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Harry Bertoia Collectibles and Curiosities

American, Italian, 1915-1978

Sculptor, furniture and jewelry designer, graphic artist and metalsmith, Harry Bertoia was one of the great cross-disciplinarians of 20th-century art and design and a central figure in American mid-century modernism. Among furniture aficionados, Bertoia is known for his chairs such as the wire-lattice Diamond chair (and its variants such as the tall-backed Bird chair) designed for Knoll Inc. and first released in 1952.

As an artist, he is revered for a style that was his alone. Bertoia’s metal sculptures are by turns expressive and austere, powerful and subtle, intimate in scale and monumental. All embody a tension between the intricacy and precision of Bertoia’s forms and the raw strength of his materials: steel, brass, bronze and copper.

Fortune seemed to guide Bertoia’s artistic development. Born in northeastern Italy, Bertoia immigrated to the United States at age 15, joining an older brother in Detroit. He studied drawing and metalworking in the gifted student program at Cass Technical High School. Recognition led to awards that culminated, in 1937, in a teaching scholarship to attend the Cranbrook Academy of Art in suburban Bloomfield Hills, one of the great crucibles of modernism in America

At Cranbrook, Bertoia made friendships — with architect Eero Saarinen, designers Charles and Ray Eames and Florence Schust Knoll and others — that shaped the course of his life. He taught metalworking at the school, and when materials rationing during World War II limited the availability of metals, Bertoia focused on jewelry design. He also experimented with monotype printmaking, and 19 of his earliest efforts were bought by the Guggenheim Museum.

In 1943, he left Cranbrook to work in California with the Eameses, helping them develop their now-famed plywood furniture. (Bertoia received scant credit.) Late in that decade, Florence and Hans Knoll persuaded him to move east and join Knoll Inc. His chairs became and remain perennial bestsellers. Royalties allowed Bertoia to devote himself full-time to metal sculpture, a medium he began to explore in earnest in 1947.

By the early 1950s Bertoia was receiving commissions for large-scale works from architects — the first came via Saarinen — as he refined his aesthetic vocabulary into two distinct skeins. One comprises his “sounding sculptures” — gongs and “Sonambient” groupings of rods that strike together and chime when touched by hand or by the wind. The other genre encompasses Bertoia’s naturalistic works: abstract sculptures that suggest bushes, flower petals, leaves, dandelions or sprays of grass. 

As you will see on these pages, Harry Bertoia was truly unique; his art and designs manifest a wholly singular combination of delicacy and strength.

Find vintage Harry Bertoia sculptures, armchairs, benches and other furniture and art on 1stDibs.

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Creator: Harry Bertoia
An inscribed copy of Harry Bertoia's "Sculptor"
By Harry Bertoia
Located in Toronto, Ontario
A nice inscribed copy of June Kompass Nelson's book "Harry Bertoia , Sculptor"
Category

1970s American Vintage Harry Bertoia Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

Harry Bertoia Patinated Silver Brooch with Coral and Ebony, USA 1943
By Harry Bertoia
Located in New York, NY
An unusual piece of Bertoia's jewelry with a figurative quality. This brooch was included in an exhibit, "In Nature's Embrace: The World of Harry Bertoia" at the Reading Public Museu...
Category

1940s American Vintage Harry Bertoia Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Coral, Silver

Harry Bertoia Hand-Forged Silver, Ebony and Silver Wire Pendant, USA 1942
By Harry Bertoia
Located in New York, NY
This early wire wrapped pendant was likely made by Harry Bertoia while he was at Cranbrook.
Category

1940s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Harry Bertoia Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Silver

Important Harry Bertoia Silver, Ebony and Coral Pendant, USA, circa 1950
By Harry Bertoia
Located in New York, NY
Bertoia stopped producing jewelry in the late 1940s except for rare occasions when he would barter a piece in exchange for materials from his metal supplier. This piece has remained ...
Category

1950s American Vintage Harry Bertoia Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Coral, Silver

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Harry Bertoia Silver Gong Pendant
By Harry Bertoia
Located in New York, NY
Hand-hammered and an unusually large size this gong styled pendant has an amazing presence. His jewelry is rare and coveted by collectors worldwide. This extraordinary piece would be...
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Harry Bertoia Silver Gong Pendant
Harry Bertoia Silver Gong Pendant
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Harry Bertoia Early Kinetic Pendant, circa 1939
By Harry Bertoia
Located in South Charleston, WV
An exceptionally rare and early brass pendant by Harry Bertoia executed during his years at Cranbrook, circa 1939. Before achieving world wide recognition for his innovative desi...
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Harry Bertoia Knoll Industrial Design Diamond Chair Jig, 1952
By Harry Bertoia, Knoll
Located in South Charleston, WV
Industrial designed jig by Harry Bertoia for Knoll, 1952. Exhibited Huntington Museum of Art 2020. In 1952, Harry Bertoia and his small team resolved the industrial design challen...
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Early Harry Bertoia Kinetic Bracelet
By Harry Bertoia
Located in Toronto, Ontario
A truly exceptional and important Harry Bertoia masterpiece. This piece dates to the beginnings of American Modern and foreshadows Harry's later Kinetic sound sculptures. 28 indiv...
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1940s American Vintage Harry Bertoia Collectibles and Curiosities

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Silver

Harry Bertoia Masterpiece Pendant
By Harry Bertoia
Located in Toronto, Ontario
A truly spectacular early masterpiece by Harry Bertoia. An artist created jewelry form which hints at later metal sculptures. This web form pendant was crafted in the 1940s while Harry was at Cranbrook. Unique in form and design. Thin silver thread is woven around four large outside rods that are formed and flattened at the backs. Centre is solid formed silver with four Kinetics elements at the top and a small circle of black coral at the bottom. This piece can be worn on either side as both are finished and beautiful. A true masterpiece of early American modernism...
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Harry Bertoia Masterpiece Pendant
Harry Bertoia Masterpiece Pendant
H 6 in W 4.5 in D 0.5 in
Rare Harry Bertoia Hand-Hammered Silver Pendant
By Harry Bertoia
Located in New York, NY
This hand-hammered silver pendant has 24K gold and coral details. Bertoia gifted this unique large scale pendant to his friend and metals expert, Clarence Haack. It has remained in ...
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1960s American Vintage Harry Bertoia Collectibles and Curiosities

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Fine and Rare Gold "Gong" Pendant by Harry Bertoia (1915-78)
By Harry Bertoia
Located in New York, NY
A Rare and wonderful miniature "Gong" pendant by Harry Bertoia. Hand stencil formed and hammered solid gold, this is a very fine example of Bertoia's mastery over metal. His jewelr...
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Stunning Silver "Gong" Pendant by Harry Bertoia (1915-78)
By Harry Bertoia
Located in New York, NY
A Rare and wonderful miniature "Gong" pendant by Harry Bertoia. Hand stencil formed and hammered silver, this is a very fine example of Bertoia's mastery over metal. His jewelry is ...
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Harry Bertoia collectibles and curiosities for sale on 1stDibs.

Harry Bertoia collectibles and curiosities are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of wood and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Harry Bertoia collectibles and curiosities, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original collectibles and curiosities by Harry Bertoia were created in the mid-century modern style in united states during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider collectibles and curiosities by Curtis Jeré, Jean Dubuffet, and Ian Fleming. Prices for Harry Bertoia collectibles and curiosities can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $1,200 and can go as high as $65,000, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $38,000.
Questions About Harry Bertoia Collectibles and Curiosities
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    Whether or not a Harry Bertoia chair is comfortable really comes down to a matter of personal preference, but there are a lot of positive reviews pertaining to how comfortable the Italian-born American designer’s seating is. Among furniture aficionados he is known for the wire-lattice Diamond chair (and its variants such as the tall-backed Bird chair) designed for Knoll Inc. and first released in 1952. Shop a selection of Bertoia chairs from some of the world’s top dealers on 1stDibs.

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