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Italian Double-Sided "FerroTipi" Series Bookcase with Drop-Front, Malacrida
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$23,677.26
£17,688.74
€20,000
CA$32,969.41
A$35,423.79
CHF 19,004.79
MX$417,333.10
About the Item
This sculptural bookcase is a distinct variant within the FerroTipi series (1968), designed by Gianantonio Malacrida in collaboration with Paolo Resmini, and fully representative of their shared exploration of modularity, industrial language, and architectural function applied to domestic furniture. As this is architect's prototype, no other versions have been produced and it has never gone into production. Some modifications can be made to the bookcase, such as adding two shelves of your choice in wood or glass. The bookcase has some slight scratches, which will be repaired before shipping.
Built around a rigorous tubular steel structure, the piece integrates two enclosed wooden storage volumes conceived for double-sided use, allowing the bookcase to function autonomously in space. As with the most advanced FerroTipi designs, this element was not intended to rest against a wall, but rather to be positioned at the center of a room as a spatial divider, mediating large living areas through structure and rhythm.
The lower wooden compartment functions as a large container rather than a traditional cabinet: it opens through a folding drop-front mechanism (a "portfolio" opening) activated by a steel handle. Once opened, the interior reveals a single, generous storage cavity, emphasizing utility and material honesty over subdivision.
The upper compartment introduces a more articulated mechanism. It opens from both sides through two steel handles, with hinged panels that fold down and remain perfectly horizontal, transforming into temporary surfaces. This dual ribalta opening reinforces the piece's architectural character, offering symmetrical usability from either side of the bookcase.
The contrast between the industrial steel frame, the dark wooden volumes, and the expressive curved metal elements reflects the FerroTipi vocabulary described by Anty Pansera: minimal gesture, essential line, and expressive rigor rooted in the experimental design climate of late-1960s Italy. Each functional solution is visibly declared, turning mechanical logic into an aesthetic statement.
Rare in both concept and execution, this variant represents one of the most sophisticated expressions of Malacrida and Resmini's approach to furniture as a spatial, structural, and mutable device.
The bookcase comes from the Malacrida and Resmini architecture studio.
Provenance: From the private archive of architect Gianantonio Malacrida (1939- ). Original work by the author, preserved in his personal studio collection.
As prototypes, they were never put into production, one-off pieces.
- Creator:Malacrida and Co. (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 97.64 in (248 cm)Width: 63 in (160 cm)Depth: 18.51 in (47 cm)
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1968
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. Wear consistent with age and use. Wear consistent with its age, it has scratches and slight abrasions, but we will restore it before shipping. Solid and sturdy. Shelves can be added upon request.
- Seller Location:Milano, IT
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU4911248314042
About the Seller
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- ShippingRetrieving quote...Shipping from: milano, Italy
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