SD51 Golem Dining Chairs in Black Lacquered Wood & Leather by Vico Magistretti for Poggi, 1968, Set of 6

Model · SD51 Golem
Designer · Vico Magistretti
Manufacturer · Poggi
Origin · Italy
Design · 1968
Style · Italian Modern / Mid-Century Modern
Materials · Lacquered wood, leather
Colour · Black

Object

The SD51 Golem Chair is one of Vico Magistretti's most sculptural furniture designs, an extraordinary exercise in proportion that transforms the familiar dining chair into an almost architectural object.

Designed in 1968, the Golem was conceived in dialogue with the exceptionally tall-backed chairs of Scottish architect and designer Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Rather than reproducing their historical character, Magistretti reduced the idea to a distinctly modern composition of elongated lines, curved timber and simple geometric surfaces.

The chair's most immediate feature is its dramatic backrest. Rising to 125 centimetres, the slender black structure extends far above the seated body, giving the chair a monumental presence despite its remarkably narrow footprint. Below, three curved wooden legs create a continuous sculptural framework around the circular leather seat.

This contrast between extreme verticality and compact geometry gives the Golem its unusual character. The circular black leather seat introduces a soft horizontal element, while the lacquered wooden structure stretches upward into a graphic silhouette that changes dramatically depending on the viewing angle.

Presented as a group, the effect becomes even stronger. The repeated vertical backrests create an architectural rhythm around a dining table, turning the chairs into part of the spatial composition of the room rather than simply objects placed within it.

Designer

Vico Magistretti (1920–2006) was an Italian architect and designer and one of the central figures of postwar Italian modernism.

Educated in architecture at the Politecnico di Milano, Magistretti moved fluidly between buildings, interiors, furniture and industrial design. His objects often began with remarkably simple ideas, refined until construction, function and character became almost impossible to separate.

Rather than treating industrial production as a limitation, Magistretti used it as a design tool. He was interested in reducing objects to essential components while preserving a sense of personality, resulting in furniture that could be rational and economical without becoming anonymous.

The SD51 Golem Chair demonstrates a more architectural side of this philosophy. Designed in 1968, it takes the historical idea of the monumental high-backed chair and reconstructs it through a radically reduced modern vocabulary.

Its exaggerated proportions make the Golem immediately recognisable, yet beneath the visual drama lies the same clarity of structure that runs throughout Magistretti's work.

Manufacturer

Poggi was an important Italian furniture manufacturer based in Pavia and closely associated with some of the most sophisticated experiments in postwar Italian furniture.

The company developed a particularly significant relationship with Vico Magistretti, producing furniture that allowed his architectural thinking to move into domestic interiors at the scale of individual objects.

Rather than relying on decoration, these designs frequently explored construction, proportion and the expressive possibilities of relatively simple materials.

The SD51 Golem, introduced in 1968, is among the most distinctive results of this collaboration, combining Poggi's woodworking expertise with one of Magistretti's most radical explorations of the chair as an architectural form.

Condition

The chairs are presented in very good vintage condition.

The wooden structures have been preserved and finished in black, retaining the clarity of their exceptionally tall sculptural profiles.

The black leather seats remain in very good condition, complementing the lacquered wooden structures while preserving the monochromatic character of the design.

Light traces of age and use are present, consistent with their vintage character, while the chairs remain structurally sound and visually well preserved.

Dimensions

Width · 50 cm / 19.7 in
Depth · 55 cm / 21.7 in
Height · 125 cm / 49.2 in
Seat height · 45 cm / 17.7 in

Included

The SD51 Golem Chairs are accompanied by a Back to the Furniture Certificate of Originality, a Back to the Furniture flyer, a Thank You card and a small gift.

Availability

The SD51 Golem Chairs can be ready to ship within 15–20 business days.

Shipping

Worldwide shipping is available. Every piece is carefully prepared and packed for international transport. Shipping costs are calculated according to destination at checkout, with tracking provided after dispatch.

Enquiries

For questions about the pieces, their condition, shipping, delivery or any other details, please get in touch. Additional information is always available before purchase.

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