Carlton Memphis Milano
Vintage 1980s Italian Post-Modern Bookcases
Wood, Laminate
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Screens and Room Dividers
Wood, Plastic
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Bookcases
Wood, Plastic
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Post-Modern Bookcases
Laminate, Wood
Vintage 1980s Italian Post-Modern Bookcases
Wood
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Silver
Antique 19th Century English Renaissance Revival Panelling
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21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Floor Lamps
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Late 20th Century Italian Modern Bookcases
Late 20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Bookcases
Vintage 1980s Italian Bookcases
Plastic
Late 20th Century Italian Post-Modern Bookcases
Wood
Vintage 1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Bookcases
Formica, Wood
Late 20th Century Italian Bookcases
Vintage 1980s Italian Post-Modern Bookcases
Laminate
1990s Italian Post-Modern Bookcases
Laminate
Vintage 1980s Italian Post-Modern Bookcases
Laminate, Plywood
Late 20th Century Italian Post-Modern Screens and Room Dividers
Laminate, Wood
Late 20th Century Italian Memphis Group Bookcases
Wood
Vintage 1980s Italian Post-Modern Bookcases
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Post-Modern Models and Miniatures
Laminate, Wood
Carlton Memphis Milano For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a Carlton Memphis Milano?
Ettore Sottsass for sale on 1stDibs
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.
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. They 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's 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 imaginative and expressive in smaller, secondary furnishings such as lamps and chandeliers, and in table pieces and glassware that have playful and sculptural qualities.
It was as an artist that Ettore 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.
Finding the Right bookcases for You
As long as curious people have collected stories, we have needed a place to stow them away and preserve them. When auction houses and book dealers proliferated by the late 17th century, the bibliophile was born. And, of course, as with any treasured objects, a book lover’s volumes were suddenly worthy of a luxurious display — enter the bookcase. Americans of means during the 19th century took to amassing art as well as rare books, and antique bookcases of the era, rife with hand-carved decorative accents and architectural motifs, were ideal for displaying their handsome leather-bound wares.
Although our favorite titles may change over the years, the functionality and beauty of their home within our home is timeless. Whether you proudly shelve your books in regal mahogany or behind glass cabinet doors, a bookcase — or perhaps more than one — is essential to creating a cozy nook for any book lover. Even those who don’t covet the perfect home library can benefit from an attractive display case, as bookcases can easily double as charming étagères.
Contemporary and customizable options make it easier for you to find the perfect bookcase for your style and stacks. If you don’t wish to fill your storage piece so that your collection is snug within its confines, incorporate extra space to allow for additional displays and decorative objects. And by introducing a striking dark wood Art Deco bookcase or low-profile mid-century modern design by Paul McCobb into your living room, your signed first editions won’t be the only items making a statement.
Find your dream bookcase on 1stDibs now.