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.
Sculptural Goatskin Pepper Mill Blue Cat by Aldo Tura for Macabo, Italy 1960s
By Aldo Tura, Macabo
Located in München, BY
Exceptional, sculptural pepper mill by Aldo Tura for Macabo, Italy, 1960s. Hand-painted, expressive blue cat on goatskin. A rare, fine collector's item. Stamped Macabo on the base. ...
Metal
$1,000Sale Price|60% Off
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
Italian Aldo Tura Timber Desk Lamp with Pen Holder, 1950s
By Aldo Tura
Located in Byron Bay, NSW
Beautiful Italian Aldo Tura dark timber desk lamp with pen holder 1950s. Fully functional.
Wood
Large Mid Century modern Figurune, Horses in porcelain by Aldo Tura , Milan
By Aldo Tura
Located in Vigonza, Padua
About this statue and its Creator ALDO TURA Born in 1909, the designer-producer Aldo Tura founded his production house in 1939 in Lombardy. Working between the Art Deco and Modernist...
Ceramic
Wood Orphan Child Lantern Table Lamp by Aldo Tura for Macabo, Italy, 1950s
By Macabo, Aldo Tura
Located in Rome, IT
This particular and sophisticated lamp made by Aldo Tura is most likely a unique prototype lamp. Aldo Tura lamps were done in small editions, thus the d...
Brass
Midcentury Wood Monk Table Lamp Attibuted to Aldo Tura for Macabo, Italy 1950s
By Macabo, Aldo Tura
Located in Rome, IT
Midcentury amazing sculpture table lamp in wood and metal attributed to Aldo Tura for Macabo. Made in Italy in the 1950s. It depicts a bearded monk holding a stick (removable) in ...
Metal
Elephant Table Lamp Hand Carved Wood and Copper Aldo Tura for Macabo Italy 1950s
By Macabo, Aldo Tura
Located in Rome, IT
Not many Aldo Tura pieces can be compared to this unique table lamp, hand carved from a single piece of wood. Aldo Tura lamps were done in small editions and the detail and level of ...
Copper
Mid-Century Modern Lacquered Goatskin Clothes Valet W Mirror by Aldo Tura Italy
By Aldo Tura
Located in Port Jervis, NY
Fabulous and rare clothes valet by Aldo Tura in Goatskin and brass with a double sided mirror. In excellent vintage condition with minimal wear. Signed an...
Brass
Mid Century Modern Solid Walnut Catch All Bowl by Emil Milan
By Emil Milan
Located in San Diego, CA
Beautiful solid walnut hand carved sculpted bowl or catch all. Signed on the bottom. 1950s Emil Milan (1922 – 1985) was an American woodworker celebrated for his sculptural bowls, b...
Walnut
$1,585
H 22.5 in W 18 in D 9 in
Large Mid Century Modern Verdigris Ceramic Japanese Haniwa Style Horse Sculpture
By Bitossi
Located in Troy, MI
Large modernist ceramic horse sculpture circa 1960s Mid Century interpretation of a Japanese Haniwa horse with brutalist saddle and bridle accents Forme...
Ceramic
Large Spanish Horse Woman Porcelain Sculpture by Lladro, 1960s
By Lladro
Located in Barcelona, ES
Large Porcelain Sculpture: Lady on Horse Large Sculpture by Lladró, Spain, 1960s Very rare Lladró "Horsewoman" #1036 Spanish Name "Amazona" Item Number A...
Porcelain
Aldo Londi Bitossi Rimini Blue Glazed Fish Sculpture Figurine, Italy, 1950s
By Aldo Londi, Bitossi
Located in Vienna, AT
A beautiful, decorative midcentury Rimini blue glazed fish sculpture. Designed by Aldo Londi, manufactured by Bitossi Ceramiche / Italy in the 19...
Ceramic, Stoneware, Terracotta
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
Huge Aldo Tura Red Goatskin Lantern Table Lamp
By Aldo Tura
Located in Munich, DE
Superb lantern table lamp made by Aldo Tura, Italy in the 1960s. The lamp was executed in lacquered red goatskin with brass rings and includes a little bowl and it is in very good...
Goatskin
Rimini Blue Cat Made of Ceramics by Aldo Londi, 1960
By Aldo Londi, Bitossi
Located in Oirlo, LI
Rimini Blue cat made of ceramics by Aldo Londi,1960 This is a rare model, the cat is handmade. Has no chips or damage. It is a nice piece made ...
Ceramic
$392
H 5.75 in W 3.5 in D 2.38 in
Bitossi Rimini Blue Ceramic Owl Sculpture by Aldo Londi, Italy, 1960s
By Bitossi, Aldo Londi
Located in Nuernberg, DE
Bitossi Ceramic Sculpture by Aldo Londi, Rimini Blu, Italy, 1960s An exceptional Mid-Century Italian ceramic sculpture by Bitossi, designed by Aldo Londi in the 1960s. This rare piec...
Ceramic
$1,900
H 10.5 in W 4.75 in D 10.5 in
Mid-Century Italian Modern Bitossi Ceramic Blue Horse Pottery by Aldo Londi
By Bitossi, Aldo Londi
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A large and chic horse sculpture circa 1960s Aldo Londi for Bitossi. This piece features all glazed ceramic construction in a beautiful blue / green color. Signed Italy
Ceramic
$1,800 / item
H 27.5 in Dm 10 in
Standing Gourd Sculpture, Cream Lacquer by Robert Kuo, Limited Edition
By Robert Kuo
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Standing gourd Cream lacquer Copper Hand repousse Limited edition Lacquer is a technique that dates back to the Shang dynasty, circa 1600-1100 B.C. These pieces are made with at lea...
Copper
$838
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
$410
H 4.75 in W 5.63 in D 2.75 in
Bitossi Rimini Blue Ceramic Bird Sculpture by Aldo Londi, Italy, 1960s
By Bitossi, Aldo Londi
Located in Nuernberg, DE
Bitossi Ceramic Sculpture by Aldo Londi, Rimini Blu, Italy, 1960s An exceptional Mid-Century Italian ceramic sculpture by Bitossi, designed by Aldo Londi in the 1960s. This rare piec...
Ceramic
Mid-Century Aldo Tura design Colored Goatskin Pyramid Sculpture
By Aldo Tura
Located in Las Vegas, NV
Large decorative pyramid wrapped in greenish blue dyed goatskin then covered in a glossy lacquer. Brass accents. Labeled with Aldo Tura tag.
Goatskin, Wood
Sold
H 7 in W 7 in D 12 in
Mid-Century Modern Aldo Tura Skin Parchment Wood Fish Form Bowl Art Sculpture
By Aldo Tura
Located in Keego Harbor, MI
For your consideration is this unusual Aldo Tura fish-form sculpture bowl mixed media sculpture with a wood base and metal accents. Dimensions: 7"W x 12...
Wood
Aldo Tura Pair of 20th Century '1960s' Italian Standing Floor Ashtrays
By Aldo Tura
Located in North Miami, FL
A pair of 20th century (1960s) Italian standing floor ashtrays in goatskin and metal brass details made by Aldo Tura. They are modeled as a King and a Queen. Both have small doors to...
Metal, Brass
Set of Three Geometric Sculptures by Aldo Tura
By Aldo Tura
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Beautiful set of three emerald-green parchment geometric sculptures by Aldo Tura, Italy, 1950s. Cube: 4" W x 4" D x 4" H Cylinder: 3.875" diameter x 6" high Cone: 3.875" diameter...
Sold
H 7.5 in W 4 in D 4 in
Mid-Century Set of Lacquered Goatskin Geometric Paperweights/Objets by Aldo Tura
By Aldo Tura
Located in New York, NY
Set of three lacquered goatskin geometric paperweights or objects by Aldo Tura. This triptych includes a cube, a pyramid and a sphere. Wrapped in goatskin and mimicking the variance ...
Goatskin
Decorative Geometric Forms by Aldo Tura
By Aldo Tura
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Sphere, pyramid and cube wrapped in lacquered goatskin with original glassy finish and richly varied brown tones. Original Tura Milano Italia stickers on bottoms. Pyramid: W 4", D...
Goatskin, Wood
Octopus Lamp by Aldo Tura
By Aldo Tura
Located in Kilmarnock, VA
Not many Aldo Tura pieces can compare to this Octopus lamp with it's entwined arms with one arm held up to light it's way. This is most likely a unique p...
Brass