2026 continues a movement that began around 2015: stronger demand for signed pieces of European industrial design, younger buyers and a vintage market that is becoming more professional. Not everything follows the same curve, though. Some pieces, long carried by the reputation of their brand or by press coverage, are seeing their prices level off. Others, less exposed, remain little sought after. This note brings together what we have observed over the past twelve months and cross-checks it against prices listed on the main marketplaces (1stDibs, Pamono) and against Paris auction results, mainly at Drouot. It gives no figures and is neither a price forecast nor investment advice: a past trend says nothing about the future value of a piece.
Method
Three sources are cross-checked:
- Our own business over twelve months: pieces bought, purchase prices, time to sell, actual selling prices. The sample mainly covers the Paris residential market and French and Italian pieces from 1948 to 1985.
- Marketplaces: tracking the ranges listed on 1stDibs and Pamono, separating listed prices from negotiated ones. These international platforms list higher prices than private sales, but their movement gives an indication of the trend.
- Auctions: mainly Drouot, and occasionally the twentieth-century design sales held in Paris. Their results are public and serve as a reference for signed pieces.
The trends below indicate a direction, not a price level. They say nothing about how a particular piece will behave, which always depends on its condition, its provenance and the rarity of its colour or edition.
The pieces in highest demand
USM Haller in rare colours
The USM Haller system in its usual colours (white, anthracite, beige, light grey) holds steady prices, supported by regular demand. The brighter colours, ruby red, gentian blue, golden yellow, or olive green, which joined the standard range after a limited edition, turn up far less often second-hand, especially in large living-room configurations (2x3 sideboards, 3x4 bookcases), and sell closer to the new price. Our olive green E2 credenza went for three quarters of the price of a new E2, where a second-hand USM usually sells for around two thirds; our article on second-hand USM Haller prices gives the detail of those sales.
Castiglioni's Arco, 1960s Flos editions
The Arco designed by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni for Flos in 1962 remains a classic with stable prices, but 1960s-1970s editions (solid Carrara marble base, hand finishing, period Flos label) stand further apart from recent reissues in 2026. Informed buyers increasingly distinguish between the first period and contemporary production.
Charlotte Perriand and the LC4
Pieces by Charlotte Perriand (Cansado chairs, Méribel chairs, Berger stools) remain in strong demand, following the Fondation Louis Vuitton exhibition of 2019-2020. The price of the LC4 chaise longue, co-signed with Le Corbusier and Pierre Jeanneret, depends heavily on the edition period (Cassina under licence, earlier editions) and on the leather. See also our Cassina LC vs reissue analysis.
Bertoia at Knoll: Diamond and Bird
The Bird and Diamond chairs designed by Harry Bertoia for Knoll in 1952 are in greater demand in 2026, particularly in their original chrome finish and with period Knoll covers. Everything depends on the condition of the welded steel wire: after forty years, wire with no corrosion and no reworked welds is rare.
Prices levelling off
Eames Lounge Chair and standard DSW / DSR chairs
The Brazilian rosewood Lounge Chair of the 1950s-1960s remains a reference piece and holds its prices. Standard Herman Miller editions from the 1980s-2000s, in Santos rosewood or other species, are levelling off more clearly in 2026: supply remains plentiful and younger buyers are looking at other mid-century lounge chairs. Standard-edition Eames DSW and DSR chairs follow the same pattern, with accessible and stable prices. See our comparison Eames Lounge vs Womb Chair.
Le Corbusier: large-series reissues
The LC2, LC3 and LC4 produced in large series by Cassina since the 1980s are levelling off. The difference between an early Cassina edition under the Fondation Le Corbusier licence (from 1965) and a recent edition weighs more and more on price. A standard recent edition no longer carries a vintage premium and competes directly with new pieces.
Panton Chair: recent Vitra editions
The Panton Chair produced by Vitra remains a classic, but continuous production saturates the second-hand market for recent editions. The first Herman Miller / Vitra editions of 1968-1979, by contrast, form a separate and firmer market.
Pieces still little sought after
Joe Colombo's Boby trolley
The Boby trolley designed by Joe Colombo in 1970, originally produced by Bieffeplast and later reissued by B-Line, remains modestly valued compared with other Italian pieces of the 1970s. It is a practical piece, signed and easy to identify, at a price that is still affordable. Bieffeplast examples from the 1970s-1980s are the most interesting to document.
Tobia Scarpa and the Pigreco chair
Tobia Scarpa remains fairly little known to the general public in France, despite a substantial body of work with Cassina, Knoll and B&B Italia. The Pigreco chair (1959-1960), produced in small series by Stildomus and later by Cassina, is rare and little followed.
Florence Knoll: desks and credenzas
Pieces by Florence Knoll (marble-top desks, credenzas, the Parallel Bar sofa) sell for less than equivalent pieces by Mies van der Rohe or Saarinen. The gap is narrowing slowly, and remains noticeable on marble-top desks and rosewood-veneered credenzas from the 1960s-1970s.
Magistretti's Selene
The Selene chair designed by Vico Magistretti for Artemide in 1969, moulded in plastic in a single piece, has stayed outside the interest in 1970s Italian design. It is signed, dated and award-winning, but little sought after, and its prices remain accessible. Examples in good condition, without cracks or marked yellowing, are the most interesting.
See also five vintage pieces still little sought after.
Summary
| Category | Trend observed in 2026 | What makes the difference |
|---|---|---|
| USM Haller rare colours (olive green, ruby red) | Rising demand | Original colour + large configuration |
| Castiglioni Arco, 1960s Flos editions | Rising demand | Original edition + provenance |
| Perriand, LC4 and signed pieces | Rising demand | Edition period + signature |
| Bertoia Bird / Diamond | Slight rise | Wire condition + Knoll cover |
| Eames Lounge, Brazilian rosewood (pre-1991) | Stable | Species + original condition |
| Eames DSW / DSR standard editions | Stable | Plentiful supply |
| Le Corbusier, Cassina large-series reissues | Stable | Edition period |
| Panton Chair, recent Vitra editions | Stable | Early editions apart |
| Joe Colombo, Boby trolley | Little sought after | Original Bieffeplast edition |
| Tobia Scarpa, Pigreco | Little sought after | Cassina/Stildomus edition |
| Florence Knoll, desks and credenzas | Little sought after | Marble desks, veneered credenzas |
| Magistretti, Selene | Little sought after | Condition + no yellowing |
Limits of this analysis
This note has three limits. Our sample mainly covers the Paris residential market and reflects local tastes; in North America or Northern Europe, things may move differently. Marketplaces over-represent highly exposed pieces, while rare pieces tend to sell privately, outside their reach. Finally, a twelve-month trend says nothing about a longer cycle.
To have a piece valued with a view to selling it to us, write to us: we reply within 24 to 48 hours. Our selection is on this page.
By
LAPIERRE MARKET
