These Midcentury Reissues Are Crafted to Be True Collector’s Items

Coveting midcentury furniture is practically a prerequisite for reading Dwell—yet for many of us, the reality of owning an original piece remains firmly out of reach, both financially and logistically. 

That’s a big reason why each piece in CB2’s Design Legends collection feels like a once-in-a-lifetime estate sale discovery. The new line from the high-design furniture brand is a meticulously curated revival, one that’s democratizing access to some of the 20th century's most significant design works.

Let’s be clear: these aren’t mere "inspired by" pieces. They are authentic reissues of work by Gianfranco Frattini, Paul McCobb, Evelyn and Jerome Ackerman, and Bill Curry that are crafted to the exacting standards of the originals. 

What makes this collection particularly noteworthy is the unprecedented access to archives and original specifications. By working directly with the designers’ estates and families, CB2 has created pieces that capture not just the aesthetic but the intent behind these midcentury masterworks. 

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The Portofino desk by Gianfranco Frattini, for example, is a design so rare that even the designer’s children, Marco Frattini and Emanuela Frattini Magnusson, believe it may never have entered production beyond a private commission for an architect to store rolls of drafting paper. Preserving their father’s legacy and archival materials has been a deeply important project for them, and they worked closely with the CB2 design team and Form Portfolios to ensure each piece stayed true to their father’s original vision. The CB2 exclusive is now out in the world for all to enjoy, recreated from a black-and-white archival photo with richly grained walnut, black powdercoated iron legs, and a champagne brass crossbar. It’s design archaeology made tangible. 

Another standout item in the Design Legends collection by Frattini is the Memoria lamp. A piece so elusive that Frattini’s family has never been able to locate one on the vintage market, despite its brief original production run. 

Beyond Frattini’s transformative Italian designs, the collection spans a range of midcentury design sensibilities and eras: Paul McCobb’s Model 1201 Director white boucle accent chair—originally designed in 1950 for Custom Craft and featured in MoMA’s 1952 "Good Design" exhibition—embodies American modernism with its sharp angles and minimalist silhouette. For collectors who appreciate the more playful side of midcentury design, Evelyn and Jerome Ackerman's contributions can’t be overlooked. CB2’s Corvo dinnerware collection reproduces Evelyn’s distinctive "Stallion" pattern from a 1965 woven tapestry, with reactive glazes applied by Portuguese artisans to ensure subtle variations for each piece. 

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CB2’s approach is distinct from other midcentury revivals, balancing rigorous attention to material authenticity (the semi-aniline cowhide on Frattini's sofa is gently polished to showcase its natural markings) with contemporary environmental standards (McCobb’s chair features FSC®-certified sustainable oak). These updates aren't compromises—they’re modern and sustainable updates to the original concepts.

For design enthusiasts who’ve long admired these pieces in museums or vintage publications, the collection represents something profound: the democratization of design. These aren’t just furniture pieces—they’re artifacts of design history finally available to any of us, no auction paddle required. 

Explore the full Design Legends collection exclusively at CB2.com.