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.
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. They 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's 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 imaginative and expressive in smaller, secondary furnishings such as lamps and chandeliers, and in table pieces and glassware that have playful and sculptural qualities.
It was as an artist that Ettore 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.
2
to
1
2
2
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
424
5
3
2
2
Creator: Ettore Sottsass
Dealer: Place Called Space
Postmodern Ettore Sottsass Model 592 "Fischietto" Vase For Habitat, 2000
By Habitat International, Ettore Sottsass
Located in London, GB
For sale a rare & iconic Post-Modern “FISCHIETTO” ("Whistle" in Italian) vase designed by Ettore Sottsass, produced by Habitat in 2000 and made of earthenware, glazed in light & dark...
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Post-Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture
Materials
Ceramic, Earthenware
"Tahiti" Lamp by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano, 1981
By Memphis Group, Ettore Sottsass, Memphis Milano
Located in London, GB
For sale an important, highly collectible and iconic piece of late 20th Century design; the wonderful "Tahiti" Lamp, designed by Ettore Sottsass in 1981 and produced by the Memphis G...
Category
Late 20th Century Italian Post-Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture
Materials
Metal
Related Items
Tahiti Table Lamp (US VERSION 110v), by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano
By Memphis Group, Memphis Milano, Ettore Sottsass
Located in La Morra, Cuneo
Here you are shown the US wired 'Tahiti' Table lamp, designed by Ettore Sottsass in 1981. The light fixture is of a polychrome enameled metal "duck" with a pivoting-like head mounted on a black and white bacterio-patterned laminate base. EU VERSION 220v AVAILABLE IN ANOTHER LISTING.
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 23.5 inches
- Materials: Metal
- Lighting info: 50 W, 12 V
-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 to 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
H 27.56 in W 14.97 in D 3.94 in
Shiva Flower Vase by Ettore Sottsass
By BD Barcelona Design, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The Shiva flower vase by Ettore Sottsass was designed in 1973 following the inspiration garnered from his love for Catalan women w...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Ettore Sottsass Furniture
Materials
Ceramic
Treetops Floor Lamp 'EU' 220 Volts, by Ettore Sottsass from Memphis Milano
By Memphis Group, Memphis Milano, Ettore Sottsass
Located in La Morra, Cuneo
Here you are shown the EU 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...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture
Materials
Metal
H 76.78 in W 9.45 in D 29.53 in
"Hsing" Vase Designed by Ettore Sottsass
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in New York, NY
"Hsing" vase designed by Ettore Sottsass
for Alessio Sarri, Sesto Fiorentino.
Red glazed ceramic.
Marked: E. Sottsass, A. SARRI.
Category
1970s Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture
Materials
Ceramic
Ettore Sottsass for Fontana Arte Vase Model 2665
By Ettore Sottsass, Fontana Arte
Located in New York, NY
Ettore Sottsass for Fontana Arte rare large graphic colored crystal vase consisting of dark blue central square cylinder with attached brown tria...
Category
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture
Materials
Art Glass
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
Cavalieri Floor Lamp EU 220 V. by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano Collection
By Ettore Sottsass, Memphis Milano
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
H 84.65 in W 23.63 in D 6.7 in
Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano Treetops Floor Lamp, 2019
By Memphis Milano, Ettore Sottsass
Located in London, GB
Originally designed by Ettore Sottsass for his company Memphis Milano in 1981, the Treetops floor lamp has since become an icon of the Memphis design movement.
Constructed from painted metal, the lamp perfectly balances irony and charm to create a fun design inspired by a tree bending in the breeze.
The cast iron base is formed from a green wedge...
Category
1980s Italian Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture
Materials
Metal
"Treetops" Floor Lamp by Ettore Sottsass, 1981
By Ettore Sottsass, Memphis Milano
Located in Skokie, IL
Ettore Sottsass "Treetops" floor lamp for Memphis Milano, Italy, 1981
Additional Information:
Materials: Enameled steel, enameled aluminum, aluminum
Dimensions: 76 3/4” H x 29 1...
Category
20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture
Materials
Steel, Aluminum
Contemporary Ettore Sottsass Polychrome Memphis “Tahiti” Table Lamp, Italy, 1981
By Memphis Group, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Copenhagen K, DK
Ettore Sottsass
Italy, Contemporary. Tahiti lamp, designed in 1981.
Polychrome enameled metal “duck” with pivoting head mounted on a black and white bact...
Category
2010s Italian Ettore Sottsass Furniture
Materials
Enamel
H 24.81 in W 11.82 in D 3.94 in
Treetops Floor Lamp USA 110 Volts, by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano Collect
By Memphis Group, Memphis Milano, Ettore Sottsass
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
H 76.78 in W 9.45 in D 29.53 in
Tahiti Table Lamp 'EU VERSION 220v', by Ettore Sottsass from Memphis, Milano
By Memphis Group, Ettore Sottsass, Memphis Milano
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
H 27.56 in W 14.97 in D 3.94 in
Previously Available Items
"Tahiti" Lamp by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano, 1981
By Memphis Group, Ettore Sottsass, Memphis Milano
Located in London, GB
For sale an important, highly collectible and iconic piece of late 20th Century design; the wonderful "Tahiti" Lamp, designed by Ettore Sottsass in 1981 and produced by the Memphis G...
Category
Late 20th Century Italian Post-Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture
Materials
Metal
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.
Creators Similar to Ettore Sottsass
Questions About Ettore Sottsass Furniture
- Why is Ettore Sottsass famous?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertFebruary 13, 2024Ettore 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.
- Where is Ettore Sottsass from?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022Ettore 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.
- What did Ettore Sottsass do?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022Ettore 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.
- What did Ettore Sottsass design?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022Ettore 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, 2022To 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.
- Where did Ettore Sottsass study?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022Ettore 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.
- What inspired Ettore Sottsass?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022Ettore 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, 2024Ettore 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, 2022Ettore 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, 2022Ettore 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.
Recently Viewed
View AllMore Ettore Sottsass Furniture
Ettore Sottsass Vases and Vessels
Ettore Sottsass Chairs
Ettore Sottsass Collectibles and Curiosities
Ettore Sottsass Table Lamps
Ettore Sottsass Sculptures
Ettore Sottsass Floor Lamps
Ettore Sottsass Stools
Ettore Sottsass Tables
Ettore Sottsass Dining Room Tables
Ettore Sottsass Side Tables
Ettore Sottsass Racks and Stands
Ettore Sottsass Coffee and Cocktail Tables