Chair (3) - Cherry wood, Sedge - Chiavarine/Campanino 1890

Splendid and historic set of Chiavari chairs, specifically known as the “Campanino” model, originally created in 1807 by the Ligurian cabinetmaker Giuseppe Gaetano Descalzi, nicknamed precisely “the Campanino” because of his family’s bell-ringing tradition. This style has become a true icon of Italian design and craftsmanship worldwide due to its legendary structural lightness. Descalzi managed to strip the neoclassical chair of the era of any superfluous weight, reducing to a minimum the sections of the wooden slats while maintaining extraordinary sturdiness and elasticity. The backrest and the upper part feature the characteristic clean curved fascia line, supported by a centrally arched carved line that defines the unmistakable silhouette of the “Campanino” model. The seat is made through a meticulous artisanal laying of handwoven strands of rush, which contributes to making the structure even more airy and flexible. This archetype of extreme lightness inspired the greatest designers of the 20th century: consider that the famous Superleggera chair designed by Gio Ponti in 1955 has its structural and conceptual roots precisely in the Chiavari chair. Completing the set is a very rare stool (dimensions 48x32 cm, height 36 cm) which faithfully repeats the motifs and woodwork of the chairs, with turned legs and coordinated reinforcing crossbars. The entire structure of the chairs and the stool is made of solid cherry wood. Truly rare pieces to find in a pair and paired with the stool, which makes this triptych a item of great value also historically. The conditions are very good, with slight defects (a small burn on the surface of the stool presumably from a cigar), but absolutely compatible with age and use.