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 pieces — modernist 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.
20th Century Gabriella Crespi Decorative Box in Brass and Plexiglass '70s
By Gabriella Crespi
Located in Turin, Turin
Born in 1922, Gabriella Crespi studies architecture at the Politecnico in Milan, where her work is permeated by her perspective on Le Corbusier’s and Frank Lloyd Wright’s design expe...
Brass
Midcentury tableware designed by Gabriella Crespi, Italy
By Gabriella Crespi
Located in Piacenza, Italy
Tableware designed by Gabriella Crespi Pair of golden brass tableware designed by Gabriella Crespi. Recorded by Archivio Gabriella Crespi, Milan. Signed Italy 1970s D: 16 cm H: 2 ...
Brass
Contenitori in ottone di Gabriella Crespi, 1970s, set di 2
By Gabriella Crespi
Located in Quarrata, IT
Contenitori in ottone di Gabriella Crespi, 1970s, set di 2.
Brass
Gabriella Crespi Unique Huge Tibetan Bull 1970s
By Gabriella Crespi
Located in Munich, DE
Unique outstanding Tibetan bull designed by Gabriella Crespi in brushed metal in the 1970s. A wonderful single piece and signed on the bottom. Maybe it was a prototype.
Brass
20th Century Italian Sterling Silver Table Box
By Pampaloni
Located in VALENZA, IT
Rectangular/octagonal table box in 925 silver. The box was completely handmade in Florence at the end of the last century. Engraved with floral and abstract motifs, it has been fin...
Sterling Silver
Gabriella Crespi Brass Cork Vase Holder 1960 Italy
By Gabriella Crespi
Located in Milano, IT
Gabriella Crespi brass cork vase holder 1960 Italy.
Brass
20th Cebtury Italian Solid Silver Vintage Decorative Box
By Arval Argenti Valenza
Located in VALENZA, IT
Decorative pumpkin-shaped 800 solid silver box. The body of the box is round and has been embossed and chiseled with the typical stripes of the pumpkin. The knob is cast and has th...
Silver
$16,803Sale Price|20% Off
H 1.58 in Dm 7.68 in
20th Century Sterling Silver Italian Gilded and Enameled Table Box
By Salimbeni
Located in VALENZA, IT
Round haped silver gilded 925/1000 table box with translucent enamels on guilloche with hand-painted floral miniatures and gold paillons Made in Italy 1.400 grams The Miniatures are hand-painted on a usually white homogeneous enamel base. The same colored glazes are used, but ground much finer, which are mixed with special oils to form an infinite palette of colors. The paint must be gradually dried on electric stoves...
Sterling Silver
$1,061 / set
H 0.12 in W 11.82 in D 11.82 in
Dior Set of Six Charger Plates in Tortoiseshell Effect Lucite, Italy 1970s
By Dior Home
Located in Roma, IT
Marvelous set of six octagonal charger plates in vibrant tortoiseshell effect lucite. This incredibly stylish and unique set is attributed to a Dior Home production and was produced ...
Lucite, Plexiglass
Gucci Bottle Opener in Original Vintage Packaging, Italy 70s
By Gucci
Located in Roma, IT
We are pleased to offer for sale an elegant vintage bottle opener by Gucci. Made in Italy around the 1970s, this bottle opener features a sleek, minimalist design crafted from gold-...
Metal, Brass, Chrome
20th Century Italian Round Sterling Silver Jewelry Box
By Pampaloni
Located in VALENZA, IT
Round shape sterling silver jewelry box. The simplicity of the forms and the harmony of the proportions make it suitable for all settings. The lid of the jewelry box has a knob hand...
Sterling Silver
Gabriella Crespi Golden Gold-Plated Wine Cups
By Gabriella Crespi
Located in Munich, DE
Gorgeous detailed gold-plated bronze wine cup sculptures by Gabriella Crespi from the 1970s. Signed on the bottom. This piece is in excellent condition.
Gold Plate
Silver Sugar box, Vienna 1867-1872
Located in Delft, NL
Silver Sugar box, Vienna 1867-1872 An Austrian-Hungary silver sugar box with hinged lid. On the lid a rose with leaves as knob. A rectangular box with beautiful round scalloped body...
Silver
Vintage John Miller Studio Pottery Box, 20th Century
By John Miller
Located in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire
A stunning vintage Studio Pottery stoneware lidded box applied with an arrangement of irregular cut shapes decorated in blue, brown and cream colored glazes on a light mottled creame...
Pottery, Stoneware
1970s Gabriella Crespi “Antivento” Brass Ashtray, Signed
By Gabriella Crespi
Located in New York, NY
“Antivento” ashtray by Gabriella Crespi, produced in the 1970s. Small-scale solid brass ashtray with a rotating swivel lid, designed to function as a windproof ashtray...
Brass
Gabriella Crespi Coasters 1970s Signed
By Gabriella Crespi
Located in Munich, DE
Set of six Gabriella Crespi coasters made in stainless steel, Italy 1970s, signed on the bottom. Excellent vintage condition.
Stainless Steel
Gabriella Crespi Gocce Oro 24-Carat Gilded Fork Signed
By Gabriella Crespi
Located in Munich, DE
The collection cutlery set was designed by Gabriella Crespi, dates in its entirety to 1974. It includes also jewelleries. All are made of light copper or bronze alloy covered with 24...
Metal
Gabriella Crespi's Gilded Cutlery
By Gabriella Crespi
Located in New York, NY
A glamorous and rare 78-piece Gabriella Crespi (1922-2017) cutlery service for 12 diners. Each five-piece place setting consists of 12 salad forks, 12 soup spoons, 12 knives with ste...
Copper, Steel
Cigar Casket by Gabriella Crespi, Signed
By Gabriella Crespi
Located in Munich, DE
Signed Golden Cigar Casket by Gabriella Crespi, Italy 1970. The top is decorated with bamboosticks, the case is gold-plated.
Wood