Collectors of vintage mid-century modern furniture will find that the work of Italian designer Vittorio Dassi and Dassi Mobili Moderni is elegant and sculptural, brimming with all of the clean, angular lines and pleasing symmetry associated with the best of the era’s offerings.
While Dassi's name is less known to enthusiasts of the period’s furniture than the likes of Ico and Luisa Parisi, Franco Albini and other leading lights of mid-20th century Italian design, his case pieces, tables and seating will prove no less worthy of hunting down at today's flea markets and online marketplaces.
Wood was Dassi's preferred material — he favored rosewood, mahogany, walnut and other species for his covetable desks and wall units, which frequently featured decorative flourishes such as glass inlays, while a sideboard or buffet’s fronts might boast hand-carved geometric cutouts in lieu of brass door handles.
While little is known about Dassi's early life, it is believed that his career in furniture design began in 1940 at his family's company Dassi Mobili Moderni, in Lissone, Italy. Shortly thereafter, he took over managing the company from his father.
While Dassi produced dry bars and other case pieces during the 1950s that featured the motifs and ornament that are today attributed to the Art Deco movement, he created sumptuous mahogany nightstands topped with black glass and minimalist teak coffee tables that better represented the forward-looking spirit of mid-century modernism. His wall units of the era for Mobili Cantù are works of art — crafted in walnut and featuring birch veneers and high-gloss lacquer finishes as well as a single door front decorated with an abstract painting or otherwise provocative illustration, these structures would undoubtedly prove quite impressive to the likes of Poul Cadovius and George Nelson.
Dassi often collaborated with Italian architect, editor and furniture designer Gio Ponti. Ponti designed thousands of furnishings and products — from cabinets, mirrors and chairs to ceramics and coffeemakers — and his buildings, including the brawny Pirelli Tower (1956) in his native Milan, and the castle-like Denver Art Museum (1971), were erected in 14 countries. A collaboration between Dassi and Ponti of note is the pair’s work on the Hotel Royal in Naples — Ponti was commissioned to design the hotel and he partnered with Dassi to design the hotel's furnishings.
Today, Dassi Mobili Moderni S.R.L. is still in operation in Lissone.
Find vintage Dassi Mobili Moderni furniture by Fratelli Turri, Edmondo Palutari and other designers on 1stDibs.
$3,319Sale Price|20% Off
Minimal Italian Mid-Century Geometric Cabinet Bar Mahogany Dassi Milano
By Dassi Mobili Moderni
Located in Palermo, Sicily
Minimal Italian mid-century geometric cabinet bar mahogany Dassi Milano. In the center a large door with a bar compartment for spirits and glasses...
Laminate, Mahogany
$2,365Sale Price|20% Off
H 38.19 in W 39.38 in D 24.41 in
Italy Late 19th Century Inlaid Walnut Buffet with Drawer or Low Cabinet
Located in Brescia, IT
This is a pleasant credenza or low cabinet, handmade in walnut with an inlaid in the same wood. The top has very beautiful drawing that distinguishes this antique buffet. Hand made...
Walnut
Italian Arte Povera Cabinet, Handcrafted Pinewood, 20th Century
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A black-white, grey Italian cabinet in the Arte Povera technique, made of hand crafted painted Pinewood, in good condition. The tall, rectangular Tuscan cupboard is composed with a s...
Metal
18th Century Italian Cabinet Embellished w/Original Hand-Painting
Located in Atlanta, GA
An Italian hand-painted cabinet from the 18th century. This antique cabinets from Italy has a rectangular-shaped top which slightly overhangs the case below which is fitted with a si...
Wood
$1,937Sale Price|35% Off
H 31.5 in W 39.5 in D 18 in
Antique Italian Neoclassical Hand-Painted Buffet/Cabinet
Located in Dallas, TX
Antique Venetian Hand-Painted Buffet/Commode is the perfect choice for adding a refined neutral color and elegant neoclassical flair, while adding a functional surface and storage. ...
Pine
Italian Cabinet or Bar Attributed to Vittorio Dassi
By Osvaldo Borsani, Dassi, Guglielmo Ulrich, Ico Parisi, Gio Ponti
Located in Houston, TX
Italian Cabinet or Bar Attributed to Vittorio Dassi. Italian Mid-Century Modern bar, cabinet, credenza, cupboard or bookcase featuring gorgeous sculpted wood doors divided...
Bronze
$16,760 / item
H 31 in W 90 in D 19 in
GAULTIER CREDENZA - Modern geometric cabinet in white lacquer finish
By Susan Hornbeak-Ortiz
Located in Laguna Niguel, CA
GAULTIER CREDENZA - Modern geometric cabinet in white lacquer finish The Gaultier Buffet is a stylish and contemporary buffet cabinet designed to add a touch of elegance to any space. It is expertly crafted and made to order in California, ensuring high-quality craftsmanship and attention to detail. One of the standout features of the Gaultier Buffet is its sleek, lacquered finish. The lacquer not only adds a luxurious sheen to the surface but also provides a protective layer, enhancing the durability of the cabinet. The lacquer finish also makes cleaning and maintaining the buffet easier, ensuring its long-lasting beauty. The Gaultier Buffet offers ample storage space to organize and display your belongings. It features multiple compartments and shelves behind its doors, allowing you to store various items such as dinnerware, glassware, and other essentials. The interior configuration can be customized based on your specific needs and preferences, making it a highly versatile piece of furniture. With its modern design and attention to detail, the Gaultier Buffet serves...
Lacquer
$62,916 / item
H 36 in W 80 in D 23 in
Amuneal's Blue Lacquer Bar Cabinet with Brass Countertop and Integral Sink
By Amuneal
Located in New York, NY
Amuneal's Blue Lacquer Bar Cabinet with Brass Countertop and Integral Sink features hand-polished lacquered cabinet doors and drawer faces inlayed with buffed brass and integral pulls to create a modern, tailored statement. The composition of the lower cabinet is set off against a polished and patinated brass counter, which brings a timeless nuance to this modern design. Amuneal’s collector's wall hung shelves...
Brass
Elegant Mahogany Cabinet by Renzo Rutili in Black Lacquer
By Johnson Furniture Co., Renzo Rutili
Located in Atlanta, GA
Renzo Rutili was a seminal furniture designer of the 20th century who is sometimes overlooked in retrospect. Much of his work is as sophisticated, cutting edge and downright fabulous...
Brass
$19,500
H 32 in W 56 in D 19 in
Exceptional Mahogany Cabinet by Bert England for Widdicomb, circa 1965
By John Widdicomb
Located in Atlanta, GA
This magnificent cabinet is shipped as professionally photographed and described in the listing narrative: Meticulously professionally restored and completely installation ready A s...
Brass
Mid-Century Tommi Parzinger Sideboard Cabinet
By Charak Furniture Company, Tommi Parzinger
Located in Palm Springs, CA
Tommi Parzinger for Charak Modern buffet. Ribbon grain mahogany with wonderful color, featuring 5 drawers centering two doors. Sculptural wood handles.
Mahogany
19th Century Italian Hand-Painted Cabinet with Seascape Motif
Located in Atlanta, GA
An Italian two-door cabinet with artistic hand-painted seascape, from the 19th century. This antique cabinet from Italy features a rectangular-shaped top with gently scalloped front ...
Wood
$1,950 / item
H 23.63 in W 31.5 in D 15.75 in
'Cordilheira' Mid-Century Modern Cabinet in Brazilian Hardwood by Knót Artesanal
By Knót Artesanal
Located in Paraty, Rio de Janeiro
Cordilheira Cabinet was born as an idea to divide two spaces, it has a subtle curve on the front, and the often forgotten rear receives its own design with a dark contrasting tone. T...
Wood
Highboard by Edmondo Palutari for Dassi Mobili Moderni, 1960s
By Dassi Mobili Moderni, Edmondo Palutari
Located in bruxelles, BE
Highboard with 4 drawers, 2 large doors containing 2 shelves, and a folding door containing one shelf. Wear due to age and time. FOR SHIPPING, REQUEST US FOR RECEIVE THE BEST PRICE
Wood
Sold
H 80.71 in W 114.18 in D 19.69 in
Italian Midcentury Walnut Long Sideboard with Mirror by Vittorio Dassi, 1950s
By Vittorio Dassi, Dassi Mobili Moderni
Located in Traversetolo, IT
Stunning walnut long sideboard or buffet with mirror designed by Vittorio Dassi in the 1950s. It’s finished with two long shaped colored green g...
Mirror, Stained Glass, Maple, Walnut, Paint
Sold
H 46.86 in W 110.63 in D 22.05 in
Italian Rosewood Sideboard with Black Opaline Top by Vittorio Dassi, 1950s
By Dassi Mobili Moderni, Vittorio Dassi
Located in Traversetolo, IT
Important and very rare rosewood sideboard with glass top in black opaline, designed by Vittorio Dassi in the 1950s. The body is supported by two grooved solid curved mahogany wood e...
Marble