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Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Italian, 1917-2007

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. He was a wild man of the Radical Design movement that swept Italy in the late 1960s and ’70s, rejecting rationalism and modernism in favor of ever-more outrageous imaginings in lighting and furniture such as mirrors, lamps, chairs and tables.

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. 

The Memphis Group 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 created innovative furnishings for the likes of Artemide, Knoll, Zanotta and Poltronova, where he reigned as artistic director for nearly two decades beginning in 1958. His 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 inspired and expressive in smaller, secondary furnishings such as lamps and chandeliers, and in table pieces and glassware that have playful and sculptural qualities.

Sottsass left the Memphis Group in 1985 in order to concentrate on the growth of Sottsass Associati, a design and architecture consultancy he cofounded in 1980. 

It was as an artist that 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.

Find Ettore Sottsass lighting, decorative objects and furniture for sale on 1stDibs.

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Creator: Ettore Sottsass
Pair of Sconces, In style of Memphis Milano, Ettore Sottsas, 1980s, Italy
By Ettore Sottsass, Memphis Milano
Located in Hagenbach, DE
Rare Italian design yellow and black Wood Pair of Sconces, In style of Memphis Milano, Ettore Sottsass, 1980s, Milano - Italy It is very ideal and suitable for all living areas. La...
Category

1980s Italian Space Age Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Wood

Ettore Sottsass for Arredoluce Moonlight Floorlamp
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Ettore Sottsass for Arredoluce, “Moonlight” floorlamp, metal, glass, Italy, circa 1971 The “Moonlight” floor lamp, designed by Ettore Sottsass for Arredoluce in 1971, reflects the d...
Category

1970s Post-Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Metal

Vide poche or ashtray by Ettore Sottsass for Venini, 1990s
By Venini, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Leuven, Vlaams Gewest
Hand made murano glass ashtray or vide poche by designe Ettore Sottsass for Venini. The piece is signed underneath and we believe it to be limited to 97 pieces. 1990s - italy Good...
Category

1990s Italian Mid-Century Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Murano Glass

21 Clesitera Glass Vase by Ettore Sottsass from Memphis Milano
By Memphis Group, Ettore Sottsass, Memphis Milano
Located in La Morra, Cuneo
The Clesitera glass vase with pendant, was originally designed by Ettore Sottsass in 1986. The vase is blown glass, and signed on the base, for further information please see authent...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Glass

MEMPHIS "TREETOPS" Floor Lamp / Ettore Sottsass (Italy) / PostModern Design
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Tinton Falls, NJ
TREETOPS, a dynamic sculptural piece that will enrich with lively allure a contemporary interior, this floor lamp will stand out in a living room, study, or bedroom, infusing a color...
Category

1980s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Metal

Set of Four Armchairs by Ettore Sottsass for Knoll Memphis Era
By Knoll, Ettore Sottsass
Located in San Diego, CA
Nice set of four Mandarin chairs designed by Sottsass for Knoll, in red fabric on foam black enameled tubular legs and silver pipping arms, simple and elegant by this master architect.
Category

Late 20th Century Italian Post-Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Metal

Ettore Sottsass ELLEDUE double bed for Poltronova 1970s
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Padova, IT
Large and rare double bed by Ettore Sottsass from the 1970 MOBILI GRIGI series with the pair of headboard lamps. Grey colored resin frame reinforced with fibreglass. Poltronova Edit...
Category

20th Century Italian Space Age Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Aluminum

Ettore Sottsass Rocchettone table model no. T36, ca. 1965 for Poltronova, Italy
By Poltronova, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Skokie, IL
Ettore Sottsass Rocchettone table model no. T36, ca. 1965 for Poltronova, Italy circa 1965.  Materials: Walnut, lacquered wood, gilt wood. Dimensions: 11 3/4" h x 14" dia Con...
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1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Wood

Pair of Ettore Sottsass Silver Candlesticks for Swid Powell and Reed and Barton
By Reed Barton, Ettore Sottsass, Swid Powell
Located in Kansas City, MO
Striking pair of silver plated candlesticks designed by Ettore Sottsass and made by Swid Powell in collaboration with Reed and Barton, 1980s.  
Category

1980s American Post-Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Silver

Ettore Sottsass Lotto Rosso / Super Loto Dining Table, Poltronova, Italy, 1970s
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Lewes, East Sussex
A Lotto Rosso / Super Loto dining table designed by Ettore Sottsass and produced by Poltronova, Italy, 1970s. In very good original condition. Fast ship...
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Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Granite, Metal

20th Century Ettore Sottsass RSVP Centerpiece Mod. Indigo in Colored Glass
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Turin, Turin
Ettore Sottsass grew up in Turin, and graduated in architecture from the Turin Polytechnic in 1939. In 1947, he founded his own studio in Milan. In 1956, Sottsass moved to New York w...
Category

Early 2000s Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Glass

Ettore Sottsass Essetre Shelving Unit for Poltronova, 1970s
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Padova, IT
Rare "ESSETRE" white fiberglass bookcase from the "Mobili Grigi" furniture series designed by Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova in the '70s. Provenance Molinari - Visentin collection, A...
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1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Fiberglass

Diva Mirror, by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano Collection
By Ettore Sottsass, Memphis Milano, Memphis Group
Located in La Morra, Cuneo
Diva Mirror with plastic laminate, was originally designed in 1984 by Ettore Sottsass. Ettore Sottsass was born in Innsbruck in 1917. In 1939 he graduated...
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21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Mirror, Plastic

Postmodern Italian Metal Magazine Rack Holder, 1980s
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Hamburg, DE
Postmodern magazine rack from Memphis based on a design by Ettore Sottsass from the 80s. Unfortunately there is no real source for this. A modular design that can be designed flexib...
Category

20th Century Italian Post-Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Metal

Ettore Sottsass, Custom Cabinet, Maple, Italy, 1989
By Ettore Sottsass, Sottsass Associati
Located in High Point, NC
A maple and white-painted maple cabinet designed by Ettore Sottsass and custom-produced by Sottsass Associati, Italy for the Mayer-Schwarz Gallery, Beverly Hills in 1989. 
Category

1980s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Maple

ceramic tile "alphard" design Ettore Sottsass for Cedit The Milan Style
By Ettore Sottsass, Cedit Ceramiche 1
Located in taranto, IT
very rare original glazed ceramic tile "Alphard grigio," designed by Ettore Sottsass for Cedit Ceramiche d'italia in the 1990s, included in the project "The Milan Style," whose initi...
Category

1990s Italian Mid-Century Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Aluminum

Treetops Floor Lamp USA 110 Volts, by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano Collect
By Memphis Group, Memphis Milano, Ettore Sottsass
Located in La Morra, Cuneo
Here you are shown the US wired "Treetops" floor lamp designed by Ettore Sottsass in 1981 in metal with halogen bulb. Ettore Sottsass was born in Innsbruck in 1917. In 1939 he graduated in architecture at the Politecnico di Torino. One of the most influential and important figures of the last century. As an Architect and Designer, he has participated in all radical movements whether created from the 1970s and 1980s. In 1981 he founded the Memphis group, a group that has radically changed the scenario of Italian and world design. Honored with numerous international awards, was winner of the Golden Compass in 1959. He designed the first laptop "Valentina" by Olivetti. He died in 2007 at the age of 90 years. Memphis Milano is the great cultural phenomenon of the 1980s that revolutionized creative and commercial logics in design. Born from the idea of Ettore Sottsass and a group of young designers and architects, in Milan, coupled in the years by famous designers from the international scene, Memphis turned upside down all of the existing parameters on living. Ettore Sottsass as the backbone of the group, design gained a new concept and expression through new shapes, materials and patterns, expanding the creative limits of the industry. Memphis became a symbol of New Design. Its influence is still clear in various sectors of production and beyond. Additional Info: - Dimensions: H 76.75 inches, Base W. 10.75 inches, D. 40.25 inches. - Materials: Metal. - Color options: Available in yellow fixture, orange stem, turquoise knob and mint green base; or in an orange fixture...
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21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Metal

Ettore Sottsass Chandelier, 1970
By Poltronova, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Vienna, AT
Rare ‚Bruco‘ chandelier designed by Ettore Sottsass for Design Centre / Poltronova in 1970. Minimalist chrome structure with a large methacrylate diffuser. Very nice original conditi...
Category

1970s Italian Space Age Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Aluminum, Chrome

"Casablanca" Cabinet by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano, 1981
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Brussels, BE
"Casablanca" Cabinet by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano, 1981
Category

Late 20th Century Italian Post-Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Wood

BLOQUE 2, Pedestal with Ettore Sottsass Veneer by Bonne Choice
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Toronto, ON
Designed By Bonne Choice Using Ettore Sottsass Veneer. The veneer created by Ettore Sottsass in the 1980s – utilized for the first time in the Memphis...
Category

2010s Canadian Post-Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Wood, Plywood

Pair of Neon Lamps by Ettore Sottsass - Edition Poltronova - circa 1970
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Saint ouen, FR
Pair of neon lamps by Ettore Sottsass - Edition Poltronova circa 1970 “Elledue fiberglas” table lamp or luminous headboard from the so-called “Mobili Grigi...
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Fiberglass

Vintage Ettore Sottsass Italian Ceramic Pedestal Bowl for BitossiBlack and Blue
By Ettore Sottsass, Bitossi
Located in Troy, MI
Vintage Ettore Sottsass "Alzata Piccola" centerpiece bowl for Bitossi Italy 1997 Round ceramic footed vessel in cobalt blue and black glazes with matte white center Signed to under...
Category

Late 20th Century Italian Post-Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Ceramic

20th Century, Ettore Sottsass Brass Wall Mirror
By Santambrogio De Berti, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Turin, Turin
Ettore Sottsass grew up in Turin, and graduated in architecture from the Turin Polytechnic in 1939. In 1947, he founded his own studio in Milan. In 1956, Sottsass moved to New York w...
Category

1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Brass

Ettore Sottsass for Knoll, 1980s Eastside Club Lounge Chair
By Knoll, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Basel, BS
Here for sale is one breathtaking Eastside Club Lounge Chair designed by Ettore Sottsass for Knoll, a quintessential piece of 1980s postmodern design from the founder of Memphis. The...
Category

1980s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Metal, Aluminum

20th Century, Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Cabinet mod. Casablanca
By Memphis Milano, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Turin, Turin
Ettore Sottsass grew up in Turin, and graduated in architecture from the Turin Polytechnic in 1939. In 1947, he founded his own studio in Milan. In 1956, Sottsass moved to New York w...
Category

1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Laminate, Wood

Carlton Wood Room Divider, by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano Collection
By Ettore Sottsass, Memphis Milano, Memphis Group
Located in La Morra, Cuneo
Here you are shown an authentic and perfect reproduction of the Carlton bookcase and room divider, originally designed in 1981 by Ettore Sottsass. The...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Wood, Plastic

Red "Galassia" wooden Bed by Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova, Italy 1963
By Poltronova, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Argelato, BO
Rare and spectacular Galassia post-Modern bed in painted wood, designed by the great Italian architect and designer Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova. Bibliography: Domus 407 (October ...
Category

1960s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Wood

20th Century Ettore Sottsass RSVP Centerpiece Mod. Azzurro in Colored Glass
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Turin, Turin
Ettore Sottsass grew up in Turin, and graduated in architecture from the Turin Polytechnic in 1939. In 1947, he founded his own studio in Milan. In 1956, Sottsass moved to New York w...
Category

Early 2000s Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Glass

Mandarin Chairs by Ettore Sottsass for Knoll (up to 30)
By Knoll, Ettore Sottsass
Located in BROOKLYN, NY
Iconic Postmodern Mandarin chairs designed by Ettore Sottsass for Knoll in amazing period Uphostery original and in good condition. Black enamel steel legs and sculptural undulating ...
Category

1980s American Post-Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Steel

21st Century Goburam Glass Vase in Coral/Nocturnal by Ettore Sottsass
By Ettore Sottsass, Venini
Located in murano, IT
Goburam by Ettore Sottsass speaks of India and of the monumental towers at the entrance of Hindu temples. It speaks of precious red coral and of the red soil of ancient faraway lands...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Glass

12 Amaltea Vase, by Ettore Sottsass from Memphis Milano
By Memphis Group, Ettore Sottsass, Memphis Milano
Located in La Morra, Cuneo
The Amaltea Vase was designed by Ettore Sottsass in 1986. The vase is part of the “Amaltea Glass” collection. Made in Murano. Signed “E.Sottsass per Memphis”. Signed on the base. Et...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Glass

Ultrafragola Mirror/Lamp by Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova, Italy
By Poltronova, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Milan, Italy
This is Ultrafragola a nice mirror designed by Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova in the 1970. It is a translucent white plastic frame of undulating outline, concealing pink internal flu...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Glass, Plastic

Manhattan Trolley by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano Collection
By Ettore Sottsass, Memphis Milano
Located in La Morra, Cuneo
Manhattan trolley in metal and glass by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano collection Additional information: Trolley in metal and colour...
Category

2010s Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Metal

Ettore Sottsass for Olivetti Valentine Typewriter, Italy 1960s
By Ettore Sottsass, Olivetti
Located in Naples, IT
Famous and Iconic Portable Typewriter Mod. Valentine designed by Ettore Sottsass and Peter King, for the company Olivetti in 1960, the typewriter is in very good condition with case ...
Category

1960s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Metal

Ettore Sottsass ULTRAFRAGOLA Neon Full Length Mirror / Poltronova srl
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Tinton Falls, NJ
Ultrafragola mirror/lamp, with its sinuous profile that suggests long wavy hair, belongs to the Mobili Grigi series of complete bedroom and living room furnishings designed by Ettore...
Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Mirror, Plastic

1980s Gorgeous Red Vase "Hsing" Designed by Ettore Sottsass. Made in Italy
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Milano, IT
1980s Gorgeous vase "Hsing" in red glazed ceramic designes by Ettore Sottsass for Alessio Sarri, Sesto Fiorentino. This vase is in excellent condition. Made in Italy. It's marked at ...
Category

1980s Italian Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Ceramic

Mizar Glass Vase, by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano Collection
By Memphis Milano, Ettore Sottsass, Memphis Group
Located in La Morra, Cuneo
The Mizar vase was originally designed by Ettore Sottsass in 1982. The piece features clear and blue glass with multicolored handles. Ettore Sottsass was born in Innsbruck in 1917. In 1939 he graduated in architecture at the Politecnico di Torino One of the most influential and important figures of the last century, Architect and Designer, he has participated in all radical movements whether created from the 1970s and 1980s. In 1981 he founded the Memphis group, a group that has radically changed the scenario of Italian and world design. Honored with numerous international awards, was winner of the Golden...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Glass

20th Century Ettore Sottsass RSVP Centerpiece Mod. Celeste in Colored Glass
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Turin, Turin
Ettore Sottsass grew up in Turin, and graduated in architecture from the Turin Polytechnic in 1939. In 1947, he founded his own studio in Milan. In 1956, Sottsass moved to New York w...
Category

Early 2000s Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Glass

Palm Springs Briar Dining Table by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano Collection
By Memphis Group, Ettore Sottsass, Memphis Milano
Located in La Morra, Cuneo
The Palm Springs dining table, in briar and plastic laminate was originally designed in 1984, by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano. Ettore Sottsass was born in Innsbruck in 1917. ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Wood, Plastic

Ettore Sottsass, Cometa Floor Light, by Poltronova circa 1970
By Poltronova, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Wargrave, Berkshire
Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova Cometa floor lamp, no. L026 acrylic, lacquered metal, chrome, Italy, designed 1970 and produced for the Design Centre by Poltronova, Italy as part of t...
Category

1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Metal, Chrome

Rare Ettore Sottsass Plant Holder for Poltronova, Italy, 1962
By Poltronova, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Milan, IT
Ettore Sottsass Plant holder for Poltronova, Italy, 1962 Rare extra-large Ettore Sottsass plant holder.
Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Wood

Ultrafragola Mirror/Lamp by Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova, Italy
By Ettore Sottsass, Poltronova
Located in Milan, Italy
The Ultrafragola mirror / lamp with its sinuous shape, evocative of a wavy female hair, belongs to the Gray Furniture series, a complete bedroom and liv...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Glass, Plastic

Pink ‘Ultrafragola’ Mirror Designed by Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova, Italy
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in London, GB
The curvaceous pink ‘Ultrafragola’ mirror designed by Ettore Sottsass is probably the most iconic of all his many designs. Originally produced in the 1970s by Poltronova, the ‘Ultrafragola’ formed part of a series of Sottsass designs named Mobili Grigi. When illuminated, the lights within the mirror transform the white opaline acrylic shell into a stunning multi-pink display. This unique, individually numbered, re-edition piece is still produced by the same Florentine company today and is sold with a “Certificate of Authenticity”. The perfectly pink ‘selfie’ mirror!
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Glass, Acrylic

Ettore Sottsass Contemporary Modern "Demistella" Marble Italian Console
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Ibiza, Spain
The "Demistella" console, designed by Ettore Sottsass for Up & Up, features a solid wood structure with briar root and lacquered wood accents. Its cylindrical legs are crafted from M...
Category

1990s Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Marble

Pink ‘Ultrafragola’ Mirror Designed by Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova, Italy
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in London, GB
The curvaceous pink ‘Ultrafragola’ mirror designed by Ettore Sottsass is probably the most iconic of all his many designs. Originally produced in the 1970s by Poltronova, the ‘Ultrafragola’ formed part of a series of Sottsass designs named Mobili Grigi. When illuminated, the lights within the mirror transform the white opaline acrylic shell into a stunning multi-pink display. This unique, individually numbered, re-edition piece is still produced by the same Florentine company today and is sold with a “Certificate of Authenticity”. The perfectly pink ‘selfie’ mirror...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Glass, Acrylic

Mirror "Ultrafragola" by Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova, 1970s, 1st Edition
By Ettore Sottsass, Poltronova
Located in bruxelles, BE
First edition of the magnificent Ultrafrogola light mirror designed by Ettore Sottsass in the 70s. Wear due to time and age FOR SHIPPING, REQUEST US FOR RECEIVE THE BEST PRICE
Category

1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Mirror, Plastic

BLOQUE 4, Pedestal with Ettore Sottsass Veneer by Bonne Choice
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Toronto, ON
Designed By Bonne Choice Using Ettore Sottsass Veneer. The veneer created by Ettore Sottsass in the 1980s – utilized for the first time in the Memphis collection – now becomes part ...
Category

2010s Canadian Post-Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Wood, Plywood

Ettore Sottsass for Swid Powell “Renaissance” Cup Saucer, Set of 4
By Ettore Sottsass, Swid Powell
Located in Jensen Beach, FL
Exceptionally rare set of cups & saucers by the inimitable Ettore Sottsass, designed for Swid Powell. This set is held in the private collections of prominent museums, such as The Me...
Category

1980s Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Porcelain

Carlton Room Divider and Bookcase by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano, Italy
By Ettore Sottsass, Memphis Milano
Located in London, GB
Probably the most iconic of all Ettore Sottsass' designs, the colourful Carlton is half room divider, half bookcase and full size sculptural marvel. Des...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Post-Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Laminate, Wood

MEMPHIS "TAHITI" Table Lamp / Ettore Sottsass (Italy) / Early MEMPHIS
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Tinton Falls, NJ
Designed by Ettore Sottsass, the TAHITI is a superb table lamp which strikingly resembles the silhouette of a duck. The black and white, bacterio-patterned laminate base supports an ...
Category

1980s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Metal

Cavalieri Floor Lamp EU 220 V. by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano Collection
By Memphis Milano, Ettore Sottsass
Located in La Morra, Cuneo
Cavalieri Floor Lamp EU Wiring 220 V. in Wood and Plastic Laminate by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano collection Additional Information: Floor lamp in wood and plastic laminat...
Category

2010s Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Plastic

Sottsass Ettore design for Alessi 5079 containers for condiments in steel
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Biella, IT
Sottsass Ettore desihn for Alessi base containers for condiments in steel of years '80 the sell is for one but are to disposition two of this alessi c...
Category

1980s Italian Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Stainless Steel

MEMPHIS "DIVA" Wall Mirror / Ettore Sottsass (Italy) / PostModern Laminated
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Tinton Falls, NJ
DIVA erases and makes us perceive the “X” highlighted by the lively colors of the plastic laminate. At the top, two circular parts define the shape, while the lower base is emphasize...
Category

1980s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Mirror, Laminate, Wood

Large serigraph „senza titolo“ (architectural study) by Ettore Sottsass 1986
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Offenburg, Baden Wurthemberg
Beautiful and rare screen print “Senza titolo” (architectural study) by Ettore Sottsass, 1986 Produced by Kalos Arti Applicate in 1986, signed and numbered 40/100 in pencil. Framed...
Category

1980s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Paper

Venini Nopuram Table Lamp in Red by Ettore Sottsass
By Ettore Sottsass, Venini
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Venini Nopuram table lamp in red by Ettore Sottsass. Numbered edition for year Year of manufacture: 1994-2017 Marble base Color: Red Measurements: Ø 15.74", H 25.98" 1 x max ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Glass

Tahiti Table Lamp (US VERSION 110v), by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano
By Memphis Milano, Ettore Sottsass, Memphis Group
Located in La Morra, Cuneo
Here you are shown the US wired 'Tahiti' Table lamp, designed by Ettore Sottsass in 1981. The light fixture is of a polychrome enameled metal "duck" with a pivoting-like head mounted on a black and white bacterio-patterned laminate base. EU VERSION 220v AVAILABLE IN ANOTHER LISTING. Ettore Sottsass was born in Innsbruck in 1917. In 1939 he graduated in architecture at the Politecnico di Torino. One of the most influential and important figures of the last century. As an Architect and Designer, he has participated in all radical movements whether created from the 1970s and 1980s. In 1981 he founded the Memphis group, a group that has radically changed the scenario of Italian and world design. Honored with numerous international awards, was winner of the Golden Compass in 1959. He designed the first laptop "Valentina" by Olivetti. He died in 2007 at the age of 90 years. Memphis Milano is the great cultural phenomenon of the 1980s that revolutionized creative and commercial logics in design. Born from the idea of Ettore Sottsass and a group of young designers and architects, in Milan, coupled in the years by famous designers from the international scene, Memphis turned upside down all of the existing parameters on living. Ettore Sottsass as the backbone of the group, design gained a new concept and expression through new shapes, materials and patterns, expanding the creative limits of the industry. Memphis became a symbol of New Design. Its influence is still clear in various sectors of production and beyond. Additional info: - Dimensions: H 23.5 inches - Materials: Metal - Lighting info: 50 W, 12 V -Additional Lighting Info: Please note that this item is wired in 110 V for the standard US light socket. - Price includes additional US rewiring cost for accessibility to US outlets. - If you are interested in the EU version of this light, please refer to the dealers storefront for the (EU) wired light fixture...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Metal

Mid-Century Modern Mirror by Ettore Sottsass for Santambrogio e De Berti, 1950s
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Brussels, BE
Mid-Century Modern Mirror by Ettore Sottsass for Santambrogio e De Berti, 1950s
Category

1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Glass, Wood

Ettore Sottsass Twenty-Seven Woods for a Chinese Artificial Flower Vase A
By Design Gallery Milano, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Twenty-seven woods for a Chinese artificial flower vase A by Ettore Sottsass, edited by Design Gallery Milano, 1995. Limited edition of 12 signed and numered pieces, number 8 / 12. ...
Category

1990s European Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Brass

1986 Enorme Telephone by Ettore Sottsass for Enorme
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Brooklyn, NY
A perfectly postmodern telephone designed by the Memphis Milano master, Ettore Sottsass, and produced in 1986. The Enorme telephone was the result of ...
Category

Late 20th Century Post-Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Metal

20th Century Ettore Sottsass RSVP Vase Mod. Azzurro Extrachiaro in Colored Glass
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Turin, Turin
Beautiful vase or centerpiece designed in the beginning of 2000 by the great Italian designer Ettore Sottsass for RSVP. The centerpiece is entirely in colored glass, 10 mm thick. The...
Category

Early 2000s Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Glass

Ettore Sottsass furniture for sale on 1stDibs.

Ettore Sottsass furniture are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of metal and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Ettore Sottsass furniture, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. We have 389 vintage editions of these items in-stock, while there is 188 modern edition to choose from as well. Many of the original furniture by Ettore Sottsass were created in the modern style in europe during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider furniture by Gaetano Pesce, Alessandro Mendini, and VG-VGnewtrend. Prices for Ettore Sottsass furniture can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $104 and can go as high as $88,999, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $4,267.
Questions About Ettore Sottsass Furniture
  • 1stDibs ExpertFebruary 13, 2024
    Ettore Sottsass is famous for his work as an architect and an industrial designer, which spurred a revolution in the aesthetics and technology of modern design in the late 20th century. He was the oldest member of the Memphis Group, a design collective formed in Milan in 1980. Having grown disillusioned by the staid, black-and-brown corporatized modernism that had become endemic in the 1970s, the Memphis Group produced 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 like animal skins. Other than his Ultrafragola mirror (1970), Sottsass's most-recognized designs appeared in the first Memphis collection, issued in 1981. They include the multihued, angular Carlton room divider and Casablanca bookcase. Shop a diverse assortment of Ettore Sotsass furniture and decorative objects on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    Ettore Sottsass was from Innsbruck, Austria. He was born there on September 14, 1917, but he moved to Turin, Italy, as a child. The Italian architect and designer died in Milan, Italy, on December 31, 2007. You'll find a variety of Ettore Sottsass furniture and decorative objects on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertNovember 13, 2024
    The Italian design group led by Italian architectural and product designer Ettore Sottsass is called the Memphis Group. To many people, postmodern design is synonymous with the Memphis Group. This Italian collaborative created the most radical and attention-getting designs of the period, upending most of the accepted standards of how furniture should look. The group decided to design, produce and market its own collection, one that wouldn’t be restricted by concerns like functionality and so-called good taste. Its debut at Milan’s 1981 Salone del Mobile drew thousands of viewers and caused a major stir in design circles. In addition to Sottsass, the members of the group included Andrea Branzi, Aldo Cibic, Michele de Lucchi, Nathalie du Pasquier, Kuramata, Paola Navone, Peter Shire, George Sowden and Barbara Radice, who was Sottsass's wife. Find a collection of Memphis Group furniture on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    Ettore Sottsass was an architect and designer. He founded the Memphis Group, a collective of designers active from 1981 to 1987. The Ultrafragola mirror is one of his most well-known designs. On 1stDibs, you can shop a variety of Ettore Sottsass furniture.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    To pronounce Ettore Sottsass, say "AY-tore-ee SOAT-sas." The second syllable of the designer's surname sounds similar to the word “sauce” but with a shorter, clipped vowel. On 1stDibs, find a range of Ettore Sottsass furniture.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    Ettore Sottsass studied at the Politecnico di Torino in Turin, Italy. In 1939, he graduated from the institution with a degree in architecture. Sottsass began working as an artist and designer in the late 1940s. He produced furniture, ceramics, paintings, sculptures and jewelry. Find a variety of Ettore Sottsass furniture on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    Ettore Sottsass was a famous 20th century architect and designer known for his work in furniture, lighting, jewelry and more, as well as from his work in designing buildings. He was Italian, though he was born in Austria, and lived from 1917 to 2007. Shop a range of Ettore Sottsass pieces on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    Ettore Sottsass was inspired by many things, including pop culture, travel and various cultures from around the world. His primary objective of his work was to bring out the deeper beauty of whatever he created. On 1stDibs, shop a collection of Ettore Sottsass furniture.
  • 1stDibs ExpertFebruary 1, 2024
    Ettore Sottsass used a variety of materials over the course of his career. The Italian artist experimented with glass, ceramics, enamel, brass, textiles and more. Along with fellow members of the Memphis Group, he skewed expectations for furniture by using inexpensive materials such as plastic laminates decorated to resemble exotic finishes like animal skins. He also revolutionized ceramics through the pieces he created for the Italian maker Bitossi. On 1stDibs, shop a range of Ettore Sottsass art.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    Ettore Sottsass's father, also named Ettore Sottsass, designed modernist architecture. He worked for the firm Movimento Italiano per l'Architettura Razionale or MIAR. Giuseppe Pagano was the company's head architect. On 1stDibs, shop a range of Ettore Sottsass furniture.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    Ettore Sottsass did not design the Carlton room divider for a specific patron or client. He created the piece while working with the Memphis Group, an art collective that held joint shows from 1981 to 1987. Find a selection of Ettore Sottsass furniture on 1stDibs.

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