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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
Four Ettore Sottsass Mandarin Chairs for Knoll in Red Black, 1986 Italy
By Ettore Sottsass, Knoll
Located in Grand Cayman, KY
Icon of the Memphis Milano Movement. A set of four Ettore Sottsass Mandarin chairs for Knoll. Black Alcantara upholstery. Arms in red lacquer. A 1986 design by Ettore Sottsass for K...
Category

1980s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Metal, Steel

Cream Occasional Table by Ettore Sottsass
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in New York, NY
Memphis Occasional Table by Ettore Sottsass, crafted from stacked laminated wood and marked with an aluminum manufacturer's label on the side reading ‘Memphis Milano Ettore Sottsass’.
Category

1980s Italian Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Aluminum

Ettore Sottsass Vase from Stepped Series in Enameled Ceramic by Bitossi
By Bitossi, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Cascina, Pisa
A vase from the stepped series in hand-turned in white clay enameled with two-tone matt gray and light green glaze, manufactured in the 1990s by Bitossi and designed by Ettore Sottsa...
Category

20th Century Italian Post-Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Ceramic

Rare mirror designed by Ettore Sottsass for Santambrogio De Berti, 1962
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Arezzo, Italy
Rare mirror designed by Ettore Sottsass for Santambrogio & De Berti, 1962. Painted wooden frame, central mirrored glass , smoked glass. Excellent condition, manufactory label. Sotts...
Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Brass

Ashoka Table Lamp by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in New York, NY
The Ashoka table lamp, designed by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano, takes its name from the Emperor of the Maurya Empire. The lamp is crafted in enameled and chrome-plated materia...
Category

1980s Italian Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Metal, Enamel, Chrome

Asteroid Lamp by Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova, Italy, 1968
By Ettore Sottsass, Poltronova
Located in Melbourne, VIC
The Asteroid Lamp is indeed a remarkable piece of design created by Ettore Sottsass in 1968. Ettore Sottsass was a prominent Italian designer and archite...
Category

20th Century Italian Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Metal

VENINI vase Oman Murano Glass Numbered edition 17, Signed 2014 Sottsass
By Venini, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Venezia, IT
VENINI vase Oman Murano Glass Numbered edition 17, Signed 2014 and designed by Ettore Sottsass with original box and certificate. This geometric vase, designed by Ettore Sottsass in...
Category

2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Blown Glass, Murano Glass

Ettore Sottsass Treetops Floor Lamp, Memphis Milano, 1981
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Madrid, ES
Ettore Sottsass – Treetops Lamp, Memphis Milano, 1981 Painted metal with cast iron base. Certificate of authenticity included. Measurements: W ...
Category

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

Materials

Metal

Ettore Sottsass Umbrella Stand for Rinovel, 1955
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Kansas City, MO
Rare Ettore Sottsass umbrella stand for Rinovel, Italy, 1955. Quick shipping in the continental U.S. via FedEx, $175.
Category

1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Aluminum

Loto Rosso Dining Table by Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova in Marble and Black Me
By Poltronova, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Byron Bay, NSW
Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova "Loto" round dining table in marble and black lacquered metal.  Ettore Sottsass (1917–2007) was an Italian architect and designer, best known for foun...
Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Marble, Metal

Gli Specchi Di Dioniso 4 Wall Mirror by Ettore Sottsass for Glas Italia IN STOCK
By Ettore Sottsass, Glas Italia
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Dioniso4 Gli Specchi di Dioniso wall mirror is from a collection of 6 wall mirrors in different shapes and sizes characterizes by polychromatic frames composed of elements in laminat...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Mirror

Ettore Sottsass - Fontana arte 2666
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Naples, FL
Made by Fontana Arte, Milan. Glass, blue and dark blue.
Category

1980s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Murano Glass

1950s Italian Decorative Object "MELA" by Ettore Sottsass
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Mela" apple bowl was designed by Ettore Sottsass in 1953 for Rinnovel. Sottsass wasn't originally italian, he was born on 1917 in Innsbruck, (Austria), but...
Category

1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Chrome

Marble Montenegro Console Table by Ettore Sottsass for Ultima Edizione, 1980s
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in amstelveen, NL
Marble console table, Montenegro model, by Ettore Sottsass, Ultima Edizione, Italy, 1980 The top is made of black marble and held by two white marble pedestals. Iconic designer Etto...
Category

1980s European Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Marble

Mirror Designed and Signed by Ettore Sottsass, 2007 Made in Italy
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Jersey City, NJ
Dioniso four mirror of early production designed by Ettore Sottsass for Glas Italia in 2007 comprises orange, white, and black colored glass in geometric shapes that surround the cen...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Mirror

Contemporary Art TOTEM Clair De Lune Light Blue White N/Edit. by Ettore Sottsass
By Mirabili, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Pistoia, IT
Limited edition of 29 pieces. From Primitive clay magma, by playing with shapes, Sottsass makes the “philosophy” of a state of mind visible and concrete: as if in the musical atmosph...
Category

1980s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Ceramic, Wood

Pair of 1980s "East Side" Club Lounge Chair by Ettore Sottsass and Knoll
By Knoll, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Paris, France
This rare pair of tricolor "Eastside model" club armchairs was created by designer Ettore Sottsass for Knoll International. Its structure in gray steel tube and its soft leather cove...
Category

Late 20th Century Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Metal, Aluminum

Memphis Milano Mimosa Table by Ettore Sottsass
By Ettore Sottsass, Memphis Milano
Located in Toronto, ON
With its elementary shapes and delicate pastel colours, Mimosa by Ettore Sottsass seems to have come out of the world of childhood or dreams. This work asks us to free our imaginatio...
Category

2010s Italian Post-Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Glass, Laminate, Wood

Artemide Pausania Bankers Lamp by Ettore Sottsass
By Artemide, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Toronto, CA
A banker’s lamp reimagined through a postmodern lens. Designed by Ettore Sottsass for Artemide in the early 1980s, the Pausania blends crisp geometry with playful colour and unmistak...
Category

1980s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Metal

Ettore Sottsass Le Connessioni Vase from the Ruins Series by Bitossi Italy, 1992
By Ettore Sottsass, Bitossi
Located in Kansas City, MO
Le Connessioni vase from the Ruins series by Ettore and made by Bitossi for Design Gallery Milano, Italy, 1992. Glazed stoneware. Signed to underside 'Ettore Sottsass 1992 3/9 Bitoss...
Category

1990s Italian Post-Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Stoneware

Ettore Sottsas Tahiti Memphis Milano Postmodern
By Memphis Group, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Ettore Sottsass's Tahiti lamp. Materpiece of 1980s design.        
Category

1980s European Post-Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Stainless Steel

Olivetti lettera DL by Sottsass Ettore design in years 70
By Ettore Sottsass, Olivetti
Located in Biella, IT
Olivetti lettera DL by Sottsass Ettore design in years '70 working very good vintage with her original box
Category

1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Metal

Ettore Sottsass Montenegro Carrara Marble Granite Console for Ultima Edizione
By Ettore Sottsass, Ultima Edizione
Located in Almelo, NL
Ettore Sottsass Montenegro Carrara Marble & Granite Console for Ultima Edizione 1980s The Montenegro console table, created by Ettore Sottsass in...
Category

1980s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Granite, Carrara Marble

Flying Carpet Sofa
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Saint Ouen, FR
Rare, if not unique Flying carpet sofa Ettore Sottsass, circa 1974. Measures: 217 x 107 x 65 cms Published by bedding patentti Italy Wood / fabrics ...
Category

1970s Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Fabric

Coat Stand and Umbrella Stand by E. Sottsass for Olivetti Synthesis, Italy 1970s
By Ettore Sottsass, Olivetti
Located in Roma, IT
Coat stand and umbrella stand is an original design object realized by Ettore Sottsass in the 1970s. Bordeaux plastic coat stand and umbrella stand designed for Olivetti Synthesis...
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Plastic

Italian Murano Glass Vase Model Medusa by Ettore Sottsass for Venini.
By Ettore Sottsass, Venini
Located in Milan, Italy
A beautiful Murano vase designed by Ettore Sottsass and produced by Venini in 1997. Limited edition 99 piece. Signed and numbered 71/99. Original label. Model out production. Exposed...
Category

1990s Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Murano Glass

Ettore Sottsass Umbrella Stand Anodized Aluminum, 1955, Italy
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Milano, IT
Ettore Sottsass umbrella stand anodized aluminum 1955 Italy.
Category

1950s Italian Other Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Aluminum

Malabar Bookshop by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milan
By Memphis Milano, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Ravenna, IT
Malabar is a cabinet-bookcase designed by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano in 1982 and purchased in 2000. Production number 21. Sold with certificate of Authenticity. Featuring she...
Category

1980s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Metal

Ettore Sottsass Monumental Walnut and Rosso Verona Marble, Italy 1960s
By Poltronova, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Almelo, NL
Ettore Sottsass Monumental Walnut and Rosso Verona Marble, Italy 1960s Monumental walnut and rosso verona marble table designed by Ettore Sottsass in the 1960s, for the fine Italian manufacturer Poltronova. This enormous table...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Marble, Brass

Ettore Sottsass, rare Califfo model armchair, produced by Poltronova, 1965
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Firenze, IT
RARE EXAMPLE OF CALIPH MODEL ARMCHAIR wooden frame, cushion and mattress covered in fabric in blue and yellow Poltronova production, Agliana, circa 1965 Bibliography for compariso...
Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Steel

Croff Armchair by Ettore Sottsass for the Casa Nova Series C. 1979
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in New York, NY
Croff Armchair by Ettore Sottsass for the Casa Nova Series, reupholstered in brown leather, featuring a spindle wood backrest crafted from ash wood.
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Leather, Wood

Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova T.101 Coffee Table in Teak
By Ettore Sottsass, Poltronova
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova, coffee table, teak, lacquered steel, Tuscany, Italy, 1959 Designed by Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova, this table was part of a limited-edition collec...
Category

1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Steel

Carlton 30th Anniversary Bookcase by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Design
By Memphis Milano, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Ravenna, IT
Carlton is the most famous and iconic of all the objects designed for Memphis Milano. The piece was designed by Ettore Sottsass and first presented at the historic Memphis exhibition...
Category

2010s Italian Post-Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Laminate, Wood

Memphis Milano Ashoka Lamp by Ettore Sottsass
By Memphis Milano, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Toronto, ON
Ashoka by Ettore Sottsass, named after the former emperor of the Mauryan Empire, presents itself as an unstable stacking of playful geometric shapes. Apparently “deconstructed”, this...
Category

2010s Italian Post-Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Metal, Chrome

Mid-Century Modern Mirror by Ettore Sottsass, Italy, 1950s
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Brussels, BE
Mid-Century Modern Mirror by Ettore Sottsass, Italy, 1950s Ettore Sottsass (14 September 1917 – 31 December 2007) was an Italian architect. He was notable for his furniture, jewelle...
Category

1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Wood

Ettore Sottsass Canada Armchair in Blue Velvet and Wood Poltronova 1960s
By Poltronova, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Cascina, Pisa
Canada settee armchair with a structure in wood, seat, and back in padded blue-green velvet. It was designed by Ettore Sottsass Jr in 1959 and produced by the Italian company Poltro...
Category

1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Velvet, Wood

Erco Floor Lamp Designed by Ettore Sottsass
By Ettore Sottsass, Erco
Located in Offenburg, Baden Wurthemberg
Erco floor lamp, designed by Ettore Sottsass in 1973. A wonderful example of the pre-postmodern lighting is this rare floor lamp, designed by e...
Category

1970s German Post-Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Steel

Postmodern Vintage Brass Six Wall Hooks SE 314 C Ettore Sottsass 1985 Italy
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Vienna, AT
Post Modern vintage six ( 6 ) coat hooks from brass by Ettore Sottsass SE 314 for Valli & Valli circa 1985 Italy. A great set of six coat hooks from polished brass from the Post Mode...
Category

1980s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Brass

Loto Rosso Dining Table by Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova in Carrara White Marbl
By Poltronova, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Byron Bay, NSW
Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova "Loto" round dining table in white Carrara marble and black lacquered metal.  Ettore Sottsass (1917–2007) was an Italian architect and designer, best ...
Category

1960s Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Carrara Marble

Ettore Sottsass “Westside” Living Room Set for Knoll International, 1982
By Ettore Sottsass, Knoll
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
Ettore Sottsass “Westside” Living Room Set for Knoll International, foam and fabric, Italy, 1982, set of three. The “Westside” collection is an icon...
Category

1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Fabric, Foam

Rare Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova Dining Table in Teak
By Poltronova, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova, dining table, teak, lacquered steel, bronze, Tuscany, Italy, 1959 Designed by Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova, this table was part of a limited-editio...
Category

1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Bronze, Steel

"Le Strutture Tremano" Stand by Ettore Sottsass for Belux Edition
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Brussels, BE
"Le Strutture Tremano" stand by Ettore Sottsass for Belux Edition.   
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Metal

21st Century Ettore Sottsas Demistella Console in Briar, Polychrome Marble, Wood
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in massa, IT
Polychrome marble console designed by Ettore Sottsass. Description: Console with top in polychrome marble, wood, Macchia Vecchia Marble, Marquinia Bla...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Marble

Ettore Sottsass Cantone Corner Shelves, Italy, 1981
By Ettore Sottsass, Zanotta
Located in Dronten, NL
Striking “Cantone” corner cabinet designed by Ettore Sottsass, an iconic example of the Italian postmodern master’s sculptural and architectural approach to furniture. This piece emb...
Category

1980s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Silver

White Lampros Pendant by Ettore Sottsass for Stilnovo, 1970
By Ettore Sottsass, Stilnovo
Located in Rotterdam, NL
Large Lampros pendant designed by Ettore Sottsass Jr. and produced by Stilnovo in the 1970s. This disc-shaped model consists of a white aluminium shade and three chromed metal refle...
Category

1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Metal

Nilo Vase, Designed by Ettore Sottsass in 1983 for the Collection Memphis Milano
By Memphis Group, Ettore Sottsass, Memphis Milano
Located in Beirut, LB
The Nilo vase was originally designed by Ettore Sottsass in 1983 for Memphis Milano 1981-1988. Produced by Memphis in 2013-2014. A classic by Sottsass, the Nilo porcelain vase is par...
Category

1980s Italian Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Porcelain

Mettsass Dining Table, Ettore Sottsass
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Geneve, CH
Mettsass dining table, Ettore Sottsass Dimensions: 110 x 110 x 73 H cm Materials: steel, glass The structure is of flat sheets of steel painted in red. The glass on the top is p...
Category

2010s Spanish Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Steel

Memphis Milano Carlton Shelf by Ettore Sottsass
By Memphis Milano, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Toronto, ON
An absolute icon of Memphis designed by Ettore Sottsass in 1981, Carlton fully represents the programmatic intention of the group: the desire to transgress with an irreverent, unorth...
Category

2010s Italian Post-Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Laminate, Wood

SOTTSASS ETTORE (1917 - 2007) - Ganga Sculpture-vase from the Short Stories
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Zurich, CH
SOTTSASS ETTORE (1917 - 2007). Ganga Sculpture-vase from the Short Stories series. Signed and dated under the base "SOTTSASS PROVA DEL 06/12/02". Artist's Proof. Total Edition: 33 co...
Category

Early 2000s Italian Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Murano Glass

1960s blue umbrella stand by Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Milano, IT
Vintage umbrella stand made of blue-painted wood designed by Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova in 1961.
Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Wood

Italian Camomilla ceramic centerpiece by Ettore Sottsass for Alessio Sari, 2017
By Alessio Sarri Ceramiche, Ettore Sottsass
Located in MIlano, IT
Centrotavola o portafrutta modello Camomilla in ceramica gialla di Ettore Sottsass per Alessio Sari, prodotto nel 2017. Centrotavola o portafrutta modello Camomilla in ceramica dipin...
Category

2010s Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Ceramic

"Casablanca" Cabinet, Design by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis, Italy, 1981
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Napoli, IT
"Casablanca" cabinet designed by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis, Italy, 1981. Wood construction with colored laminate covering shelving with two doors and three drawers. Unlimited Edi...
Category

1980s Italian Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Wood

Mid-Century Orange "Califfo" Sofa by Ettore Sottsass, Poltronova, Italy, 1960s
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Brussels, BE
Mid-Century Modern orange "Califfo" sofa by Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova, Italy, 1960s.
Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Fabric, Wood

Ettore Sottsas Ospite Table Zanotta Postmodern, 1980s
By Zanotta, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Ettore Sottsass's Ospite dining table. Designed in 1984 and produced by Zanotta. Painted brier veneer top and three brass silver legs.    
Category

1980s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Brass

20th Century, Ettore Sottsass Pair of Ottomans Mod Dado T29 for Poltronova 1960s
By Ettore Sottsass, Poltronova
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

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Wood

Set by Ettore Sottsass for atelier Alessi Italy production in years 78
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Biella, IT
Ettore Sottsass design for atelier Alessi and released in 1978, the “5074” condiment set has become a true icon of late 20th Century Modern Design. the set of five pieces is in sta...
Category

1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Crystal, Stainless Steel

Dorane Lamp by Ettore Sottsass for Stilnovo
By Ettore Sottsass, Stilnovo
Located in Little Burstead, Essex
This is one of the rarer twin bulb models of the Dorane lamps by the great Italian designer, Ettore Sottsasss, one of the founder members of the 'Memphis' group. Not only is this lam...
Category

20th Century Italian Minimalist Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Steel

Ettore Sottsass, vase Euphrates
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in SAINT-OUEN-SUR-SEINE, FR
Vase in enameled ceramic, model Euphrates, by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano, Italy circa 1983.
Category

1980s Italian Other Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Enamel

Floor Lamp Moonlight by Ettore Sottsass for Arredoluce, Italy, 1970s
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Antwerp, BE
Model 14104 Moonlight floor lamp by Ettore Sottsass, crafted in the 1970s for Arredoluce. This striking lamp features a blend of chrome-plated stainless steel, lacquered metal, and neon, embodying Sottsass' avant-garde aesthetic. The Moonlight lamp...
Category

1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Metal, Steel

21st Century Firenze Flush Light in Crystal/Sapphire by Ettore Sottsass
By Venini, Ettore Sottsass
Located in murano, IT
Regardless of their size, small or large, the luminous sculptures by Ettore Sottsass bring to mind the idea and image of the Florentine lily. Revealed ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian 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
    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 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 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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