At its core, the LC series consists of four designs: the compact LC1 armchair with its tilting backrest, the cubic Grand Confort armchairs LC2 and LC3, and the adjustable LC4 chaise longue. You recognise an original by the Cassina marking on the frame and by the documented geometry of tubular frame and cushions. At 2nd home there are currently 125 available Le Corbusier pieces, from roughly 1,550 euros for an LC1 to about 10,300 euros for rare LC4 editions (as of September 2026). You will find all inspected pieces in the Le Corbusier collection.

Who designed the LC series?

The series was created in the late nineteen-twenties in Le Corbusier's studio, together with Pierre Jeanneret and Charlotte Perriand, whose contribution is explicitly credited today. Since the mid-sixties, Cassina has produced the designs under exclusive licence. That is the key to buying second hand: only Cassina pieces are originals, everything else is a copy "in the style of".

LC1 to LC4: the models at a glance

• LC1: the light armchair with tilting backrest and taut seat, often in leather or hide. The most compact and accessible model of the series.
• LC2: the Grand Confort, a cube of five loose cushions in an external tubular steel frame. The best-known design of the series and our most traded LC model.
• LC3: the larger, deeper version of the Grand Confort, as armchair and sofa. Reads more stretched and homely than the stricter LC2.
• LC4: the chaise longue with a continuously adjustable shell on a separate base, with leather, fabric or hide upholstery depending on the edition.

Beyond these there are, among others, the LC5 sofa, the LC6 table and the LC7 swivel chair; they appear far less often on the vintage market.

How do you recognise an original?

• Marking: Current and younger Cassina pieces carry a signature and serial number on the frame. With older pieces the combination of the remaining features decides; a missing number alone is no exclusion.
• Tube and workmanship: Even bending radii, clean transitions, an intact chrome or paint layer. Thin, light tubing and sharp edges are copy signals.
• Cushions and proportions: On the Grand Confort the cushions sit exactly in the frame grid, without jamming or floating. The geometry of the originals is documented and has not changed; comparing with the current Cassina programme exposes most copies.
• Leather and seams: Neatly worked piping and seams, high-quality leather that ages with dignity instead of cracking.

What do LC classics cost second hand?

Real ranges from our active listings (as of September 2026):

• LC1: 1,550 to 2,600 euros, most around 2,200 euros
• LC2: 1,900 to 9,290 euros, most around 4,400 euros
• LC3: 3,200 to 9,890 euros, most around 3,750 euros
• LC4: 500 to 10,270 euros depending on condition and edition, most around 3,850 euros

Price drivers are age and edition, the condition of leather and chrome, rare covers such as hide, and complete markings.

The checklist before buying

1. Look for the marking: signature and number on the frame, usually on cross braces or the underside.
2. Check the frame: chrome for bubbles and rust, paint for chips, stability without twisting.
3. Test the cushion fit: on the LC2 and LC3 every cushion must sit exactly; foreign cushions give themselves away immediately.
4. Read the leather: patina is good, cracks and breaks along edges lower the price considerably.
5. On the LC4, the mechanism: the shell must hold securely on the base in every position.

Combining LC

The LC designs are solitaires that like calm around them: an LC2 in front of a clear wall, an LC4 by the window, nothing more needed. For a targeted hunt, browse the Le Corbusier armchairs and the full Cassina range, and if you want to understand the era behind them, read our guide to Bauhaus furniture and licences, where the same logic applies.

Frequently asked questions

Is every LC2 automatically by Cassina?
No. Only Cassina produces under licence. Cubic armchairs without markings are usually copies "in the style of", solid everyday furniture without collector value.

My piece has no serial number. A copy?
Not necessarily; older pieces can be marked differently. Then workmanship, proportions and origin decide; at 2nd home, curation checks every piece before release.

Do new cushions lower the value?
Not necessarily, as long as the frame is original and marked. Honestly described replacement cushions beat worn-out originals.

Are LC classics stable in value?
Well-kept Cassina pieces are remarkably stable in value, because the series continues unchanged and demand stays consistently high.