Mid-century furniture by Castelli (Italy)

Castelli, an Italian design company, was established in 1877 by Ettore Castelli, who opened a small workshop in Bologna. In 1939, the firm underwent a name change to Anonima Castelli and began specializing in the production of modern office furniture, a field in which it gained recognition in the vintage furniture market. Renowned as one of the leading manufacturers of 20th-century Italian design, Castelli is particularly celebrated for creating the iconic Plia Chair.

During the 1960s, Giancarlo Piretti, born in Bologna in 1940, joined Castelli as an interior designer. Over his twelve-year tenure, Piretti obtained numerous industrial patents and designed several iconic models, primarily focusing on seating design. Piretti played a crucial role in establishing Castelli's international reputation and is credited as the creator of the brand's most successful and well-known designs. One of his notable achievements is the plastic folding more... Plia Chair (1968), which became a design classic. Displayed at the Fiera del Mobile fair in Milan in 1967, this chair has sold over four million units since 1969. It received the BIO 5 award at the Ljubljana Biennial in 1971, Germany's Gute Form prize in 1973, and is featured in permanent collections of museums in Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, and the United States.

Among Piretti's other designs for Castelli are the DCS 106 Stacking Chair (1965), Plona Lounge Chair (1969), Alky Chair (c. 1970), Plantone Folding Desk (1970), Plano (1971, Gold Medal IBD), Planto Coat Rack (1972), and the modular System 61 Sofa (1973). In the late 1970s, Piretti collaborated with Argentinian architect-designer Emilio Ambasz (b. 1943), resulting in the creation of two ergonomic seating systems for Castelli: Vertebra (1979), which won the Smau Industrial Design Award, and Dorsal (1981).

While Piretti's partnership with Castelli often defines the brand's legacy, it has also showcased the work of many other talented designers, including Claudio Bellini, Rodolfo Bonetto, Michele De Lucchi, Hans Ell, Doriana and Massimiliano Fuksas, Gino Gamberini, Nilo Gioacchini, Enzo Mari, Charles Pollock, F.A. Porsche, Mario Ruiz, and Richard Sapper. Significant designs from these designers include Sapper's Nine to Five Desk (1986, recipient of a Compasso d'Oro), Pollock's Penelope Chair (1982), Porsche's Executive Office Series (1989), and Ruiz's K22 Program (2005).

Castelli received four Compasso d'Oro Awards between 1981 and 1991. In 1992, the company became part of the Haworth Group, an American office furniture manufacturer.