Set of 6 Chairs in Saddle Mohair and Rosewood, Attributed to Forma, 1950s - Lot 758

Attributed to Carlo Hauner and Martin Eisler for Forma, this set of six dining chairs reflects the disciplined clarity that defined Brazilian modernism in the postwar decades. Produced in Brazil in the 1950s, the suite distills the designers’ approach to structure and proportion: furniture conceived not as ornament, but as a lucid architectural proposition. Hauner and Eisler’s work for Forma played a central role in shaping a distinctly Brazilian interpretation of international modernism, where European rationalism met the warmth and expressive grain of native hardwoods.

The chairs are defined by a restrained rectilinear composition. Squared, tapered legs anchor a compact frame articulated by crisp seat rails and a planar backrest panel, producing a silhouette that is both compact and architecturally legible. The geometry is deliberate and disciplined: vertical uprights establish structural clarity, while the subtly arced seat rail introduces a quiet visual tension within the otherwise orthogonal framework. Edges are pared and unembellished, allowing proportion and line to carry the design rather than decorative gesture.

Crafted in Brazilian rosewood (jacaranda), the frames reveal the species’ characteristic depth of tone and pronounced grain movement. The wood has been professionally refinished to a warm satin-matte surface that foregrounds the material’s natural variation and density. Seats are upholstered in saddle mohair, whose textured surface provides a subdued tonal counterpoint to the darker wood structure. Construction is straightforward and honest, with joinery and grain continuity functioning as the primary expressive elements rather than applied ornament.

Conceived for dining or institutional interiors, the chairs integrate function with their structural logic. The upright back and measured seat depth provide supportive seating suited to extended table use, reflecting a modernist understanding of comfort grounded in proportion and posture rather than softness.

Condition: in excellent vintage condition. The rosewood frames have been professionally refinished, preserving the original geometry and construction. The chairs have been recently reupholstered in saddle mohair to complement the color of the rosewood. 

A disciplined and architecturally resolved ensemble, the set exemplifies the clarity and material intelligence that define the best work produced by Forma during the formative years of Brazilian modern design.