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Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

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
Contemporary Art Ceramic Totem Chocolate Piece Number 33/99 by Ettore Sottsass
Contemporary Art Ceramic Totem Chocolate Piece Number 33/99 by Ettore Sottsass

Contemporary Art Ceramic Totem Chocolate Piece Number 33/99 by Ettore Sottsass

By Ettore Sottsass, Mirabili

Located in Pistoia, IT

The message that Mirabili intends to portay involves well-known artist and designers, selected for their particular gifts and their poetic world, lending an innovative and sensitive ...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Post-Modern Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Ceramic, Wood

Ettore Sottsass, Shiva Flower Vase, Pink, Glazed Ceramic, Spanish, 20th
Ettore Sottsass, Shiva Flower Vase, Pink, Glazed Ceramic, Spanish, 20th

Ettore Sottsass, Shiva Flower Vase, Pink, Glazed Ceramic, Spanish, 20th

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 Decorative Objects

Materials

Ceramic

Ettore Sottsass Vase from Stepped Series in Enameled Ceramic by Bitossi
Ettore Sottsass Vase from Stepped Series in Enameled Ceramic by Bitossi

Ettore Sottsass Vase from Stepped Series in Enameled Ceramic by Bitossi

By Bitossi, Ettore Sottsass

Located in Cascina, Pisa

A vase from the stepped series in hand-turned in white clay enameled with two-tone matt gray and light green glaze, manufactured in the 1990s by Bitossi and designed by Ettore Sottsa...

Category

20th Century Italian Post-Modern Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Ceramic

Vide poche or ashtray by Ettore Sottsass for Venini, 1990s
Vide poche or ashtray by Ettore Sottsass for Venini, 1990s

Vide poche or ashtray by Ettore Sottsass for Venini, 1990s

By Venini, Ettore Sottsass

Located in Leuven, Vlaams Gewest

Hand made murano glass ashtray or vide poche by designe Ettore Sottsass for Venini. The piece is signed underneath and we believe it to be limited to 97 pieces. 1990s - italy Good...

Category

1990s Italian Mid-Century Modern Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Murano Glass

Ettore Sottsass Postmodern "Tigris" Porcelain Vase for Memphis Milano, 1983
Ettore Sottsass Postmodern "Tigris" Porcelain Vase for Memphis Milano, 1983

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 Decorative Objects

Materials

Ceramic, Porcelain

"Sol" Fruit Bowl in Glass by Ettore Sottsass, 1982
"Sol" Fruit Bowl in Glass by Ettore Sottsass, 1982

"Sol" Fruit Bowl in Glass by Ettore Sottsass, 1982

By Ettore Sottsass

Located in Skokie, IL

Ettore Sottsass "Sol" fruit bowl for Compagnia Vetraria Muranese for Memphis Italy, 1982 Additional Information: Materials: Glass Dimensions: 10 1/4" H × 12 1/2" W × 11 3/4" D ...

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20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Glass

Ettore Sottsass Memphis Egizia Silver Blue Art Glass Bowl, 1990s
Ettore Sottsass Memphis Egizia Silver Blue Art Glass Bowl, 1990s

Ettore Sottsass Memphis Egizia Silver Blue Art Glass Bowl, 1990s

By Ettore Sottsass

Located in Munich, DE

Beautiful and rare find Egizia art glass bowl, designed by Ettore Sottsass. This thick and heavy cobalt blue bowl is decorated with hand silk-screened...

Category

1990s Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Murano Glass

A Memphis Milano Alcor glass vase designed by Ettore Sottsass
A Memphis Milano Alcor glass vase designed by Ettore Sottsass

A Memphis Milano Alcor glass vase designed by Ettore Sottsass

By Ettore Sottsass

Located in Oxford, GB

A Memphis Milano Alcor glass vase designed by Ettore Sottsass, made by Compagnia Vetraria Muranese, designed 1983, clear, green and opaque white glass swollen panels, applied with bl...

Category

1980s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Glass

XXsec. Vase from the series YANTRA 17 Ettore Sottsass 1969
XXsec. Vase from the series YANTRA 17 Ettore Sottsass 1969

XXsec. Vase from the series YANTRA 17 Ettore Sottsass 1969

By Ettore Sottsass

Located in Lastra a Signa, FI

In 1969 Ettore Sottsass He titles the series Yantra in reference to the Indian religious tradition that each yantra is unique, thus associated with a particular power or ritual. Cer...

Category

20th Century Mid-Century Modern Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Ceramic

"Hsing" Vase Designed by Ettore Sottsass
"Hsing" Vase Designed by Ettore Sottsass

"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. Green glazed ceramic.

Category

1970s Italian Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Ceramic

Murano Inclamo bowl, model “Palladia”, designed by Ettore Sottsass for Vistosi
Murano Inclamo bowl, model “Palladia”, designed by Ettore Sottsass for Vistosi

Murano Inclamo bowl, model “Palladia”, designed by Ettore Sottsass for Vistosi

By Ettore Sottsass

Located in Milano, IT

Decorative piece - Made in Italy - model “Palladia”, designed by Ettore Sottsass - 1977 Sourced by Spinzi Milano, this is a rare and highly decorative "Palladia" bowl designed by Et...

Category

Late 20th Century Italian Post-Modern Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Art Glass

Alaska Silver Candlestick, by Ettore Sottsass, 1981
Alaska Silver Candlestick, by Ettore Sottsass, 1981

Alaska Silver Candlestick, by Ettore Sottsass, 1981

By Ettore Sottsass

Located in Roma, IT

Alaska is an original decorative silver object realized and created by Ettore Sottsass in the 1980s. Original silver candlestick realized in 1981. Made in Italy. The label...

Category

1980s Italian Vintage Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Silver

21st Century Marito E Moglie Vase in Black/Milk-White/Tea by Ettore Sottsass

21st Century Marito E Moglie Vase in Black/Milk-White/Tea by Ettore Sottsass

By Ettore Sottsass, Venini

Located in murano, IT

They lie blissfully on their solid marble base. They might feel fragile at times and life may try to separate them, but they will always find stability in their deep connection. Mari...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Glass

Twenty-Seven Woods, Chinese Artificial Flower Vase Omega by Ettore Sottsass
Twenty-Seven Woods, Chinese Artificial Flower Vase Omega by Ettore Sottsass

Twenty-Seven Woods, Chinese Artificial Flower Vase Omega by Ettore Sottsass

By Design Gallery Milano, Ettore Sottsass

Located in Barcelona, ES

Twenty-seven woods for a Chinese artificial flower vase omega by Ettore Sottsass, Edited by Design Gallery Milano, 1995. Limited edition of 12 signed and numbered pieces, number 3 /...

Category

1990s European Modern Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Aluminum

Ettore Sottsass Pink Ceramic Shiva Flower Vase, by BD Barcelona
Ettore Sottsass Pink Ceramic Shiva Flower Vase, by BD Barcelona

Ettore Sottsass Pink Ceramic Shiva Flower Vase, by BD Barcelona

By Ettore Sottsass, BD Barcelona Design

Located in Barcelona, ES

Shiva ceramic flower vase designed by Ettore Sottsass, circa 1973, edited by BD in Barcelona. In good original condition with minor wear consistent with age and use preserving a bea...

Category

2010s Spanish Mid-Century Modern Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Ceramic

Twenty-Seven Woods Chinese Artificial Flower Vase U by Ettore Sottsass
Twenty-Seven Woods Chinese Artificial Flower Vase U by Ettore Sottsass

Twenty-Seven Woods Chinese Artificial Flower Vase U by Ettore Sottsass

By Ettore Sottsass

Located in Barcelona, ES

"Twenty-Seven Woods" Chinese Artificial Flower Vase U by Ettore Sottsass: A Masterpiece of Limited Edition Design Presenting the exquisite "Twenty-Seven Woods for a Chinese Artifici...

Category

1990s Modern Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Wood

Light Blue Glazed Flower "SHIVA" Vase by Ettore Sottsass, spanish design
Light Blue Glazed Flower "SHIVA" Vase by Ettore Sottsass, spanish design

Light Blue Glazed Flower "SHIVA" Vase by Ettore Sottsass, spanish design

By Ettore Sottsass

Located in Barcelona, ES

Capsule Global pays homage to the same boundary-pushing and experimental movement, and collaborates with BD for a special edition of the Shiva. The clean symmetry and bright colour p...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Ceramic

Ettore Sottsass Y15 Vase in Black Enameled Ceramic Yantra Series Poltronova 70s
Ettore Sottsass Y15 Vase in Black Enameled Ceramic Yantra Series Poltronova 70s

Ettore Sottsass Y15 Vase in Black Enameled Ceramic Yantra Series Poltronova 70s

By Ettore Sottsass, Poltronova

Located in Cascina, Pisa

This ceramic piece is part of the Yantra series by Ettore Sottsass, a collection of thirty-nine forms including containers, ashtrays, vases and bowls, created between 1969 and 1973 a...

Category

1970s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Ceramic

20th Century Ettore Sottsass RSVP Centerpiece Mod. Indigo in Colored Glass
20th Century Ettore Sottsass RSVP Centerpiece Mod. Indigo in Colored Glass

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 Decorative Objects

Materials

Glass

Nilo Vase, Designed by Ettore Sottsass in 1983 for the Collection Memphis Milano
Nilo Vase, Designed by Ettore Sottsass in 1983 for the Collection Memphis Milano

Nilo Vase, Designed by Ettore Sottsass in 1983 for the Collection Memphis Milano

By Memphis Group, Ettore Sottsass, Memphis Milano

Located in Beirut, LB

The Nilo vase was originally designed by Ettore Sottsass in 1983 for Memphis Milano 1981-1988. Produced by Memphis in 2013-2014. A classic by Sottsass, the Nilo porcelain vase is par...

Category

1980s Italian Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Porcelain

Ettore Sottsass Pink Ceramic Shiva Flower Vase, by BD Barcelona
Ettore Sottsass Pink Ceramic Shiva Flower Vase, by BD Barcelona

Ettore Sottsass Pink Ceramic Shiva Flower Vase, by BD Barcelona

By Ettore Sottsass, BD Barcelona Design

Located in Barcelona, ES

Shiva ceramic flower vase designed by Ettore Sottsass, circa 1973, edited by BD in Barcelona. In good original condition with minor wear consistent with age and use preserving a bea...

Category

2010s Spanish Mid-Century Modern Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Ceramic

Contemporary Art TOTEM Clair De Lune Light Blue White N/Edit. by Ettore Sottsass

Contemporary Art TOTEM Clair De Lune Light Blue White N/Edit. by Ettore Sottsass

By Mirabili, Ettore Sottsass

Located in Pistoia, IT

Limited edition of 29 pieces. From Primitive clay magma, by playing with shapes, Sottsass makes the “philosophy” of a state of mind visible and concrete: as if in the musical atmosph...

Category

1980s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Ceramic, Wood

Vintage Olivetti Red Typewriter & Case Model "Valentine" by Ettore Sottsass
Vintage Olivetti Red Typewriter & Case Model "Valentine" by Ettore Sottsass

Vintage Olivetti Red Typewriter & Case Model "Valentine" by Ettore Sottsass

By Olivetti, Perry King, Ettore Sottsass

Located in St. Louis, MO

Very collectible Mid-Century Modern “Valentine” portable typewriter, with durable plastic storage case both in red. The Olivetti Valentine portable typewriter was designed by Perry K...

Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Metal

Alioth Glass Vase, by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano Collection
Alioth Glass Vase, by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano Collection

Alioth Glass Vase, by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano Collection

By Ettore Sottsass, Memphis Milano, Memphis Group

Located in La Morra, Cuneo

The Alioth Glass Vase was designed by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis in 1983. The Venetian glass vase features blue fusions and black threads. Signed on the base. Ettore Sottsass was b...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Glass

Ettore Sottsass Shiva Limited Edition Black Prototype 2/8
Ettore Sottsass Shiva Limited Edition Black Prototype 2/8

Ettore Sottsass Shiva Limited Edition Black Prototype 2/8

By Ettore Sottsass, BD Barcelona Design

Located in Barcelona, ES

Black 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 100 units. This is...

Category

2010s Spanish Post-Modern Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Ceramic

Ettore Sottsass "Tigris" Vase
Ettore Sottsass "Tigris" Vase

Ettore Sottsass "Tigris" Vase

By Ettore Sottsass

Located in NYC, NY

Sculptural porcelain vase entitled "Tigris". Designed by Ettore Sottsass for the Memphis Milano collection. Original label on base reads "E. Sottsass per Memphis".

Category

Late 20th Century Italian Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Porcelain

21st Century Ettore Sottsas Demistella Console in Briar, Polychrome Marble, Wood
21st Century Ettore Sottsas Demistella Console in Briar, Polychrome Marble, Wood

21st Century Ettore Sottsas Demistella Console in Briar, Polychrome Marble, Wood

By Ettore Sottsass

Located in massa, IT

Polychrome marble console designed by Ettore Sottsass. Description: Console with top in polychrome marble, wood, Macchia Vecchia Marble, Marquinia Bla...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Marble

Ceramic Vase Model "Y33B" by Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova, Italy, 1969
Ceramic Vase Model "Y33B" by Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova, Italy, 1969

Ceramic Vase Model "Y33B" by Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova, Italy, 1969

By Ettore Sottsass, Poltronova

Located in Milan, IT

Ceramic vase model "Y33B" by Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova. Cast-formed white glazed ceramic, it's part of the of the series "Yantra" collection.

Category

1960s Italian Vintage Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Ceramic

20th Century, Ettore Sottsass Candle Holder Luce di Sera in Crystal for RSVP
20th Century, Ettore Sottsass Candle Holder Luce di Sera in Crystal for RSVP

20th Century, Ettore Sottsass Candle Holder Luce di Sera in Crystal for RSVP

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

1990s Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Crystal

“Juliette” by Ettore Sottsass, vase-sculpture in Sèvres porcelain
“Juliette” by Ettore Sottsass, vase-sculpture in Sèvres porcelain

“Juliette” by Ettore Sottsass, vase-sculpture in Sèvres porcelain

By Ettore Sottsass, Manufacture Nationale de Sèvres

Located in Uccle, BE

“Juliette” by Ettore Sottsass, vase-sculpture in Sèvres porcelain. Vase-sculpture in Sèvres porcelain, created during the first collaboration between the Master and the Manufacture b...

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1990s French Mid-Century Modern Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Porcelain

Ettore Sottsass Pink Ceramic Shiva Vase, Mid-Century Modern
Ettore Sottsass Pink Ceramic Shiva Vase, Mid-Century Modern

Ettore Sottsass Pink Ceramic Shiva Vase, Mid-Century Modern

By Ettore Sottsass

Located in Barcelona, ES

Shiva ceramic flower vase designed by Ettore Sottsass, circa 1973, edited by BD in Barcelona. In good original condition with minor wear consistent with age and use preserving a bea...

Category

2010s Spanish Mid-Century Modern Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Ceramic

Black and White Reel Vase by Ettore Sottsass
Black and White Reel Vase by Ettore Sottsass

Black and White Reel Vase by Ettore Sottsass

By Ettore Sottsass, Bitossi

Located in Milan, IT

This vase's simple shape is complemented by its geometric decoration that features striking motifs in black on the white background of the cylindrical shape. This piece was designed ...

Category

2010s Italian Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Ceramic

Ettore Sottsass Shiva Capsule Limited Edition Blue Vase 158/999
Ettore Sottsass Shiva Capsule Limited Edition Blue Vase 158/999

Ettore Sottsass Shiva Capsule Limited Edition Blue Vase 158/999

By Ettore Sottsass, BD Barcelona Design

Located in Barcelona, ES

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 Decorative Objects

Materials

Ceramic

20th Century Ettore Sottsass Candle Holder Luce di Luna in Crystal for RSVP
20th Century Ettore Sottsass Candle Holder Luce di Luna in Crystal for RSVP

20th Century Ettore Sottsass Candle Holder Luce di Luna in Crystal for RSVP

By Ettore Sottsass

Located in Turin, Turin

Very elegant candle holder designed by the italian maestro Ettore Sottsass at the end of '90s for RSVP. The candle holder is the model "Luce di Luna". The candle holder is entirely i...

Category

1990s Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Crystal

31 Imera Glass Vase, by Ettore Sottsass from Memphis Milano
31 Imera Glass Vase, by Ettore Sottsass from Memphis Milano

31 Imera Glass Vase, by Ettore Sottsass from Memphis Milano

By Memphis Group, Ettore Sottsass, Memphis Milano

Located in La Morra, Cuneo

The Imera Glass Vase was originally designed by Ettore Sottsass in 1986. The vase is made out of blown glass, and signed on the base, for further information please see authenticity ...

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21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Blown Glass

34 Agelada Glass Vase, by Ettore Sottsass from Memphis Milano

34 Agelada Glass Vase, by Ettore Sottsass from Memphis Milano

By Memphis Group, Memphis Milano, Ettore Sottsass

Located in La Morra, Cuneo

The Agelada Glass Vase with pendant was originally designed by Ettore Sottsass in 1986 for Memphis. It's part of the “Vetri Glass” collection. Made in blown Murano glass, and signed ...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Glass

Mizar Glass Vase, by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano Collection

Mizar Glass Vase, by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano Collection

By Ettore Sottsass, Memphis Milano, Memphis Group

Located in La Morra, Cuneo

The Mizar vase was originally designed by Ettore Sottsass in 1982. The piece features clear and blue glass with multicolored handles. 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, 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 Decorative Objects

Materials

Glass

Aldebaran Glass Fruit Bowl, by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano Collection

Aldebaran Glass Fruit Bowl, by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano Collection

By Memphis Group, Memphis Milano, Ettore Sottsass

Located in La Morra, Cuneo

The Aldebaran Glass Fruit Bowl was designed for Memphis in 1983 by Ettore Sottsass. This bowl features a tapering cylindrical shape with three green handles, with the side decorated ...

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21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Glass

Ettore Sottsass Alessio Sarri Pottery Centerpiece Italian Postmodern Memphis
Ettore Sottsass Alessio Sarri Pottery Centerpiece Italian Postmodern Memphis

Ettore Sottsass Alessio Sarri Pottery Centerpiece Italian Postmodern Memphis

By Ettore Sottsass

Located in Wilton, CT

Vintage Ettore Sottsass ET4 postmodern centerpiece with lopsided walls and garden green glaze produced by Alessio Sarri, circa 1980's. 4 3/4" high, 9 3/4" wide, 9 3/4" deep. Excellen...

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1980s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Pottery

Ettore Sottsass Lidded Vessel Model 192-C Bitossi Il Sestante Italy 1959 Glazed
Ettore Sottsass Lidded Vessel Model 192-C Bitossi Il Sestante Italy 1959 Glazed

Ettore Sottsass Lidded Vessel Model 192-C Bitossi Il Sestante Italy 1959 Glazed

By Ettore Sottsass

Located in Keego Harbor, MI

A modernist “Lidded Vessel, Model 192-C” designed by Ettore Sottsass. Bitossi for Il Sestante, Italy 1959. Signed on underside. Glazed stoneware, cotton cord. A dome-shaped yellow li...

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1950s Italian Vintage Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Ceramic

20th Century Ettore Sottsass RSVP Centerpiece Mod. Azzurro in Colored Glass
20th Century Ettore Sottsass RSVP Centerpiece Mod. Azzurro in Colored Glass

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 Decorative Objects

Materials

Glass

Postmodern Vase by Ettore Sottsass for Marutomi 1997
Postmodern Vase by Ettore Sottsass for Marutomi 1997

Postmodern Vase by Ettore Sottsass for Marutomi 1997

By Ettore Sottsass

Located in Kelkheim (Taunus), HE

Object: Vase Manufacturer: Marutomi Designer: Ettore Sottsass (1917–2007) Model: Mirto Date: 1997 Period: Postmodern Material: Plastic Origin: Japan Height: 20.5 cm Diameter: 13 cm C...

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1990s Japanese Post-Modern Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Plastic

Mettsass Table, by Ettore Sottsass, Red Glass
Mettsass Table, by Ettore Sottsass, Red Glass

Mettsass Table, by Ettore Sottsass, Red Glass

By Ettore Sottsass

Located in Barcelona, ES

One of Sottsass first designs for BD, the "Mettsass" has lost none of the personality with which Sottsass designed it for BD some 40 years ago, in 1972. The structure is made of flat...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Modern Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Glass

Ettore Sottsass Y Limited Edition Vase in Wood and Murano Glass for Flowers
Ettore Sottsass Y Limited Edition Vase in Wood and Murano Glass for Flowers

Ettore Sottsass Y Limited Edition Vase in Wood and Murano Glass for Flowers

By Ettore Sottsass, Design Gallery Milano

Located in Barcelona, Barcelona

Y vase made for the collection of twenty-seven woods for Chinese artificial flowers vase by Ettore Sottsass, Edited by Design Gallery Milano, 1995. Limited edition of 12 numbered pi...

Category

1990s European Modern Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Glass, Wood

Altair Glass Flower Vase, by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano Collection
Altair Glass Flower Vase, by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano Collection

Altair Glass Flower Vase, by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano Collection

By Memphis Group, Memphis Milano, Ettore Sottsass

Located in La Morra, Cuneo

The Altair Glass Flower Vase was designed by Ettore Sottsass in 1982. Signed on the base, please see below for further information. Ettore Sottsass was born in Innsbruck in 1917. I...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Glass

Shiva Flower Vase, Pink, by Ettore Sottsass, Glazed Ceramic, 20th Century
Shiva Flower Vase, Pink, by Ettore Sottsass, Glazed Ceramic, 20th Century

Shiva Flower Vase, Pink, by Ettore Sottsass, Glazed Ceramic, 20th Century

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 Decorative Objects

Materials

Ceramic

32 Ananke Glass Vase, by Ettore Sottsass from Memphis Milano

32 Ananke Glass Vase, by Ettore Sottsass from Memphis Milano

By Memphis Group, Memphis Milano, Ettore Sottsass

Located in La Morra, Cuneo

The Ananke Glass Vase was originally designed by Ettore Sottsass in 1986. The vase is glass blown, and signed on the base, for further information please see authenticity info below....

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Glass

Venini Oman Vase in Gray, Red & Aquamarine by Ettore Sottsass

Venini Oman Vase in Gray, Red & Aquamarine by Ettore Sottsass

By Ettore Sottsass, Venini

Located in Brooklyn, NY

Venini Oman glass vase in Gray/red/aquamarine by Ettore Sottsass. Handblown glass. Numbered edition for year Color: Gray/Red/Aquamarine Dimensions: Ø 33.5 cm, H 40 cm Year of ...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Blown Glass

Sol Glass Fruit Bowl, by Ettore Sottsass from Memphis Milano

Sol Glass Fruit Bowl, by Ettore Sottsass from Memphis Milano

By Memphis Group, Memphis Milano, Ettore Sottsass

Located in La Morra, Cuneo

The Sol glass fruit bowl was originally designed by Ettore Sottsass in 1982. Signed on the base, for further information please see authenticity info below. Ettore Sottsass was bo...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Glass

25 Astimelusa Glass Vase, by Ettore Sottsass from Memphis Milano
25 Astimelusa Glass Vase, by Ettore Sottsass from Memphis Milano

25 Astimelusa Glass Vase, by Ettore Sottsass from Memphis Milano

By Memphis Milano, Ettore Sottsass, Memphis Group

Located in La Morra, Cuneo

The Astimelusa Glass Vase was originally designed by Ettore Sottsass in 1986. The vase is part of the “Vetri Glass” collection, and made out of blown Murano glass. Signed “E.Sottsass...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Blown Glass

26 Niobe Glass Vase, by Ettore Sottsass from Memphis Milano

26 Niobe Glass Vase, by Ettore Sottsass from Memphis Milano

By Memphis Group, Ettore Sottsass, Memphis Milano

Located in La Morra, Cuneo

The Niobe Glass Vase was originally designed by Ettore Sottsass in 1986. The vase is made out of blown glass and signed on the base. For further information please see authenticity i...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Glass

Deneb Glass Vase, by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano Collection
Deneb Glass Vase, by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano Collection

Deneb Glass Vase, by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano Collection

By Memphis Group, Memphis Milano, Ettore Sottsass

Located in La Morra, Cuneo

The Deneb vase in multicolored glass was originally designed by Ettore Sottsass in 1982 for Memphis. Signed “E.Sottsass per Memphis Milano”. Ettore Sottsass was born in Innsbruck in...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Glass

Euphrates Vase in Porcelain by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano Collection
Euphrates Vase in Porcelain by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano Collection

Euphrates Vase in Porcelain by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano Collection

By Memphis Milano, Ettore Sottsass

Located in La Morra, Cuneo

Euphrates vase in porcelain by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano collection Additional information: Porcelain vase. Collection: Memphis Milano Designer: Ettore Sottsass Year:...

Category

2010s Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Porcelain

Alcor Glass Vase, by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano Collection
Alcor Glass Vase, by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano Collection

Alcor Glass Vase, by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano Collection

By Memphis Group, Ettore Sottsass, Memphis Milano

Located in La Morra, Cuneo

The Alcor Glass Vase was designed by Ettore Sottsass in 1983 for Memphis. Signed on the base. Ettore Sottsass was born in Innsbruck in 1917. In 1939 he graduated in architecture at...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Glass

Ettore Sottsass H Limited Edition Vase in Wood and Murano Glass for Flowers
Ettore Sottsass H Limited Edition Vase in Wood and Murano Glass for Flowers

Ettore Sottsass H Limited Edition Vase in Wood and Murano Glass for Flowers

By Ettore Sottsass

Located in Barcelona, ES

Vase H designed by Ettore Sottsass, from the collection 'Twenty-seven Woods for a Chinese Artificial Flowers', Edited by Design Gallery Milano, 1995. Limited edition of 12 numbered ...

Category

1990s Mid-Century Modern Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Glass

Nilo Porcelain Vase by Ettore Sottsass from Memphis Milano

Nilo Porcelain Vase by Ettore Sottsass from Memphis Milano

By Ettore Sottsass, Memphis Milano, Memphis Group

Located in La Morra, Cuneo

The Nilo vase was originally designed by Ettore Sottsass in 1983 for Memphis Milano 1981-1988. A classic by Sottsass, the Nilo porcelain vase is part of thre...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Porcelain

Ettore Sottsass I Limited Edition Vase in Wood and Murano Glass for Flowers
Ettore Sottsass I Limited Edition Vase in Wood and Murano Glass for Flowers

Ettore Sottsass I Limited Edition Vase in Wood and Murano Glass for Flowers

By Design Gallery Milano, Ettore Sottsass

Located in Barcelona, ES

I vase made for the collection of twenty-seven woods for Chinese artificial flowers vase by Ettore Sottsass, Edited by Design Gallery Milano, 1995. Limited edition of 12 numbered pi...

Category

1990s European Modern Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Brass

Euphrates Vase, Designed by Ettore Sottsass in 1983 for Memphis Milano
Euphrates Vase, Designed by Ettore Sottsass in 1983 for Memphis Milano

Euphrates Vase, Designed by Ettore Sottsass in 1983 for Memphis Milano

By Memphis Group, Memphis Milano, Ettore Sottsass

Located in Beirut, LB

The Euphrates vase was originally designed by Ettore Sottsass in 1983 for Memphis Milano 1981-1988. A classic by Sottsass, the Euphrates porcelain vase is part of three 'rivers' vase...

Category

1980s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Porcelain

Twenty-Seven Woods for a Chinese Artificial Flowers, Vase F by Ettore Sottsass
Twenty-Seven Woods for a Chinese Artificial Flowers, Vase F by Ettore Sottsass

Twenty-Seven Woods for a Chinese Artificial Flowers, Vase F by Ettore Sottsass

By Design Gallery Milano, Ettore Sottsass

Located in Barcelona, ES

F vase made for the collection of twenty-seven woods for Chinese Artificial flowers vase by Ettore Sottsass, Edited by Design Gallery Milano, 1995. Limited edition of 12 numbered pi...

Category

1990s Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Brass

Ettore Sottsass decorative objects for sale on 1stDibs.

Ettore Sottsass decorative objects are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of glass and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Ettore Sottsass decorative objects, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. We have 95 vintage editions of these items in-stock, while there is 67 modern edition to choose from as well. Many of the original decorative objects 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 decorative objects by Fulvio Bianconi, Alessandro Mendini, and Paolo Venini. Prices for Ettore Sottsass decorative objects can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $201 and can go as high as $75,474, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $3,337.
Questions About Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects
  • 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 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 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 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 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.
  • 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.