Gastone Rinaldi Velvet and Lacquered Metal Armchair for Rima, Italy, circa 1955

Gastone Rinaldi armchair, designed for Rima, circa 1955.
This Italian postwar armchair has a sculptural appearance due to the well-constructed tubular frame in lacquered metal; simply designed with clean and fluent lines. The tapered, sleek legs and the backrest that is supported by a bent metal frame give this chair an elegance and lightness, typical of Italian design. With brass caps on the feet. With the slightly tilted backrest and lengthy, geometrical velvet covered armrests the chair invites the sitter to sit comfortably. Would be fantastic as a desk or accent chair. Newly re-upholstered in burnt Siena colored velvet.
Size: 33" high x 19 1/4" seat height x 26" wide x 20" deep

Gastone Rinaldi was born in Padua in 1920, and graduated with a degree in accounting from the Belzoni Institute. He initially worked for the Rima company on Via Guido Reni in Padua, founded by his father Mario Rinaldi in 1916.

In his work as a designer, he had the opportunity to come into contact with many of Italy's leading designers, including Giò Ponti, Carlo Mollino, Alberto Rosselli, Franco Campo and Carlo Graffi, Michele De Lucchi, and Marco Zanuso. In 1954 he won the Compasso d'Oro Award with the DU30 Chair produced by Rima.

In 1974 he founded the firm Thema in Limena. In 1981 his Dafne chair produced in 1979 received a mention at the Compasso d'Oro, as did the Aurora in 1981. The Saturno sofa is part of the prestigious collection of the MoMA Museum of Modern Art in New York.