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
$208Sale 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
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 Macabo, Aldo Tura
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
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
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
Italian Handmade Maple Leaf Shaped Centerpiece, Aldo Tura for Macabo, 1950s
By Macabo, Aldo Tura
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
$827Sale 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
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
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
Silver Plated Metal 1960s Bowl & Box by Christofle
By Christofle
Located in Varese, Lombardia
Set of 2 silver plated metal decorative objects: a "leave" bowl and an "apple" box from the '60s. Pretty good condition: the bowl show light defect on one side as showed in the pictu...
Silver Plate, Brass
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
1950s by Piero Fornasetti Midcentury Italian Design Box
By Fornasetti
Located in Brescia, IT
Serigraphy on metal, wood box Excellent condition.
Metal
$260Sale Price|20% Off
H 7.4 in W 7.4 in D 5.5 in
Italian Medium Size Brown Leather Jewelry Box, Mid-Century Modern
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Mid-Size Leather Jewelry Box, Italy Circa 1950's Feminine as well as charming mid-size leather box hand crafted in brown leather and gold embossed monogram. Monogram letters are M.H...
Leather, Fabric
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
Art Deco Box in Silver Plate 1950s
Located in Meer, VAN
Wonderful art deco box in silver plate, mid 20th century. This is a fine art deco style decorative silver plated box with a very distinct sunburst design. Great as a decorative box...
Silver Plate
$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
Mithé Espelt Ceramic Jewelry Box, Mid-Century Modern, France, 1950s
By Mithé Espelt
Located in Saint-Amans-des-Cots, FR
Mid-Century Ceramic Jewelry Box by Mithé Espelt — Lunel, France, 1950s. A stunning mid-century ceramic jewelry box crafted by renowned French artist Mithé Espelt in Lunel, France, d...
Ceramic, Wood
$828
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
Italian Mid-Century Modern Gold Washed Jewel Box, Hand-Crafted, 1950s
Located in New York, NY
Fantastic Italian 22kt gold washed jewel/document box featuring hand applied passementerie and hand painted details.
Gold Leaf
$650 / item
H 1.75 in W 8.25 in D 4.75 in
Aldo Londi Bitossi-Style Green Fused Glass "Fritte" Ceramic and Wood Box
By Aldo Londi
Located in Minneapolis, MN
This is a very attractive wood box with a ceramic lid. We are unsure of the maker or designer, but from all its characteristics, we believe it to be of Italian origin and definitely ...
Ceramic, Pottery, 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 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 Aldo Tura, Atelier 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
Nice Aldo Tura Box
By Aldo Tura
Located in Munich, DE
Nice Aldo Tura box for various use.
Goatskin
Aldo Tura Italy 1970s Red Goatskin Box
By Aldo Tura
Located in Atlanta, GA
Refined lacquered goatskin decorative lidded box by Italian designer Aldo Tura, Milano. A 1970s rectangular wooden box with lacquered oxblood colored goatskin parchment veneer. Inter...
Goatskin, Wood
Aldo Tura Game Chest, Italy, circa 1950
By Aldo Tura
Located in Greding, DE
Small chest with rounded lid and handles. The surface was covered with red tinted goat skin and decorated with rivets. Inside removable inserts with playing cards and figures for pok...
Goatskin
Elegant Aldo Tura Purple Goatskin Jewelry Treasure Box
By Aldo Tura
Located in Munich, DE
Stunning piece for your jewelry or for your favourite small treasures, inside green velvet in very good vintage condition. Along with artists like Piero Fornasetti and Carlo Bugat...
Brass
Aldo Tura Cream Goatskin Treasure Box, Italy, 1960s
By Aldo Tura
Located in Munich, DE
Wonderful small treasure box for your jewelry or for your favourite small treasures, inside green velvet in very good vintage condition.
Brass