Questions & Answers
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What is the history of Kartell?
1 Answer
The history of Kartell starts with an Italian chemical engineer named Giulio Castelli and his wife, Anna Ferrieri. The couple founded Kartell in Milan as an industrial design firm, producing utilitarian items like ski racks for automobiles and laboratory equipment designed to replace breakable glass with sturdy plastic. Even as companies like Olivetti and Vespa were making Italian design popular in the 1950s, typewriters and scooters were relatively costly, and Castelli and Ferrieri wanted to provide Italian consumers with affordable, stylish goods. They launched a housewares division of Kartell in 1953, making lighting fixtures and kitchen tools and accessories from colorful molded plastic. Buoyed by its success in the home goods market, Kartell introduced its Habitat division in 1963. Kartell achieved international recognition for its innovative work in 1972, when a landmark exhibition curated by Emilio Ambasz called "Italy: The New Domestic Landscape" opened at New York's Museum of Modern Art. Castelli and Ferrieri sold Kartell to Claudio Luti, their son-in-law, in 1988, and since then, Luti has expanded the company's roster of designers. On 1stDibs, explore a large selection of Kartell furniture.
1stDibs ExpertFebruary 21, 2024
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Shop for Kartell Furniture on 1stDibs
Olaf Von Bohr for Kartell Mod. 4963 Chest of Drawers, I§taly 1970s
By Kartell, Olaf von Bohr
Located in Naples, IT
Designed by Olaf Von Bohr and meticulously manufactured by Kartell, this versatile sideboard or shoe cabinet, model 4963, is a masterpiece of avant-garde vintage design. The rectangu...
Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Plastic
Carlo Bartoli for Kartell Mod.4875 Plastic Chair, Italy, 1970s
By Kartell, Carlo Bartoli
Located in Naples, IT
Modern Italian white plastic chair with rounded seat and back, Mod." 4875" by Carlo Bartoli for Kartell, 1970s. The circular chair legs are ...
Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chairs
Materials
Plastic, Rubber
6 Kartell Italy Mademoiselle Chairs by Philippe Starck Black Fabric Lucite
By Philippe Starck, Kartell
Located in Miami, FL
Vintage Set of 6 Mademoiselle dining or armchairs in the original black cotton upholstery and with transparent Lucite frames.
Designed by Philippe Starck and made in Italy by Kartel...
Category
Early 2000s Italian Dining Room Chairs
Materials
Fabric, Foam, Lucite
Philippe Starck for Kartell Clear Lucite Eros Swivel Italian Chairs, Set of 3
By Philippe Starck, Kartell
Located in Miami, FL
Set of 3 transparent Lucite Eros swivel chairs designed by Philippe Starck for Kartell and made in Italy.
The seat is made out of acrylic and the base is aluminum.
Marked at the se...
Category
Late 20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Aluminum
Italian Modern Table By A. Castelli Ferrieri & Ignazio Gardella For Kartell
By Anna Castelli Ferrieri, Ignazio Gardella, Kartell
Located in Houston, TX
Italian Modern Table By A. Castelli Ferrieri & Ignazio Gardella For Kartell.
This iconic Italian mid century modern center table or dining table was created in the 1960's by Kartell ...
Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Center Tables
Materials
Metal
Kartell Salad Spoon & Fork Casalinghi, 1958 Design, Gino Colombini, Milan, Italy
By Gino Colombini, Kartell
Located in Andernach, DE
Absolute rare collectors item by Kartell Samco, Italy: this very set of salad cutlery comes in a cream with pistachio green handles!
Designed in 1958 amongst other household items by...
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Serving Pieces
Materials
Plastic