Liquor trolley by Cesare Lacca - brass and rosewood

Name: Liquor trolley by Cesare Lacca - brass and rosewood
Brand: Cesare Lacca
Price: 3351.73 AUD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.9 (72 reviews)

$2,265.76

£1,677.70

€1,900

CA$3,129.54

A$3,351.73

CHF 1,801.87

MX$40,708.76

NOK 22,767.49

SEK 20,845.33

DKK 14,480.40

About the Item

Well shaped Italian liquor trolley/serving cart by Cesare Lacca. Marvellous Italian bar trolley in brass and burgundy red lacquered wood. This stunning piece was designed by Cesare Lacca in the 1950s in Italy. The cart is in its fully original configuration, it features an X-shaped structure in brass and a gorgeous red lacquered wood that holds two internal glass crystal glass shelves. The top shelf is also hallmarked directly on the brass frame. The contrast between the brass and the lacquered wood is simply amazing and incredibly elegant. The bar cart has been kept with its natural patina and has some signs of use that do not compromise its beauty but rather amplify it's charm and historical value. An iconic item that will enrich a midcentury living room or bar. Born in Naples in 1929, Italian architect-designer Cesare Lacca created modernist furniture and metalwork throughout the 1950s. Though details of his personal life and professional training remain lost to history, there are sufficient surviving primary sources that document his many elegant designs in brasswork for which he is the best know and which fetch high prices from collectors. Like many Italian designers in the 20th century, Lacca moved to Milan after World War II to launch his career. Before he was even 21 years old, his work was selected by a group of American curators for inclusion in the landmark exhibition Italy at Work: Her Renaissance in Design Today that toured 12 US museums between 1950 and 1953, the first major exhibition of Italian design outside of Italy. The exhibition showcased the best and brightest of Italian designers who had embraced modernist principles and rejuvenated traditional Italian crafts, like Carlo Mollino, Franco Albini, and Gio Ponti In the exhibition catalogue, curator Meyric R. Roger’s spotlights Lacca's expert achievements in brass, noting “the variety and quality of his creations,” which “place him high among the architect-designers leading the current [Modernist] movement." Rogers adds, "The quality of his work...provide[s] all the decorative effectiveness needed without strain or exaggeration”. Lacca designed a great many tea carts and serving trolleys in his career, which make up a large proportion of what is available on the vintage market today, as well as magazine racks and coffee tables. Lacca’s most iconic tea cart was manufactured by Italian brand Cassina and features sculpted beech, cedar, teak, or walnut with brass details, a glass tabletop, and a removable glass tray. Lacca also designed high-backed lounge chairs, which were regularly featured in Arredoluce advertisements for Angelo Lelli’s lighting. Incidentally, Lacca’s lighting designs, at least one of which was on display at the 1950 Brooklyn Museum exhibition, are difficult to source and often sell well above estimated prices at art auctions. Almost all of Lacca’s known designs were created in the 1950s, and unfortunately, we do not know how his career developed from the 1960s. Today, Cesare Lacca is appreciated for his contribution to the Italian design identity, his ability to fashion brass into the Italian postwar design conversation; and his timeless, highly sought-after serving trolleys.

Creator:
Cesare Lacca (Designer)
Dimensions:
Height: 28.75 in (73 cm)Width: 31.5 in (80 cm)Depth: 17.33 in (44 cm)
Style:
Hollywood Regency (In the Style Of)
Materials and Techniques:
Brass,Glass,Wood,Lacquered
Place of Origin:
Italy
Period:
Mid-20th Century
Date of Manufacture:
1950-1960
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use.
Seller Location:
Antwerp, BE
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU9504758496