One of the most enigmatic and polarizing figures to emerge in Italian design, Aldo Tura is an outlier in the world of mid-century furniture. The designer’s glamorous bar carts, coffee tables, cabinets and more resist categorization and draw inspiration from Art Deco, Art Nouveau, Baroque, Surrealist and modernist styles.
Tura moved through distinct phases in his career in terms of aesthetics, influences and finishes, rendering his life’s work exciting and diverse. Despite these phases, he held a singular devotion to one material: lacquered goatskin. Tura established a furniture production house in 1939 in Lombardy, and some of his early work focused on tables, decorative lamps and more. He later expanded to bar furnishings like rolling carts, cabinets and complementary barware accessories like ice buckets and cocktail shakers. The eccentric, gleaming and luxe surface of lacquered goatskin was a constant, along with eggshell, parchment and leather.
By the 1950s, Tura had begun to use hand-painted figural panels on the surface of cabinets, serveware (such as carafes) and other pieces. He even replicated famous works by artists like Monet and Bruegel the Elder and art from the Middle Ages, sometimes playfully embedding the paintings on cabinets shaped like oversize books. Even though he had a favored color palette of rich chocolate browns and deep emeralds, his style remained consistently hard to define.
Tura was unlike most of his Italian contemporaries but held a similar reverence for the nation’s traditional craftsmanship and artisanal techniques. He never followed the growing trend of mass-produced, industrial furniture and stuck to creating small, meticulously handcrafted collections. This principled choice means that today, a Tura piece is a rare and highly coveted collectible. The Tura firm continues to operate in Brianza, promoting Italian craftsmanship and the eclectic materials embraced by their namesake designer.
Find authentic vintage Aldo Tura furniture today on 1stDibs.
Squared Box in Green Goatskin and Brass Attributed to Aldo Tura, Italy, 1960s
By Aldo Tura
Located in Rome, IT
Squared box in green goatskin with brass details attributed to the Italian designer Aldo Tura. Made in Italy in the 1960s.
Metal, Brass
Aldo Tura Parchment Jewelry Box
By Aldo Tura
Located in New York, NY
Jewelry box in lacquered parchment and wood by Aldo Tura. Italy, circa 1960s.
Parchment Paper
Aldo Tura Goat Skin, Brass and Wood Italian Pipe Shaped Tobacco Box, 1940s
By Aldo Tura, Macabo
Located in Roma, IT
Amazing midcentury tobacco box in goatskin, brass and wood with the shape of a pipe. This fantastic item was designed by Aldo Tura in Cusano Milanino Italy for Macabo during the 1940...
Brass
Italy 1940s Aldo Tura Goat Skin, Brass and Wood Tobacco Container, Pipe Shape
By Aldo Tura, Macabo
Located in Roma, IT
Tobacco container by Aldo Tura, Italy 1940s in goatskin, brass and wood. The container has two compartments, one for storing tobacco and another for storing and lighting the games. D...
Brass
Aldo Tura, Pipe Shaped Parchment Tobacco Box, Macabo Italy 1950s
By Macabo, Aldo Tura
Located in Firenze, IT
Pipe shaped parchment and brass tobacco box designed by Aldo Tura Macabo Italy 1950s The box has two compartments, one for storing tobacco and anoth...
Brass
Aldo Tura Green Goatskin Chrome Box
By Aldo Tura
Located in Munich, DE
Elegant cigar box in lacquered goatskin. This box was executed, circa 1960 in light green parchment with chrome parts. Very good vintage condition. Along with artists like Piero Forn...
Goatskin
Wood Box Bowl by Aldo Tura for Macabo Italy 1950s Art Deco
By Aldo Tura, Macabo
Located in Rome, IT
Decorative wooden box with metal handle in the shape of acorns by the Italian designer Aldo Tura for Macabo Cusano Milanino. Made in Italy, circa 1950. On the bottom the original s...
Metal
$210Sale Price|64% Off
Aldo Tura Box Ice Goatsking Brown Italian Mid-Century Modern Design 1950s Cube
By Aldo Tura
Located in Palermo, Sicily
Aldo Tura box ice goatsking brown Italian Mid-Century Modern design 1950s cube.
Metal
Italian Handmade Maple Leaf Shaped Centerpiece, Aldo Tura for Macabo, 1950s
By Aldo Tura, Macabo
Located in Roma, IT
Wonderful midcentury handmade birchwood maple leaf-shaped centrepiece. This beautiful piece is signed by Macabo on the back and it was probably designed by Aldo Tura in the 1950s in ...
Wood, Birch
Italian Goatskin Wrapped Parchment and Teak Humidor by Aldo Tura
By Aldo Tura
Located in San Diego, CA
Rare and beautiful Italian goatskin wrapped lacquered parchment humidor with locking teak and brass lid by Aldo Tura, circa 1960s. The piece is in very good vintage condition and me...
Goatskin, Teak
Huge Aldo Tura Square Goatskin Ice Bucket
By Aldo Tura
Located in Munich, DE
Elegant Aldo Tura brown parchment square ice bucket or decorate box. This particular ice bucket was executed in the 1970s and is in excellent vinta...
Chrome
$835Sale Price|30% Off
Rooster Aldo Tura Ice Box Pitcher Midcentury Italian Design Multicolor, 1950s
By Aldo Tura
Located in Palermo, Sicily
Rooster Aldo Tura ice box pitcher midcentury Italian design multicolor, 1950s Measures: Box height cm.17, diameter cm.18, teaspoon height cm.28, pit...
Brass
Mid-Century Modern Ice Bucket by Aldo Tura, circa 1960, Italy
By Aldo Tura
Located in Brussels, BE
Mid-Century Modern Ice Bucket by Aldo Tura, circa 1960, Italy.
Wood
Malachite Jewelry Box
Located in New York, NY
A very beautiful and substantial green Malachite decorative or jewelry box, circa late-20th century. This green Malachite box has a hexagon shape with a white onyx marble star with gold gilt detail on top lid. A great decorative piece or jewelry box (as demonstrated), to hold necklaces, rings, earring, cufflinks, etc., on a vanity, nightstand, dresser, desk, credenza, walk-in-closet, etc. Very good condition as shown in images. No chips noted. Dimensions: 3.38" Depth x 4" Width. Purple charoite box shown also available, search 1stDibs ref. #: LU1314228491742 Green malachite box with cameo, search ref. #: LU1314228492012 (SOLD) Small gold and malachite turtle...
Malachite, Onyx
Antique Asian Wood Opium Container with Lid and Brass Pull
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Decorative Antique Asian round wood box container with lid and brass pull. Vintage collectible Asian wooden tobacco or opium round container. Round shaped lidded opium container...
Wood
Vintage Italian Decorative Chrome Box Italy 1960s
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This vintage Italian decorative chrome box from the 1960s features an elegant brass top detail, exemplifying mid-century Italian craftsmanship and style.
Brass, Chrome
Wood Jewelry Box
Located in New York, NY
A rectangular wood box, Postmodern design period, circa late-20h century. Box has three wood hues, velvet lined, easy open/close lid. Very good condition as shown.
Velvet, Wood
$850
H 9.06 in W 12.01 in D 5.31 in
Table lamp, pipe smoking accessories Aldo Tura inspired by Magritte, 1950s Italy
By Aldo Tura
Located in Wien, AT
A special table lamp representing a smoking set, designed by the famous Italian designer Aldo Tura, manufactured in the 1950s. Aldo Tura, the leading designer of Mid-Century Modern ...
Metal
Old Chinese Jewelry Box Jewelry Box Jade Brass
Located in Poperinge, BE
Old Chinese wooden jewelry box with brass fittings and a jade plaque centrally placed on the lid, inside a pink/fuchsia lining with gold floral decoration, second half of the 20th ce...
Jade, Brass
Italian Onyx Dresser Box, 1960s
Located in Savannah, GA
An Italian brown onyx paw foot dresser box, 1960s. 5 ¾ inches wide by 4 ¼ inches deep by 2 ¼ inches tall
Onyx
$835
H 1.97 in W 7.88 in D 7.88 in
Midcentury Box in Red Goatskin and Chrome Attributed to Aldo Tura Italy, 1960s
By Aldo Tura
Located in Rome, IT
Midcentury beautiful squared box in red goatskin, wood and chrome details attributed to the Italian designer Aldo Tura. Made in Italy in the 1960s.
Metal, Steel, Chrome
18th Century Italian Painted and Parcel Gilt Reliquary Box
Located in Houston, TX
18th century Italian painted and parcel gilt reliquary box. This lovely large Italian Baroque box is made of painted and parcel gilt wood surrounded by ...
Glass, Wood
1960s Mid-Century Modern Green and Gold Ceramic Italian Box by La Colonnata
Located in Aci Castello, IT
A green and gold ceramic round box by La Colonnata in the manner of Gio Ponti. This small factory established in Sesto Fiorentino, town famous for ha...
Ceramic
Italian Florentine Square Green and Gilt Wood Trinket Box
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Charming small Italian Mid-Century Florentine hand crafted box. This gilt-wood box can be used to store your favorite pieces of jewelry as well a stand alone piece on a coffee table ...
Wood, Giltwood, Paint
$1,000Sale Price|60% Off
H 10 in Dm 4 in
Aldo Tura Sculpture, Red, Cream, Geometric, Lacquered Goatskin, Signed
By Aldo Tura
Located in New York, NY
Aldo Tura geometric sculpture, lacquered goatskin, red, cream, signed. Small to medium scale two-piece wood table sculpture covered in lacquered goatskin ...
Goatskin
Aldo Tura Goatskin Parchment On Wood Box, Italy 1950s
By Aldo Tura
Located in Milan, IT
Splendid Aldo Tura Box In Mixed Colored Goatskin Parchment on Wood. Made in Italy Inscription Italy 1950s
Goatskin, Parchment Paper, Wood
Italy midcentury Aldo Tura game box, Goatskin (parchment)
By Aldo Tura
Located in Valladolid, ES
Spectacular and unique box is a work by renowned Italian designer Aldo Tura, made of parchment (goatskin) in mid-century Italy. The box features a high-gloss lacquer finish. On the ...
Goatskin, Fruitwood
Aldo Tura Green Goatskin Parchment and Brass Box, Italy 1960s
By Aldo Tura
Located in Milan, IT
Splendid Aldo Tura Green Goatskin Parchment and Brass Box, Original Aldo Tura Label Italy 1960s
Brass
Sold
H 7.88 in W 7.49 in D 5.91 in
1950s Aldo Tura Mid-Century Modern Goatskin and Brass Pipe Shaped Tobacco Box
By Aldo Tura
Located in Aci Castello, IT
A Goatskin and Brass tobacco box designed by Aldo Tura and manufactured by Macabo in the Fifties, it's in lovely vintage condition with brass in original patina. This exquisite tobac...
Brass
Aldo Tura Green Goatskin Box
By Aldo Tura
Located in Munich, DE
Elegant small box in green goatskin with a brass nope and walnut inlay inside, made by Aldo Tura in the 1970s. Excellent vintage condition.
Brass
Sold
H 2.76 in W 9.85 in D 5.12 in
1950s Aldo Tura Mid-Century Modern Red Goatskin and Brass Jewelry Box
By Atelier Tura, Aldo Tura
Located in Aci Castello, IT
An elegant Mid-Century Modern red goatskin and wood jewelry box in excellent condition, it has been designed in Italy in the Sixties by Aldo Tura and manufactured by Atelier Tura in ...
Goatskin, Fruitwood
Sold
H 2 in W 12.6 in D 9 in
20Th Century, Amazing, Mid-Century Modern Aldo Tura box in decorated parchment.
By Aldo Tura
Located in Catania, IT
Amazing Rectangular box decorated with an architectural whim, made by the Italian designer Aldo Tura. Made in Italy in the 1960s. Good conditions overall, original patina. Our main goal is customer satisfaction, so the packaging and shipping of this item will be done with the utmost care. This Item is the ideal object to create a perfect moment...
Boxwood, Parchment Paper
Giorgio Tura Vintage Object Holder with Salamander
By Aldo Tura
Located in Milano, IT
Lovely varnished wooden holder from the 1960s designed by Giorgio Tura, of fine Italian manufacture. The holder is made entirely of dark wood, very beaut...
Brass
Aldo Tura Green Goatskin Box Milan Italy
By Aldo Tura
Located in Munster, NRW
Extraordinary rare goatskin box design ALDO TURA Milan Italy 1960S.
Brass
Sold
H 7.88 in W 17.33 in D 6.3 in
Aldo Tura Huge Green Goatskin Champagne & Wine Cooler Milan Italy 1960s
By Aldo Tura
Located in Munster, NRW
An Aldo Tura table lamp in the shape of a lantern. The lantern has been lovingly crafted from lacquered goatskin - brass & wood. Normal signs of use. The lantern is in very good...
Brass
Mid-Century Modern Lacquered Goatskin Humidor by Aldo Tura
By Aldo Tura
Located in Port Jervis, NY
Finest quality humidor in lacquered Goatskin and rosewood. Five trays in rosewood, four of which slide in and out for easy access. Holds sixty cigars on ventilated rosewood rack. Has...
Goatskin, Rosewood
Nice Aldo Tura Box
By Aldo Tura
Located in Munich, DE
Nice Aldo Tura box for various use.
Goatskin