Laccio Low Tables by Marcel Breuer for Gavina, 1960s, Set of 2

Marcel Breuer's Laccio Tables for Gavina
The Laccio tables are among Marcel Breuer's most celebrated designs and are widely regarded as milestones of Modernist furniture. Originally designed in 1925 during his time at the Bauhaus, they were conceived as companion pieces to the iconic Wassily Chair, sharing the same innovative use of chromed tubular steel and the pursuit of structural lightness.
Breuer was one of the first designers to recognize the potential of seamless tubular steel, inspired by the lightweight construction of bicycle frames. His goal was to create furniture that appeared almost weightless, reducing the structure to its essential elements while maintaining exceptional strength. The Laccio tables perfectly embody this philosophy: a continuous chromed steel frame supports a simple rectangular laminate top, creating a timeless balance between function and form.
The Gavina Production
Although Breuer's tubular steel furniture was designed in the 1920s, it was not until the early 1960s that these pieces returned to production on a significant scale. In 1962, Italian entrepreneur Dino Gavina met Breuer in New York and persuaded him to reissue his historic Bauhaus designs. This collaboration was not only a commercial success but also an important cultural initiative that helped reintroduce Bauhaus furniture to an international audience.
The Laccio tables produced by Gavina between 1962 and 1968 are today among the most desirable versions for collectors. When Knoll acquired Gavina in 1968, production continued under the Knoll International brand, which still manufactures the design today under official license.
Characteristics of the Gavina Editions
Original Gavina examples can typically be identified by several distinctive features:
Original Gavina label or manufacturer's sticker beneath the tabletop.
High-quality chromed tubular steel construction with finely executed joints and finishes.
Laminate tops, usually available in black, white, or red, with carefully finished edges.
Faithful proportions matching Breuer's original 1925 design.
The tables were commonly offered as a complementary pair:
a low rectangular coffee table, and
a higher square side table designed to partially slide beneath the larger table, creating the characteristic nesting arrangement.
A Design Icon
The Laccio tables are considered among the earliest examples of furniture in which the structural frame becomes the primary aesthetic element rather than something to be concealed. The elegant continuity of the chromed steel tubing gives the design an almost graphic quality, anticipating many of the principles of later minimalist furniture.
Today, alongside the Wassily Chair and the Cesca Chair, the Laccio tables are regarded as icons of Bauhaus design and twentieth-century Modernism. Vintage Gavina editions (1962–1968) are particularly sought after for their historical significance, exceptional craftsmanship, and direct connection to one of the most influential collaborations in the history of modern furniture.