
Design Period
1930s
Production Period
1973 - present time
Country of Manufacture
Italy
Identifying Marks
Yes, numbered consecutively
Style
De Stijl, Modernist, Minimalist, Rationalist
Detailed Condition
The set is structurally sound. There is cosmetic wear consistent with age and use, including scratches and a few small dents to one of the seats, visible in the photographs.
