Ello Shelves
In its sleek credenzas, chic mirrored cabinets and sculptural dining tables, vintage Ello furniture encapsulates the glitz and glamour of the Hollywood Regency style.
Ello founder Lothar H. Molton (1926-2012) took his family and fled Nazi-occupied Germany and established his furniture company in Chicago, Illinois, in 1956 as a garage operation. In 1968, the company moved to the renowned furniture town of Rockford, where many of the country's most well-known producers once set up manufacturing operations. Over the next four decades, Ello enjoyed great success as a producer of furniture and an importer, growing into a 150,000-square-foot warehouse and a 200,000-square-foot manufacturing plant.
Though more often featuring an integration of flashy brass accents and materials such as travertine versus the dark woods and clean lines associated with mid-century modern design, Ello furniture was known in its heyday for being as practical as it was stylish. The company's motto was "Contemporary Furniture of Distinction," and their designs were highly functional with just the right amount of flair for the modern home.
In 1976, the Fort Lauderdale News and Sun-Sentinel described an Ello modular wall unit as "a rare combination of function plus spectacular glamour." Ello also collaborated with well-known designers of the era, like O.B. Solie. During the 1970s, Solie worked with mirrored glass, bronze, oak and more to design a range of tallboys, chests, sideboards and other pieces that boasted gilt brass escutcheons and brushed chrome drawer pulls.
In its prime, Ello held annual inventory clearance sales that attracted hundreds of customers. People lined up around the warehouse, sometimes camping out days in advance. Sales started to become more frequent, and in 2010, Ello closed its doors. In 2011, they auctioned off the rest of their merchandise.
Today vintage Ello furniture continues to enjoy popularity for its bold but practical designs.
On 1stDibs, find Ello case pieces, tables and bedroom furniture.
1970s American Hollywood Regency Vintage Ello Shelves
Aluminum, Brass
21st Century and Contemporary American Other Ello Shelves
Maple
2010s American Modern Ello Shelves
Brass
Mid-20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Ello Shelves
Metal
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ello Shelves
Plastic
2010s American Modern Ello Shelves
Stainless Steel
1930s British Vintage Ello Shelves
Wood
2010s American Modern Ello Shelves
Brass
1970s Italian Hollywood Regency Vintage Ello Shelves
Metal, Gold Plate
1970s American Hollywood Regency Vintage Ello Shelves
Aluminum
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Ello Shelves
Chrome
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Ello Shelves
Wire
1960s Italian Vintage Ello Shelves
Metal
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ello Shelves
Chrome
1970s American Vintage Ello Shelves
Brass
