Vintage Synthesis Desk Chair by Ettore Sottsass
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Synthesis Desk Chair by Ettore Sottsass
Plastic
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1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Synthesis Desk Chair by Ettore Sottsass
Brass, Chrome
1960s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Synthesis Desk Chair by Ettore Sottsass
Steel
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Synthesis Desk Chair by Ettore Sottsass
Fabric, Rosewood
Late 20th Century Neoclassical Vintage Synthesis Desk Chair by Ettore Sottsass
Metal
1950s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Synthesis Desk Chair by Ettore Sottsass
Murano Glass
Early 2000s Dutch Modern Vintage Synthesis Desk Chair by Ettore Sottsass
Other
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Synthesis Desk Chair by Ettore Sottsass
Ceramic
21st Century and Contemporary Vintage Synthesis Desk Chair by Ettore Sottsass
Paper
20th Century Dutch Modern Vintage Synthesis Desk Chair by Ettore Sottsass
Mirror, Velvet
Late 20th Century German Vintage Synthesis Desk Chair by Ettore Sottsass
Paper
Late 20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Synthesis Desk Chair by Ettore Sottsass
Leather, Walnut
1980s Spanish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Synthesis Desk Chair by Ettore Sottsass
Paper
Late 20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Synthesis Desk Chair by Ettore Sottsass
Crystal
20th Century Dutch Modern Vintage Synthesis Desk Chair by Ettore Sottsass
Mirror, Velvet
20th Century Mid-Century Modern Vintage Synthesis Desk Chair by Ettore Sottsass
Upholstery, Wood
20th Century Estonian Industrial Vintage Synthesis Desk Chair by Ettore Sottsass
Wood, Plywood
Recent Sales
1970s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Synthesis Desk Chair by Ettore Sottsass
Metal
1960s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Synthesis Desk Chair by Ettore Sottsass
Aluminum
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Synthesis Desk Chair by Ettore Sottsass
Metal
1970s Italian Space Age Vintage Synthesis Desk Chair by Ettore Sottsass
Aluminum, Steel
1980s Italian Modern Vintage Synthesis Desk Chair by Ettore Sottsass
Metal
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Synthesis Desk Chair by Ettore Sottsass
Metal
1970s Italian Space Age Vintage Synthesis Desk Chair by Ettore Sottsass
Metal
1960s Italian Space Age Vintage Synthesis Desk Chair by Ettore Sottsass
Aluminum
1970s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Synthesis Desk Chair by Ettore Sottsass
Metal
1970s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Synthesis Desk Chair by Ettore Sottsass
Plastic
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 Seating for You
With entire areas of our homes reserved for “sitting rooms,” the value of quality antique and vintage seating cannot be overstated.
Fortunately, the design of side chairs, armchairs and other lounge furniture — since what were, quite literally, the early perches of our ancestors — has evolved considerably.
Among the earliest standard seating furniture were stools. Egyptian stools, for example, designed for one person with no seat back, were x-shaped and typically folded to be tucked away. These rudimentary chairs informed the design of Greek and Roman stools, all of which were a long way from Sori Yanagi's Butterfly stool or Alvar Aalto's Stool 60. In the 18th century and earlier, seats with backs and armrests were largely reserved for high nobility.
The seating of today is more inclusive but the style and placement of chairs can still make a statement. Antique desk chairs and armchairs designed in the style of Louis XV, which eventually included painted furniture and were often made of rare woods, feature prominently curved legs as well as Chinese themes and varied ornaments. Much like the thrones of fairy tales and the regency, elegant lounges crafted in the Louis XV style convey wealth and prestige. In the kitchen, the dining chair placed at the head of the table is typically reserved for the head of the household or a revered guest.
Of course, with luxurious vintage or antique furnishings, every chair can seem like the best seat in the house. Whether your preference is stretching out on a plush sofa, such as the Serpentine, designed by Vladimir Kagan, or cozying up in a vintage wingback chair, there is likely to be a comfy classic or contemporary gem for you on 1stDibs.
With respect to the latest obsessions in design, cane seating has been cropping up everywhere, from sleek armchairs to lounge chairs, while bouclé fabric, a staple of modern furniture design, can be seen in mid-century modern, Scandinavian modern and Hollywood Regency furniture styles.
Admirers of the sophisticated craftsmanship and dark woods frequently associated with mid-century modern seating can find timeless furnishings in our expansive collection of lounge chairs, dining chairs and other items — whether they’re vintage editions or alluring official reproductions of iconic designs from the likes of Hans Wegner or from Charles and Ray Eames. Shop our inventory of Egg chairs, designed in 1958 by Arne Jacobsen, the Florence Knoll lounge chair and more.
No matter your style, the collection of unique chairs, sofas and other seating on 1stDibs is surely worthy of a standing ovation.