Comodini in legno di Ettore Sottsass per Poltronova, anni '60, set di 2
About the Item
- Creator:Poltronova (Manufacturer),Ettore Sottsass (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 15.36 in (39 cm)Width: 17.72 in (45 cm)Depth: 13.78 in (35 cm)
- Sold As:Set of 2
- Materials and Techniques:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1960s
- Condition:
- Seller Location:Quarrata, IT
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU7860237560922
Ettore Sottsass
An architect, industrial designer, philosopher and provocateur, Ettore Sottsass led a revolution in the aesthetics and technology of modern design in the late 20th century.
Sottsass was the oldest member of the Memphis Group — a design collective, formed in Milan in 1980, whose irreverent, spirited members included Alessandro Mendini, Michele de Lucchi, Michael Graves and Shiro Kuramata. All had grown disillusioned by the staid, black-and-brown “corporatized” modernism that had become endemic in the 1970s. Memphis (the name stemmed from the title of a Bob Dylan song) countered with bold, brash, colorful, yet quirkily minimal designs for furniture, glassware, ceramics and metalwork. They mocked high-status by building furniture with inexpensive materials such as plastic laminates, decorated to resemble exotic finishes such as animal skins. Their work was both functional and — as intended — shocking. Even as it preceded the Memphis Group's formal launch, Sottsass's iconic Ultrafragola mirror — in its conspicuously curved plastic shell and radical pops of pink neon — embodies many of the collective's postmodern ideals.
Sottsass's most-recognized designs appeared in the first Memphis collection, issued in 1981 — notably the multihued, angular Carlton room divider and Casablanca bookcase. As pieces on 1stDibs demonstrate, however, Sottsass is at his most imaginative and expressive in smaller, secondary furnishings such as lamps and chandeliers, and in table pieces and glassware that have playful and sculptural qualities.
It was as an artist that Ettore Sottsass was celebrated in his life, in exhibitions at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, in 2006, and the Philadelphia Museum of Art a year later. Even then Sottsass’s work prompted critical debate. And for a man whose greatest pleasure was in astonishing, delighting and ruffling feathers, perhaps there was no greater accolade. That the work remains so revolutionary and bold — that it breaks with convention so sharply it will never be considered mainstream — is a testament to his genius.
Poltronova
Poltronova is known for embracing the creativity that opposites can introduce to a space. Its radical modernist furniture and lighting fixtures are simultaneously grounded in classic aesthetics and inspired by what were then new and provocative artistic movements in mid-century Italy, when the company was founded. This tension resulted in unique and extraordinary pieces at the manufacturer, from eccentric, glove-shaped armchairs to striking dining tables that feature a mix of materials and textures.
Italian designer Sergio Cammilli founded Poltronova in Tuscany in 1957. That same year, it won the Compasso d’Oro for the Panchetto chair designed by Luciano Nustrini. Revolutionary Italian architect Ettore Sottsass — a maestro of postmodern design who would later establish the Memphis Group — came on board as an art director in 1958. Poltronova manufactured many of his furniture and ceramic designs. Sottsass’s lighting, seating and other works for Poltronova showcase the designer’s bold experimentation with solid wood, glass, metal and laminate materials.
Other established names in Italian furniture design collaborated with Poltronova’s Sottsass and Cammilli, including Giovanni Michelucci, Gae Aulenti and Angelo Mangiarotti. However, the company truly set itself apart in its collaborations with Superstudio and Archizoom Associati, groups that were part of an irreverent, avant-garde movement in art and design that took shape during the 1960s in Florence, Turin and Milan. Collectives associated with the movement — which would one day be called Italian Radical design — drew on Pop art and minimalism and explored working with unconventional materials to create colorful, quirky and uniquely shaped objects and furnishings. At the time, Poltronova also worked with up-and-coming names in the art world, like painter Max Ernst and sculptor Mario Ceroli.
Poltronova showcased its groundbreaking designs in many exhibitions, such as “La Casa Abitata,” which was held in Florence in 1965. At Milan's Eurodomus trade show in 1970, Poltronova debuted an entire bedroom collection designed by Sottsass — including his sensuous Ultrafragola mirror. The brand’s furnishings were included in a 1972 exhibition at New York’s Museum of Modern Art called "Italy: The New Domestic Landscape," and in 1977, Poltronova again won the Compasso d’Oro for a book called Fare Mobili con Poltronova (Making Furniture with Poltronova).
Poltronova's enduring and acclaimed furniture designs came to be loved far outside Italy. During the 1960s, importer Charles Stendig represented the company and helped introduce it to the American market.
In 2005, Poltronova established the Centro Studi Poltronova to recreate some of the company's iconic furniture. The brand has also recently collaborated with English architect Nigel Coates, who worked with a Poltronova master craftsman in Italy to design a series of limited-edition furniture in 2011, including the Domo chair.
On 1stDibs, find vintage Poltronova tables, seating, storage cabinets and more.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: Quarrata, Italy
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 14 days of delivery.
- Ceramica di Ettore Sottsass per Poltronova, 1960sBy Poltronova, Ettore SottsassLocated in Quarrata, ITPosacenere in ceramica di Ettore Sottsass per Poltronova. Bibliografia: Catalogo Poltronova.Category
Vintage 1960s Ceramics
MaterialsCeramic
- Tavolo in marmo ''Loto Rosso'' di Ettore Sottsass, Poltronova, 1965By Poltronova, Ettore SottsassLocated in Quarrata, ITMarble table mod. ''Loto Rosso'' by Ettore Sottsass and manufactured by Poltronova, 1965. Support: black stove enameled. Top and base Verona red marble. Bibl. Poltronova original ca...Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Tables
MaterialsMarble, Metal
- Ultrafragola mirror by Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova, first editions, 1970sBy Poltronova, Ettore SottsassLocated in Quarrata, ITLighted mirror mod. Ultrafragola by Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova, 1970s. This mirror belongs to the first editions produced by the company, much rarer and more exclusive. Perspex f...Category
Vintage 1970s Wall Mirrors
MaterialsMirror, Plastic, Fiberglass
- Carrello bar in legno ''CR20'' di Franco Albini per Poggi, Italia, 1958By Poggi, Franco AlbiniLocated in Quarrata, ITCarrello bar disegnato da Franco Albini per Poggi, struttura in legno. Produzione Poggi, Italia, 1958.Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Carts and Bar Carts
MaterialsWood
- Lampade da soffitto in vimini, anni '50, set di 2Located in Quarrata, ITCoppia di lampade da soffitto con struttura interamente in vimini, anni '50.Category
Vintage 1950s Chandeliers and Pendants
MaterialsWicker, Rattan
- Sedia in legno di noce, 1950s, Scuola MilaneseLocated in Quarrata, ITSedia con struttura in legno di noce e seduta in velluto beige.Category
Vintage 1950s Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
MaterialsVelvet, Wood
- Low Table by Ettore Sottsass in Wood and Brass by Poltronova 1950sBy Ettore Sottsass, PoltronovaLocated in Rovereta, SMLow or living room round table with four brass legs, wooden top, and brass details. The particular table top features beautiful decoration due to the wood grain and also has four b...Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
MaterialsBrass
- Ettore Sottsass Rectangular Wooden Coffee Table by Poltronova 1960s ItalyBy Poltronova, Ettore SottsassLocated in Montecatini Terme, ITA rectangular low coffee table entirely made in wood, designed by Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova, Agliana 1960s. The son of an architect, Ettore Sottsass Jr. (1917-2007) was born i...Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
MaterialsWood
- Loto Coffee Table, Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova, 1980By Ettore SottsassLocated in Milano, LombardiaThe small white marble Loto Coffee Table, designed by Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova in 1980, is a luxurious and sophisticated interpretation of the iconic piece. The choice of white...Category
Vintage 1980s Italian Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
MaterialsMarble
- Dining Table by Ettore Sottsass, PoltronovaBy Poltronova, Ettore SottsassLocated in Brussels , BEDining table by Ettore Sottsass, Poltronova.Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Tables
MaterialsMarble
- Mid Century Side Table Designed by Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova, Italy, 60sBy Poltronova, Ettore SottsassLocated in Lucija, SIRare side table designed by Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova Also it can be used as a nightstand Original LabelCategory
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Side Tables
MaterialsWood
- Ettore Sottsass Walnut Rocchetto Side Table for Poltronova, 1964, Set of 2By Poltronova, Ettore SottsassLocated in Vicenza, ITPair of Rocchetto side tables, designed by Ettore Sottsass and manufactured by Poltronova in 1964. Made of lacquered walnut wood. Excellent vintage condition. Ettore Sottsass Jr., a...Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Side Tables
MaterialsWalnut