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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
Twenty-Seven Woods, Chinese Artificial Flower Vase Omega by Ettore Sottsass
By Ettore Sottsass, Design Gallery Milano
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Twenty-seven woods for a Chinese artificial flower vase omega by Ettore Sottsass, Edited by Design Gallery Milano, 1995. Limited edition ...
Category

1990s European Modern Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Aluminum

Ceramic Vase Model "Y29" by Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova, Italy, 1969
By Poltronova, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Milan, IT
Ceramic vase model "Y29" by Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova. Cast-formed red glazed ceramic, it's part of the of the series "Yantra" collection.
Category

1960s Italian Vintage Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Ceramic

2 Fililla Glass Vase, by Ettore Sottsass from Memphis Milano
By Memphis Milano, Ettore Sottsass, Memphis Group
Located in La Morra, Cuneo
The Fililla Glass Vase is blown glass, with a pendant and was originally designed by Ettore Sottsass in 1986. Signed on the base, for further information please see authenticity info...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Blown Glass

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

11 Erinna Glass Vase, by Ettore Sottsass from Memphis Milano
By Ettore Sottsass, Memphis Milano
Located in La Morra, Cuneo
The Erina vase is blown glass, originally designed by Ettore Sottsass in 1986. The vase is part of the “Vetri Glass” collection. Made in Murano, its hand blown with techniques from m...
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21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Blown Glass

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

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Glass

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

12 Amaltea Vase, by Ettore Sottsass from Memphis Milano
By Memphis Group, Ettore Sottsass, Memphis Milano
Located in La Morra, Cuneo
The Amaltea Vase was designed by Ettore Sottsass in 1986. The vase is part of the “Amaltea Glass” collection. Made in Murano. Signed “E.Sottsass per Memphis”. Signed on the base. Et...
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21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Glass

SOTTSASS ETTORE (1917 - 2007). Pettirosso Sculpture-vase from the Short Stories
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Zurich, CH
SOTTSASS ETTORE (1917 - 2007). Pettirosso Sculpture-vase from the Short Stories series. Signed and dated on the glass "SHORT STORIE 10/05/02 P.A. ETTORE SOTTSASS". Artist's Proof. To...
Category

Early 2000s Italian Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Murano Glass

Venini Marito E Moglie Vase in Glass and Marble by Ettore Sottsass
By Ettore Sottsass, Venini
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Venini Marito E Moglie vase in tea/black/milk-white with marble base by Ettore Sottsass. Limited edition 99 art pieces. Composition of portoro-marble base and blown glasses finished ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Blown Glass

Twenty-Seven Woods for a Chinese Artificial Flower Vase P by Ettore Sottsass
By Ettore Sottsass, Design Gallery Milano
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
From the collection of twenty-seven woods for Chinese artificial flowers, vase P by Ettore Sottsass, Edited by Design Gallery Milano, 1995. Limited edition of 12 signed and numer...
Category

1990s Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Chrome

Ettore Sottsass Umbrella Stand Anodized Aluminum, 1955, Italy
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Milano, IT
Ettore Sottsass umbrella stand anodized aluminum 1955 Italy.
Category

1950s Italian Other Vintage Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Aluminum

Ettore Sottsass for Rinnovel Mela Decorative Object
By Rinnovel, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Byron Bay, NSW
A rare and iconic collectible from the pioneering Italian designer Ettore Sottsass, this sculptural object—titled “Mela”(Italian for "apple")—epitomizes the playful modernism that de...
Category

1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Chrome

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

Mettsass Table, by Ettore Sottsass, Red Glass, 20th Century
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

21st Century Oman Glass Vase in Aquamarine/Grey/Red by Ettore Sottsass
By Ettore Sottsass, Venini
Located in murano, IT
A work by Ettore Sottsass dated 1994. Monumental and architectural, yet capable of perfectly conveying the magic of the land that inspired it. You can see it, feel it. And admire it....
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Glass

SOTTSASS ETTORE (1917 - 2007) - Ganga Sculpture-vase from the Short Stories
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Zurich, CH
SOTTSASS ETTORE (1917 - 2007). Ganga Sculpture-vase from the Short Stories series. Signed and dated under the base "SOTTSASS PROVA DEL 06/12/02". Artist's Proof. Total Edition: 33 co...
Category

Early 2000s Italian Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Murano Glass

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...
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21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Marble

Vase Art. "6000", Design Ettore Sottsass, Bitossi Production, Italy 1991
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Napoli, IT
Bibliography: "Ettore Sottsass, Tutta la ceramica" Umberto Allemandi & C. edizioni. Signed and numbered vase. Limited edition of 99 pieces.
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1990s Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Ceramic

"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. Black glazed ceramic. Marked: E. Sottsass, A. SARRI.
Category

1970s Italian Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Ceramic

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

"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. White glazed ceramic. Marked: E. Sottsass, A. SARRI.
Category

1970s Italian Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Ceramic

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

SOTTSASS ETTORE (1917 - 2007) - Grifone Sculpture-vase from the Short Stories se
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Zurich, CH
SOTTSASS ETTORE (1917 - 2007). Grifone Sculpture-vase from the Short Stories series. Signed and dated under the base "SOTTSASS PROVA DEL 30-01-02". Artist's Proof. Total Edition: 33 ...
Category

Early 2000s Italian Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Murano Glass

Ettore Sottsass. Modell 'Morosina', 1974 for Vistosi
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Zurich, CH
This work is number 208 from the edition of 250. Incised signature to underside: [E. Sottsass 202/250 Vistosi]. Excellent condition. literature: Sottsass Glass Works, Barovier, Bis...
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Murano Glass

1950s Italian Decorative Object "MELA" by Ettore Sottsass
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Mela" apple bowl was designed by Ettore Sottsass in 1953 for Rinnovel. Sottsass wasn't originally italian, he was born on 1917 in Innsbruck, (Austria), but...
Category

1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Chrome

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

SOTTSASS ETTORE (1917 - 2007) - Marabu Sculpture-vase from the Short Stories
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Zurich, CH
SOTTSASS ETTORE (1917 - 2007). Marabu Sculpture-vase from the Short Stories series. Signed and dated under the base "SOTTSASS PROVA DEL 25-11-02". Artist's Proof. Total Edition: 33 c...
Category

Early 2000s Italian Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Murano Glass

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

Ceramic optical Tile Designed by Ettore Sottsass for Cedit Ceramiche, 1968
By Cedit Ceramiche 1, Ettore Sottsass
Located in taranto, IT
Rare ceramic tile designed in 1968 by Ettore Sottsass for Cedit Ceramiche aluminum frame Size with frame 35x35 cm, tile size 15x15 cm, protrusion from the wall 5 cm Very good cond...
Category

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

Materials

Ceramic

20th Century, Ettore Sottsass Wooden Picture Frame for Il Sestante, 1960s
By Ettore Sottsass, Il Sestante
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

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

Materials

Glass, Wood

Shiva Flower Vase, Pink, Ettore Sottsass, Glazed Ceramic, XXe, Spanish
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

Macchina da scrivere Valentine rossa - Ettore Sottsass - Olivetti - 1968
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Milano, MI
Macchina da scrivere Valentine rossa Descrizione Macchina da scrivere Valentine disegnata da Ettore Sottsass per Olivetti nel 1968 e prodotta ad Ivrea. Qui presentato il primo modell...
Category

1960s Italian Vintage Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Iron

Olivetti Synthesis Portalettere Design Sottsass - Design - Olivetti
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Milano, MI
OLIVETTI SYNTHESIS portalettere Design Sottsass - design - olivetti OLIVETTI SYNTHESIS SISTEMA 45 - Portalettere Design Ettore SOTTSASS ( 1917 ...
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Plastic

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

Memphis Milano Carlton Miniature, Limited Edition by Ettore Sottsass
By Ettore Sottsass, Memphis Milano
Located in Toronto, ON
Perfect 1:4 scale reproduction of the Carlton bookcase in a limited edition of 1000 pieces. About Carlton: An absolute icon of Memphis designed by Ettore Sottsass in 1981, Carlton ...
Category

2010s Italian Post-Modern Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Laminate, Wood

Ettore Sottsass Bowl Model 444 Il Sestante Italy 1962-63 Glazed Stoneware Modern
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Keego Harbor, MI
A modernist “Bowl, Model 444” designed by Ettore Sottsass for Il Sestante, Italy 1962–63. Signed on underside. Glazed stoneware. This object exemplifies Sottsass's early forays into ...
Category

1960s Italian Vintage Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Ceramic, Stoneware

Ettore Sottsass, Shiva Vase, Pink Glazed, Ceramic, Spanish, 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

Ettore Sottsass Y29 Vase in Black Enameled Ceramic Yantra Series Poltronova 70s
By Poltronova, Ettore Sottsass
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

Quadrotto Accademia Lagostina Memphis design ETTORE SOTTSASS 1980
By Memphis Milano, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Palermo, IT
Accademia Lagostina Quadrotto Tray (1980) - Memphis Design by Ettore Sottsass This rare "Quadrotto" tray is an iconic expression of 1980s postmodern design, conceived by visionary E...
Category

1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Metal

Rare Limited Edition of 12 Vase Alpha by Ettore Sottsass
By Ettore Sottsass, Design Gallery Milano
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Twenty-seven woods for a Chinese artificial flower vase alpha by Ettore Sottsass, edited by Design Gallery Milano, 1995. Limited edition of 12 signed and numbered pieces, number 7 / 12. This piece has also been produced as a limited edition with a total of only 12 units. In good original condition, with minor wear consistent with age and use, preserving a beautiful patina. Ettore Sottsass (14 September 1917-31 December 2007) was an Italian architect and designer of the late 20th century. His body of designs included furniture, jewelry, glass, lighting and office machine design. Sottsass was born on 14 September 1917 in Innsbruck, Austria, and grew up in Milan, where his father was an architect. In 1956, Ettore Sottsass began working as a design consultant for Olivetti, designing office equipment...
Category

1990s European Modern Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Brass

Ettore Sottsass "Scalino Gradino" Vase for Bitossi, 1958, Signed, 1980s prod.
By Bitossi, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Brescia, Brescia
A stunning design by the legendary Ettore Sottsass for Bitossi Montelupo, this "Scalino Gradino" vase is a true piece of mid-century Italian craftsmanship. Designed in 1958 and produ...
Category

1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Ceramic

Ettore Sottsass Pink Ceramic Shiva Flower Vase, by BD Barcelona
By BD Barcelona Design, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
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

Senape Flower Vase Ettore Sottsass Japanese Urushi Laquer Model B
By Marutomi, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Senape flower vase designed by Ettore Sottsass for Marutomi. This model is limited Japanese urushi lacquer model. Japanese traditional ur...
Category

Early 2000s Japanese Post-Modern Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Plastic

Ettore Sottsass Pink Ceramic Shiva Flower Vase, by BD Barcelona
By BD Barcelona Design, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
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 b...
Category

2010s Spanish Mid-Century Modern Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Ceramic

Ettore Sottsass Pink Ceramic Shiva Flower Vase
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
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

Tigris Porcelain Vase by Ettore Sottsass from Memphis Milano
By Memphis Group, Memphis Milano, Ettore Sottsass
Located in La Morra, Cuneo
The "Tigris" porcelain vase, comprised of stacked, spouted and coiled forms covered in powder blue, white and black glazes, Memphis Milano collection. The Tigris Vase was originally ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Porcelain

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

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...
Category

1950s Italian Vintage Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Ceramic

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

Ettore Sottsass Vases from 27 Woods for a Chinese Artificial Flower
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Kansas City, MO
Two large vases by Ettore Sottsass from 27 woods for a Chinese Artificial flower. Edition S (red) is SOLD. Each from the edition of 12. From...
Category

1990s Italian Post-Modern Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Brass, Gold Leaf

Ettore Sottsass Shiva Capsule Limited Edition Blue Vase 144/999
By BD Barcelona Design, Ettore Sottsass
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 Decorative Objects

Materials

Ceramic

34 Agelada Glass Vase, by Ettore Sottsass from Memphis Milano
By Memphis Milano, Ettore Sottsass, Memphis Group
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

Limited Edition Vase O by Ettore Sottsass
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Twenty-seven woods for a Chinese Artificial flower vase O by Ettore Sottsass, edited by Design Gallery Milano, 1995. Limited edition of 12 signed and numered pieces, number 3 / 12. ...
Category

1990s European Modern Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Brass

5 Atamante Glass Vase, by Ettore Sottsass from Memphis Milano
By Memphis Milano, Ettore Sottsass
Located in La Morra, Cuneo
5 Atamante vase is in blown glass, and originally designed in 1986 by Ettore Sottsass. Signed on the base, for further information please see authenticity info below. Ettore Sott...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Blown Glass

Ettore Sottsass Pink Ceramic Shiva Flower Vase, by BD Barcelona
By BD Barcelona Design, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
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 b...
Category

2010s Spanish Mid-Century Modern Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Ceramic

R-Vase by Ettore Sottsass – Limited Edition Design, 1995
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
"R-Vase by Ettore Sottsass – Limited Edition Design, 1995" Presenting the R-Vase, designed by the visionary Italian architect and designer Ettore Sottsass for the Twenty-Seven Wood...
Category

1990s French Modern Ettore Sottsass Decorative Objects

Materials

Brass

Ettore Sottsass Shiva Capsule Limited Edition Blue Vase 127/999
By BD Barcelona Design, Ettore Sottsass
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 Decorative Objects

Materials

Ceramic

Ettore Sottsass Pink Ceramic Shiva Flower Vase, by BD Barcelona
By Ettore Sottsass, BD Barcelona Design
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
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

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

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 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
    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 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 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.

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