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Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Italian, 1917-2007

An architect, industrial designer, philosopher and provocateur, Ettore Sottsass led a revolution in the aesthetics and technology of modern design in the late 20th century. He was a wild man of the Radical Design movement that swept Italy in the late 1960s and ’70s, rejecting rationalism and modernism in favor of ever-more outrageous imaginings in lighting and furniture such as mirrors, lamps, chairs and tables.

Sottsass was the oldest member of the Memphis Group — a design collective, formed in Milan in 1980, whose irreverent, spirited members included Alessandro Mendini, Michele de Lucchi, Michael Graves and Shiro Kuramata. All had grown disillusioned by the staid, black-and-brown “corporatized” modernism that had become endemic in the 1970s. Memphis (the name stemmed from the title of a Bob Dylan song) countered with bold, brash, colorful, yet quirkily minimal designs for furniture, glassware, ceramics and metalwork. 

The Memphis Group mocked high-status by building furniture with inexpensive materials such as plastic laminates, decorated to resemble exotic finishes such as animal skins. Their work was both functional and — as intended — shocking.

Even as it preceded the Memphis Group's formal launch, Sottsass's iconic Ultrafragola mirror — in its conspicuously curved plastic shell and radical pops of pink neon — embodies many of the collective's postmodern ideals. 

Sottsass created innovative furnishings for the likes of Artemide, Knoll, Zanotta and Poltronova, where he reigned as artistic director for nearly two decades beginning in 1958. His most-recognized designs appeared in the first Memphis collection, issued in 1981 — notably the multihued, angular Carlton room divider and Casablanca bookcase. As pieces on 1stDibs demonstrate, however, Sottsass is at his most inspired and expressive in smaller, secondary furnishings such as lamps and chandeliers, and in table pieces and glassware that have playful and sculptural qualities.

Sottsass left the Memphis Group in 1985 in order to concentrate on the growth of Sottsass Associati, a design and architecture consultancy he cofounded in 1980. 

It was as an artist that Sottsass was celebrated in his life, in exhibitions at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, in 2006, and the Philadelphia Museum of Art a year later. Even then Sottsass’s work prompted critical debate. And for a man whose greatest pleasure was in astonishing, delighting and ruffling feathers, perhaps there was no greater accolade. That the work remains so revolutionary and bold — that it breaks with convention so sharply it will never be considered mainstream — is a testament to his genius.

Find Ettore Sottsass lighting, decorative objects and furniture for sale on 1stDibs.

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Creator: Ettore Sottsass
Italian Typewriter "Olivetti Linea 88", Design Ettore Sottsass, 1966
By Ettore Sottsass, Olivetti
Located in Palermo, IT
Italian typewriter "Olivetti Linea 88", Design Ettore Sottsass, 1966 Good condition. Features: Standard manual typewriter. Keyboard: 46 keys, corresponding to 92 symbols. Ribbon: 13...
Category

1960s Italian Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Metal

Ettore Sottsass Memphis Milano Diva Vintage Wall Mirror, Italy, 1984
By Memphis Group, Memphis Milano, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Vienna, AT
A post-modern wall-mounted mirror, Model „Diva" designed in 1984 by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano, Italy. This mirror is a vintage original from the 1980s, made from wood and mi...
Category

1980s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Glass, Mirror, Laminate, Wood

Asteroid Lamp by Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova Italy 1968 , Memphis
By Poltronova, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Antwerpen, Antwerp
Ettore Sottsass was a pioneering designer, artist and architect known for his bold approach to midcentury design. He opened his own design and architecture studio in 1947 and became ...
Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Metal

Ettore Sottsass Tartar console table for Memphis Milano Collection
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Chicago, IL
Tartar table designed by Ettore Sottsass, 1985. Memphis Milano label. The Tartar table encapsulates Ettore Sottsass’s distinctive style, his focus on geometric forms, and the patter...
Category

1980s Post-Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Laminate

Ettore Sottsass Tappeto Volante Flying Carpet Chair Bedding Brevetti Italy 1972
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Keego Harbor, MI
A postmodern lounge chair “Tappeto Volante (Flying Carpet)” designed by Ettore Sottsass for Bedding Brevetti, Italy 1972. Original label adhered to side. Beechwood and stain, stretch-jersey fabric, velvet, and carpeting. A standout example of Sottsass’s exploration of domestic form, the piece blends furniture and rug into a single surrealist gesture. Composed of soft upholstered elements– including a red carpet-like base, multicolored cushions, and asymmetrical armrests– it invites relaxation through both function and whimsy. “Tappeto Volante” reflects Sottsass’s growing interest in emotional design, blurring boundaries between utility, symbolism, and play. It has been featured in design retrospectives at the Triennale di Milano and Centre Pompidou and appears in publications documenting radical Italian design of the 1970s. “Tappeto Volante” is also in the permanent collection of the Museum of Fine Arts Houston and Vitra Design Museum. A unique opportunity to own a museum quality furniture...
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Velvet, Wood

Olivetti Typewriter Vintage Model "Valentine" 1969 Pop Art Icoon
By Ettore Sottsass, Giorgio Olivetti
Located in Antwerp, BE
The Olivetti Valetine is an icon for its expressive design and practical usability portable, manual typewriter known for its typical red ABS plastic housing and matching red case. Th...
Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Metal

20th Century, Ettore Sottsass "Tower Furniture" Series Wall Cabinet
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Turin, Turin
Ettore Sottsass grew up in Turin, and graduated in architecture from the Turin Polytechnic in 1939. In 1947, he founded his own studio in Milan. In 1956, Sottsass moved to New York w...
Category

1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Metal

Ettore Sottsass Postmodern "Tigris" Porcelain Vase for Memphis Milano, 1983
By Memphis Milano, Ettore Sottsass, Porcellane San Marco
Located in London, GB
For sale is a rare, early Post-Modern “TIGRIS” porcelain vase designed by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano and produced by Porcellane San Marco, in the 1980s. In 1983, Ettore Sott...
Category

Late 20th Century Italian Post-Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Ceramic, Porcelain

Ettore Sottsas Tahiti Lamp /Memphis
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in PARIS, FR
Tahiti designed by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano is a table lamp made with a rotating head in polychrome enamelled metal on a plastic laminate base with black and white Bacterio...
Category

1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Metal

Carlton Wood Miniature Bookcase by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano Collection
By Ettore Sottsass, Memphis Milano, Memphis Group
Located in La Morra, Cuneo
Here you are shown an authentic and perfect reproduction of the Carlton bookcase, originally designed in 1981 by Ettore Sottsass. The vivid colors and...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Wood, Plastic

Nairobi Bar Cabinet by Ettore Sottsass
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Doral, FL
Nairobi Bar Cabinet by Ettore Sottsass for Zanotta Edizioni 1989 Mod. 7500 Signed original. Red veneered laminate frame (design E. Sottsass). Base and inner frame with drawer and fol...
Category

1980s Italian Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Brass

Tahiti Table Lamp 'EU VERSION 220v', by Ettore Sottsass from Memphis, Milano
By Memphis Milano, Ettore Sottsass, Memphis Group
Located in La Morra, Cuneo
Here you are shown the EU wired 220v 'Tahiti' table lamp, designed by Ettore Sottsass in 1981. The light fixture is of a polychrome enameled metal "duck" with a pivoting-like head mo...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Metal

Tartar Table, by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano Collection
By Memphis Milano, Ettore Sottsass, Memphis Group
Located in La Morra, Cuneo
Tartar Table in laminated wood was originally designed in 1985, by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano. Ettore Sottsass was born in ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Wood

Suvretta Plastic Bookcase, by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano Collection
By Memphis Group, Ettore Sottsass, Memphis Milano
Located in La Morra, Cuneo
The Suvretta bookcase in plastic laminate was originally designed in 1981, by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano. Ettore Sottsass was born in Innsbruck in 1917. In 1939 he graduated...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Plastic

Freemont Gilded Wood Console, by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano Collection
By Memphis Milano, Ettore Sottsass, Memphis Group
Located in La Morra, Cuneo
Freemont gilded wood console in wood, plastic laminate and aluminum. Designed in 1985, by Ettore Sottsass. Ettore Sottsass was born in Innsbruck i...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Wood, Plastic

Ettore Sottsass Rare Limited Edition Piccoli Libri Cabinet, 1992
By Design Gallery Milano, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Piccoli Libri cabinet designed by Ettore Sottsass in 1992 edited by Design Gallery Milano. P.A from a Limited edition of 9 + 3 P.A. Plastic laminate-covered, maple-veneered woo...
Category

1990s Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Plastic, Wood

Casablanca Wood Cabinet, by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano Collection
By Memphis Group, Memphis Milano, Ettore Sottsass
Located in La Morra, Cuneo
Casablanca cabinet designed in 1981 for Memphis by Ettore Sottsass, in wood and plastic laminated colors. This is an unlimited edition with a number...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Wood, Plastic

20th Century Ettore Sottsass RSVP Centerpiece Mod. Indigo in Colored Glass
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Turin, Turin
Ettore Sottsass grew up in Turin, and graduated in architecture from the Turin Polytechnic in 1939. In 1947, he founded his own studio in Milan. In 1956, Sottsass moved to New York w...
Category

Early 2000s Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Glass

20th Century Ettore Sottsass Mirror Ultrafragola for Poltronova
By Poltronova, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Turin, Turin
Ettore Sottsass was a 20th-century Italian architect, noted for also designing furniture, jewellery, glass, lighting, home and office wares, as well as numerous buildings and interio...
Category

1970s Italian Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Opal

Ashoka Metal Table Lamp USA 110 Volts, by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano C.
By Memphis Group, Memphis Milano, Ettore Sottsass
Located in La Morra, Cuneo
Here you are shown the US wired, Ashoka Table Lamp in lacquered metal, designed by Ettore Sottsass in 1981 for Memphis Milano. Ettore Sottsass was born in Innsbruck in 1917. In 1939 he graduated in architecture at the Politecnico di Torino. One of the most influential and important figures of the last century. As an Architect and Designer, he has participated in all radical movements whether created from the 1970s and 1980s. In 1981 he founded the Memphis group, a group that has radically changed the scenario of Italian and world design. Honored with numerous international awards, was winner of the Golden Compass in 1959. He designed the first laptop "Valentina" by Olivetti. He died in 2007 at the age of 90 years. Memphis Milano is the great cultural phenomenon of the 1980s that revolutionized creative and commercial logics in design. Born from the idea of Ettore Sottsass and a group of young designers and architects, in Milan, coupled in the years by famous designers from the international scene, Memphis turned upside down all of the existing parameters on living. Ettore Sottsass as the backbone of the group, design gained a new concept and expression through new shapes, materials and patterns, expanding the creative limits of the industry. Memphis became a symbol of New Design. Its influence is still clear in various sectors of production and beyond. Additional Info: - Dimensions: W 29, D 5, H 35.5 inches - Lighting Info: 1 X 50 W, 12 V - 5 X 40W. (E14) - Materials: Lacquered metal. - Additional Lighting Info: Please note that this item is wired in 110 V for the standard US light socket. - Price includes additional US rewiring cost for accessibility with US outlets. - If you are interested in the EU version of this light, please refer to the dealers storefront for the (EU) wired light fixture...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Metal

Ettore Sottsass Chandelier, 1970
By Ettore Sottsass, Poltronova
Located in Vienna, AT
Rare ‚Bruco‘ chandelier designed by Ettore Sottsass for Design Centre / Poltronova in 1970. Minimalist chrome structure with a large methacrylate diffuser. Very nice original conditi...
Category

1970s Italian Space Age Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Aluminum, Chrome

1980s Gorgeous Red Vase "Hsing" Designed by Ettore Sottsass. Made in Italy
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Milano, IT
1980s Gorgeous vase "Hsing" in red glazed ceramic designes by Ettore Sottsass for Alessio Sarri, Sesto Fiorentino. This vase is in excellent condition. Made in Italy. It's marked at ...
Category

1980s Italian Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Ceramic

Typist Chair Synthesis 45 Designed by Ettore Sottsass for Olivetti, Italy, 1970s
By Ettore Sottsass, Olivetti
Located in Milano, IT
Typist Chair “Synthesis 45” Designed by Ettore Sottsass for Olivetti, Italy – 1970s Beginning in the 1970s, Ettore Sottsass developed an innovative and integrated system of office f...
Category

1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Metal

Ettore Sottsass Tony Table Post-Modern Italy, circa 1970
By Ettore Sottsass, Anthologie Quartett 1
Located in Vienna, AT
A fine example of the work of Ettore Sottsass, the Tony 3 table was imagined by the famous designer in 1979. This piece was published by Anthology Quartett around 1984. It is charact...
Category

1970s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Plastic, Wood

Ettore Sottsass Greek Chairs One of Seven Grey Bieffeplast, Italy, 1980
By Ettore Sottsass, Bieffeplast
Located in Vienna, AT
One of Seven Ettore Sottsass Greek Chairs Grey Bieffeplast, Italy, 1980. Sold and priced per piece. Very rare light grey chairs made from lacquered ...
Category

1980s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Steel

Chalice Vase by Ettore Sottsass
By Bitossi, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Milan, IT
This elegant vase was designed by famous Italian architect Ettore Sottsass in 1962. It is in white clay and its geometric shape with a white finish is adorned with a series of parall...
Category

2010s Italian Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Ceramic

Original LED Ultrafragola Mirror Designed by Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Berlin, Berlin
Ultrafragola mirror, designed by Ettore Sottsass in the 1970s. Original recent production mirror using LED lighting, made of moulded fibreglass with hard-back and shaped mirror. The...
Category

2010s Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Mirror, Plastic

Ettore Sottsass for Arredoluce 'Moonlight' Floorlamp
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Ettore Sottsass for Arredoluce, “Moonlight” floorlamp, metal, glass, Italy, circa 1971 The “Moonlight” floor lamp, designed by Ettore Sottsass for Arredoluce in 1971, reflects the d...
Category

1970s Post-Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Metal

Beverly Wood Sideboard, by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano Collection
By Ettore Sottsass, Memphis Milano, Memphis Group
Located in La Morra, Cuneo
The Beverly sideboard in wood and covered with plastic laminate and natural briar, plus a two-door container with shelf, was originally designed in 1981 by Ettore Sottsass for Memphi...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Wood, Plastic

Olivetti Lettera 36 Portable Typewriter Designed by Ettore Sottsass. circa 1970s
By Olivetti, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Miami, FL
Vintage Olivetti Lettera 36 Portable Typewriter with the Original Case. circa early 1970s Created by famed Italian designer/architect Ettore Sottsass...
Category

1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Metal

White Ettore Sottsass Moonlight Floor Lamp no. 14104, Italy 1970's
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Den Haag, NL
White Ettore Sottsass JR 'Moonlight' floor lamp, model no. 14104, 1970s Originl white painted metal. 163 x 22 x 22 cm Manufactured by Arredoluce, Monza, Italy. Footnotes Literature ...
Category

1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Metal

Light: Lamps 1968-1973 New Italian Design
By Superstudio, Ettore Sottsass, Fulvio Ferrari
Located in New York, NY
Seminal monograph on progressive-to-radical Italian lighting design, both iconic and obscure, in the period 1968-73. With selections by eminent gallerist, curator, designer, and auth...
Category

Early 2000s Italian Post-Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Paper

Ettore Sottsass Dark Olive Green Olivetti Synthesis Ashtray, Italy 1970s
By Ettore Sottsass, Olivetti
Located in Milan, IT
Splendid Ettore Sottsass Dark Olive Green Olivetti Synthesis Ashtray with Its Original Box. Circa 1970 New Old Stock
Category

1970s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Plastic

Treetops Floor Lamp USA 110 Volts, by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano Collect
By Memphis Group, Ettore Sottsass, Memphis Milano
Located in La Morra, Cuneo
Here you are shown the US wired "Treetops" floor lamp designed by Ettore Sottsass in 1981 in metal with halogen bulb. Ettore Sottsass was born in Innsbruck in 1917. In 1939 he graduated in architecture at the Politecnico di Torino. One of the most influential and important figures of the last century. As an Architect and Designer, he has participated in all radical movements whether created from the 1970s and 1980s. In 1981 he founded the Memphis group, a group that has radically changed the scenario of Italian and world design. Honored with numerous international awards, was winner of the Golden Compass in 1959. He designed the first laptop "Valentina" by Olivetti. He died in 2007 at the age of 90 years. Memphis Milano is the great cultural phenomenon of the 1980s that revolutionized creative and commercial logics in design. Born from the idea of Ettore Sottsass and a group of young designers and architects, in Milan, coupled in the years by famous designers from the international scene, Memphis turned upside down all of the existing parameters on living. Ettore Sottsass as the backbone of the group, design gained a new concept and expression through new shapes, materials and patterns, expanding the creative limits of the industry. Memphis became a symbol of New Design. Its influence is still clear in various sectors of production and beyond. Additional Info: - Dimensions: H 76.75 inches, Base W. 10.75 inches, D. 40.25 inches. - Materials: Metal. - Color options: Available in yellow fixture, orange stem, turquoise knob and mint green base; or in an orange fixture...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Metal

Cavalieri Floor Lamp EU 220 V. by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano Collection
By Memphis Milano, Ettore Sottsass
Located in La Morra, Cuneo
Cavalieri Floor Lamp EU Wiring 220 V. in Wood and Plastic Laminate by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano collection Additional Information: Floor lamp in wood and plastic laminat...
Category

2010s Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Plastic

Rucola Ceramic Plate, by Ettore Sottsass from Memphis Milano
By Memphis Group, Memphis Milano, Ettore Sottsass
Located in La Morra, Cuneo
The Rucola ceramic dinner plate was originally designed by Ettore Sottsass, in 1985, as part of a series of decorative plates. The playful names of the design items are a reminder of...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Ceramic

Murmansk centerpiece by Ettore Sottsass
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in SAINT-OUEN-SUR-SEINE, FR
Rare centerpiece in silver metal, model Murmansk, by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano, Italy circa 1983. Stamped « Memphis Milano »
Category

1980s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Metal, Silver Plate

Ettore Sottsass, Shiva Flower Vase, Pink, Glazed Ceramic, Spanish, XXth
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Barcelona, ES
The Shiva vase is sculpture and vase. It is a symbol of Ettore Sottsass and an icon. Sottsass designed the Shiva Vase when travelling to Barcelona for love in 1973. He encountered m...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Ceramic

Contemporary "Shibam 2" Totem Mirror by Ettore Sottsass Jr. for Glas Italia
By Glas Italia, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Brescia, Brescia
A tribute to the iconic towers of Yemen's historic walled city of Shibam, this totem mirror by Ettore Sottsass Jr. is a captivating centerpiece for any interior. The mirror's design ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Granite

20th Century Ettore Sottsass RSVP Centerpiece Mod, Rosa in Colored Glass
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Turin, Turin
Ettore Sottsass grew up in Turin, and graduated in architecture from the Turin Polytechnic in 1939. In 1947, he founded his own studio in Milan. In 1956, Sottsass moved to New York w...
Category

Early 2000s Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Glass

1980s Ettore Sottsass for Lagostina Espresso Maker "Accademia" Series.
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Milano, IT
1980s Ettore Sottsass for Lagostina purple espresso coffee maker - coffee pot "Accademia" series with original filter. Made in Italy. It's in excellent condition, never used. Dimensi...
Category

1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Metal

Malabar Sideboard by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano Collection
By Memphis Milano, Ettore Sottsass
Located in La Morra, Cuneo
Malabar sideboard with cupboard in plastic by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano collection Additional information: Sideboard with cupboa...
Category

2010s Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Plastic

Ettore Sottsass for Design Centre/Poltronova 'Cometa' Floor Lamp
By Design Centre, Poltronova, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Ettore Sottsass for Design Centre/Poltronova, 'Cometa' floor lamp, model 'L026', acrylic, lacquered metal, chrome, Italy, design 1970 A funky and irresistibly charming floor lamp d...
Category

1970s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Metal, Chrome

Ettore Sottsass 1st Series Ultrafragola Mirror Object 1970 for Poltronova Milano
By Poltronova, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Munster, NRW
Original 1st edition model of the Ultrafragola Mirror designed by Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova. Light up mirror with acrylic shell made of layered waves around the central mirror...
Category

1970s Italian Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Plastic

Memphis Milano Tahiti Lamp by Ettore Sottsass
By Ettore Sottsass, Memphis Milano
Located in Toronto, ON
Tahiti, a masterpiece by Ettore Sottsass, is an ironic lamp with a zoomorphic shape that recalls childhood games: a lamp is hidden in the head, ideal for lighting a table. The base w...
Category

2010s Italian Post-Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Metal

Two Modern Table Lamps in white & aqua by E.Sottsass for Venini, signed ca. 1994
By Ettore Sottsass, Venini
Located in Merida, Yucatan
Beautiful table lamp in white and aqua-green hand-blown Murano glass. Designed by Ettore Sottsass for Venini and manufactured in 1994. The glass shade is signed "Venini ". The lamps ...
Category

1990s Italian Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Murano Glass

Quisisiana Ceiling Lamp by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Collection
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in La Morra, Cuneo
Painted metal ceiling lamp. Quisisiana (from the Latin quid est sana, which means “what is healthy”) is the melodious name chosen by Sottsass for this lamp that assembles interconnec...
Category

2010s Italian Other Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Metal

Carlton Wood Room Divider, by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano Collection
By Ettore Sottsass, Memphis Milano, Memphis Group
Located in La Morra, Cuneo
Here you are shown an authentic and perfect reproduction of the Carlton bookcase and room divider, originally designed in 1981 by Ettore Sottsass. The...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Wood, Plastic

"Agra" totem
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Paris, FR
Early in his career, in the 1960s, Ettore Sottsass developed his totemic language after a journey to India that profoundly reshaped his vision of form, function and design. Fascinat...
Category

1990s Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Enamel

Ettore Sottsass Flying Carper Sofa for Bedding Brevetti
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Padova, IT
Ettore Sottsass designed this sofa after having known the Indian culture. A crucial journey in his formation is that of 1961 in India, undertaken with Fernanda Pivano. On this journe...
Category

1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Fabric, Velvet, Wood

Ettore Sottsass Shiva Capsule Limited Edition Blue Vase 137/999
By Ettore Sottsass, BD Barcelona Design
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Blue Shiva ceramic vase designed by Ettore Sottsass, circa 1973, edited by BD in Barcelona. This piece has been produced as a limited edition with a total of only 999 units. This is...
Category

2010s Spanish Post-Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Ceramic

Venini Nopuram Table Lamp in Red by Ettore Sottsass
By Ettore Sottsass, Venini
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Venini Nopuram table lamp in red by Ettore Sottsass. Numbered edition for year Year of manufacture: 1994-2017 Marble base Color: Red Measurements: Ø 15.74", H 25.98" 1 x max ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Glass

1986 Enorme Telephone by Ettore Sottsass for Enorme
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Brooklyn, NY
A perfectly postmodern telephone designed by the Memphis Milano master, Ettore Sottsass, and produced in 1986. The Enorme telephone was the result of ...
Category

Late 20th Century Post-Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Metal

20th Century Ettore Sottsass RSVP Centerpiece Mod. Azzurro in Colored Glass
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Turin, Turin
Ettore Sottsass grew up in Turin, and graduated in architecture from the Turin Polytechnic in 1939. In 1947, he founded his own studio in Milan. In 1956, Sottsass moved to New York w...
Category

Early 2000s Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Glass

Ettore Sottsass Table Lamps for Bitossi
By Ettore Sottsass, Bitossi
Located in San Francisco, CA
Ettore Sottsass design ceramic table lamps for Bitossi, Italy. Originally designed for an Amersterdam department store De Bijenkorf, produced circa 1958. The ovoid lamp form and str...
Category

1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Ceramic

13 Malide Vase, by Ettore Sottsass from Memphis Milano
By Memphis Group, Memphis Milano, Ettore Sottsass
Located in La Morra, Cuneo
The 13 Malide glass vase was originally designed by Ettore Sottsass in 1986. The vase is part of the “Malide Glass” collection. Made in Murano glass, and signed on the base “E.Sottsa...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Glass

Memphis Milano Treetops Lamp by Ettore Sottsass
By Memphis Milano, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Toronto, ON
Treetops by Ettore Sottsass is not just a lamp but a truly dynamic, slender and colourful presence, capable of infusing, with its lively allure, joy and lightheartedness to any envir...
Category

2010s Italian Post-Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Metal, Iron

Park Lane Coffee Table by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano Collection
By Ettore Sottsass, Memphis Milano
Located in La Morra, Cuneo
Park Lane coffee table in fiberglass & marble by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano collection Additional information: Coffee table in fi...
Category

2010s Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Fiberglass

13x Ettore Sottsass Postmodern Brass Wall Coat Hooks, 1985, Valli & Valli Italy
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Vienna, AT
Up to 13 identical postmodern wall-mounted brass hooks from the 1980s, model SE 314, designed by Ettore Sottsass in 1985 and crafted by Valli & Valli, Italy. These hooks are sold ind...
Category

1980s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Brass

Diva Mirror, by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano Collection
By Memphis Group, Ettore Sottsass, Memphis Milano
Located in La Morra, Cuneo
Diva Mirror with plastic laminate, was originally designed in 1984 by Ettore Sottsass. Ettore Sottsass was born in Innsbruck in 1917. In 1939 he graduated...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Mirror, Plastic

Ettore Sottsass furniture for sale on 1stDibs.

Ettore Sottsass furniture are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of metal and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Ettore Sottsass furniture, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. We have 389 vintage editions of these items in-stock, while there is 188 modern edition to choose from as well. Many of the original furniture by Ettore Sottsass were created in the modern style in europe during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider furniture by Gaetano Pesce, Alessandro Mendini, and VG-VGnewtrend. Prices for Ettore Sottsass furniture can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $104 and can go as high as $88,999, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $4,267.
Questions About Ettore Sottsass Furniture
  • 1stDibs ExpertFebruary 13, 2024
    Ettore Sottsass is famous for his work as an architect and an industrial designer, which spurred a revolution in the aesthetics and technology of modern design in the late 20th century. He was the oldest member of the Memphis Group, a design collective formed in Milan in 1980. Having grown disillusioned by the staid, black-and-brown corporatized modernism that had become endemic in the 1970s, the Memphis Group produced bold, brash, colorful, yet quirkily minimal designs for furniture, glassware, ceramics and metalwork. They mocked high status by building furniture with inexpensive materials, such as plastic laminates, decorated to resemble exotic finishes like animal skins. Other than his Ultrafragola mirror (1970), Sottsass's most-recognized designs appeared in the first Memphis collection, issued in 1981. They include the multihued, angular Carlton room divider and Casablanca bookcase. Shop a diverse assortment of Ettore Sotsass furniture and decorative objects on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    Ettore Sottsass was from Innsbruck, Austria. He was born there on September 14, 1917, but he moved to Turin, Italy, as a child. The Italian architect and designer died in Milan, Italy, on December 31, 2007. You'll find a variety of Ettore Sottsass furniture and decorative objects on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertNovember 13, 2024
    The Italian design group led by Italian architectural and product designer Ettore Sottsass is called the Memphis Group. To many people, postmodern design is synonymous with the Memphis Group. This Italian collaborative created the most radical and attention-getting designs of the period, upending most of the accepted standards of how furniture should look. The group decided to design, produce and market its own collection, one that wouldn’t be restricted by concerns like functionality and so-called good taste. Its debut at Milan’s 1981 Salone del Mobile drew thousands of viewers and caused a major stir in design circles. In addition to Sottsass, the members of the group included Andrea Branzi, Aldo Cibic, Michele de Lucchi, Nathalie du Pasquier, Kuramata, Paola Navone, Peter Shire, George Sowden and Barbara Radice, who was Sottsass's wife. Find a collection of Memphis Group furniture on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    Ettore Sottsass was an architect and designer. He founded the Memphis Group, a collective of designers active from 1981 to 1987. The Ultrafragola mirror is one of his most well-known designs. On 1stDibs, you can shop a variety of Ettore Sottsass furniture.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    To pronounce Ettore Sottsass, say "AY-tore-ee SOAT-sas." The second syllable of the designer's surname sounds similar to the word “sauce” but with a shorter, clipped vowel. On 1stDibs, find a range of Ettore Sottsass furniture.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    Ettore Sottsass studied at the Politecnico di Torino in Turin, Italy. In 1939, he graduated from the institution with a degree in architecture. Sottsass began working as an artist and designer in the late 1940s. He produced furniture, ceramics, paintings, sculptures and jewelry. Find a variety of Ettore Sottsass furniture on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    Ettore Sottsass was a famous 20th century architect and designer known for his work in furniture, lighting, jewelry and more, as well as from his work in designing buildings. He was Italian, though he was born in Austria, and lived from 1917 to 2007. Shop a range of Ettore Sottsass pieces on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    Ettore Sottsass was inspired by many things, including pop culture, travel and various cultures from around the world. His primary objective of his work was to bring out the deeper beauty of whatever he created. On 1stDibs, shop a collection of Ettore Sottsass furniture.
  • 1stDibs ExpertFebruary 1, 2024
    Ettore Sottsass used a variety of materials over the course of his career. The Italian artist experimented with glass, ceramics, enamel, brass, textiles and more. Along with fellow members of the Memphis Group, he skewed expectations for furniture by using inexpensive materials such as plastic laminates decorated to resemble exotic finishes like animal skins. He also revolutionized ceramics through the pieces he created for the Italian maker Bitossi. On 1stDibs, shop a range of Ettore Sottsass art.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    Ettore Sottsass's father, also named Ettore Sottsass, designed modernist architecture. He worked for the firm Movimento Italiano per l'Architettura Razionale or MIAR. Giuseppe Pagano was the company's head architect. On 1stDibs, shop a range of Ettore Sottsass furniture.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    Ettore Sottsass did not design the Carlton room divider for a specific patron or client. He created the piece while working with the Memphis Group, an art collective that held joint shows from 1981 to 1987. Find a selection of Ettore Sottsass furniture on 1stDibs.

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