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Gabriella Crespi Furniture

Italian, 1922-2017

Bronze discs that open up like clamshells for storage and fold back in to become side tables. Sleek cubes barely suspended off the ground that transform into full-size dining tables. Clean-lined boxes that contain multilevel shelving. Looking at the work of Italian designer Gabriella Crespi, born in 1922 and who still produced furniture in her Milan studio until her death in 2017, it’s hard to believe that many of these highly functional piecesmodernist Rubik’s Cubes of materials, colors and ergonomics — were created decades ago.

Among her best-known creations, the bronze Ellisse table, 1976, and her bronze-and-lacquer Yang-Yin bar, 1979, encapsulate a designer who had a strong dualism in her vision, mixing humble and precious materials, for instance, or creating geometric shapes that were softened by sensual surfaces.

Crespi began studying architecture in 1944 at the Politecnico, in Milan, where she was among just a handful of women, and became profoundly influenced by the work of Charles-Édouard "Le Corbusier" Jeanneret and Frank Lloyd Wright. After getting married and having children, she launched her own collections, from jewelry to furniture, and soon gained a loyal following, with design houses such as Maison Dior snapping pieces up for their own lines.

She began work on her most iconic collection, Plurimi, in the late 1960s, and the series — including her Dama table, which plays on the themes of volume, light and adaptability that Crespi has explored throughout her career — flourished through the 1970s and early ’80s. Then there is her famed Z desk, from a mid-1970s series, which manages to be both stylish and humorous, looking like it’s ready to leap off the floor at any moment. Well-born and beautiful, Crespi garnered attention among the jet set. She was a muse to Valentino, and her pieces appeared in the homes of Princess Grace of Monaco, the Shah of Iran and Greek shipping magnate George Livanos. 

In 1987, with her children now adults, the designer surprised everyone when she moved to the foot of the Indian Himalayas to study with the guru Sri Muniraj. This turned into a 20-year self-imposed exile that, if anything, made her pieces even more sought-after by collectors. 

Find vintage Gabriella Crespi furniture on 1stDibs.

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Creator: Gabriella Crespi
Dealer: Modest Designs
Gabriella Crespi Brass Picture Frame, Signed
By Gabriella Crespi
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Small, handsome brass frame from the illustrious Italian designer. Signed.
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Gabriella Crespi Furniture

Materials

Brass

Gabriella Crespi Steel and Copper Charger
By Gabriella Crespi
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Large charger or tray is in beautiful original condition. Stamped "Gabriella Crespi Breva".
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Gabriella Crespi Furniture

Materials

Copper

Gabriella Crespi Centerpiece Bowl
By Gabriella Crespi
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Polished steel and copper, stamped "Gabriella Crespi Breva".
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Gabriella Crespi Furniture

Materials

Copper

Steel and Leather Box by Gabriella Crespi
By Gabriella Crespi
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Chic leather box with steel accents. Top slides to reveal interior. Signed.
Category

1960s Italian Vintage Gabriella Crespi Furniture

Materials

Steel

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Previously Available Items
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Gabriella Crespi furniture for sale on 1stDibs

Gabriella Crespi furniture is available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive objects are frequently made of metal and designed with extraordinary care. There are many options in our Gabriella Crespi collection of furniture, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. There are currently 73 vintage editions of these items in stock, while there is also 0 modern edition to choose from. Many of Gabriella Crespi's original furniture was created in the mid-century modern style in Italy during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider furniture by Fulvio Bianconi, Bruno Gambone and Sergio Asti. Prices for Gabriella Crespi furniture can vary depending on size, time period and other attributes. Price for these items starts at $799 and tops out at $180,000, while pieces like these can sell for $3,690 on average.

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