Gae Aulenti

Italian, 1927-2012

The Italian architect and designer Gae Aulenti will forever be best remembered for her work with museums, in particular her 1980–86 renovation of a Beaux Arts Paris train station to create the galleries of the Musée d’Orsay. Aulenti — whose first name, short for Gaetana, is pronounced “guy” — should also be recalled for her tough intellectual spirit and for working steadily when few women found successful architectural careers in postwar Italy.

After she graduated from the Milan Polytechic in 1954, Aulenti opened an architectural office. She also joined the staff of the progressive architectural magazine Casabella, whose editorial line was that the establishment, orthodox modernism of Le Corbusier and the Bauhaus, had outlived it usefulness. When their movement for fresh approaches to architecture and design received a sympathetic hearing, Aulenti found patrons — most prominently Gianni Agnelli, of Fiat, who later employed her to renovate the Palazzo Grassi in Venice for use as an arts exhibition space.

Commissions for showrooms and other corporate spaces brought Aulenti to furniture design. She felt that furniture should never dominate a room. Her chairs and sofas — low-slung, with rounded enameled metal frames and ample seats — and tables, particularly her 1972 marble Jumbo coffee table for Knoll, project solidity and sturdiness. In lighting design, however, Aulenti is bravura.

Each work has a marvelous sculptural presence. Pieces such as her Pipistrello table lamp and Quadrifoglio pendant are a perfect marriage of organically shaped glass and high-tech fixtures. Others have a futuristic elegance — and some even have a touch of personality. Aulenti’s Pileino and La Ruspa table lamps each look almost like little robots. Her lighting pieces are an artful grace note in the career of a woman who believed in strength.

Find vintage Gae Aulenti armchairs, coffee tables and other furniture on 1stDibs.

Average Sold Price

$5,551

Styles

Materials

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Iconic Designs from Gae Aulenti

Explore timeless pieces that have earned their place in history.

Jumbo Coffee Table

Gae Aulenti Ruspa Table Lamp

Pileino Lamp

Sgarsul Rocker

Italian Green "Neverrino" Pendant Light by Gae Aulenti for Vistosi, 1970s

$2,751

H 35.44 in Dm 13.78 in

Italian Green "Neverrino" Pendant Light by Gae Aulenti for Vistosi, 1970s

By Gae Aulenti, Vistosi

Located in Morazzone, Varese

Italian Green "Neverrino" Pendant Light by Gae Aulenti for Vistosi, 1970s Gorgeous "Neverrino" Glass Pendant Lamp in stunning green color, designed by Gae Aulenti for Vistosi, Italy...

Category

1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Gae Aulenti

Materials

Murano Glass

Vintage Pair of Gae Aulenti for Knoll Lounge Chairs, Green Frames Black Leather

$4,500 / set

H 30 in W 31 in D 33 in

Vintage Pair of Gae Aulenti for Knoll Lounge Chairs, Green Frames Black Leather

By Gae Aulenti

Located in Round Rock, TX

Pair of sculptural lounge chairs designed by Gae Aulenti for Knoll. A continuous tubular steel frame wraps the chair in one flowing line, forming both the arms and base. These examp...

Category

1980s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Gae Aulenti

Materials

Metal

Early Gae Aulenti for Zanotta 'Locus Solus' Tubular Armchair in Steel

$1,250

H 26.19 in W 22.45 in D 21.86 in

Early Gae Aulenti for Zanotta 'Locus Solus' Tubular Armchair in Steel

By Gae Aulenti, Zanotta

Located in Waalwijk, NL

Gae Aulenti for Zanotta, 'Locus Solus' armchair, chromed tubular steel, blue leatherette, Italy, 1964 This Locus Solus armchair, designed by Gae Aulenti and produced by Zanotta, is ...

Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Gae Aulenti

Materials

Steel

Pair of wall lamps by Gae Aulenti & Livio Castiglioni for Stilnovo, 1970s

$3,062 / set

H 12.6 in W 10.24 in D 6.7 in

Pair of wall lamps by Gae Aulenti & Livio Castiglioni for Stilnovo, 1970s

By Gae Aulenti, Livio Castiglioni, Stilnovo

Located in Rotterdam, NL

Pair of swiveling wall spots in chromed metal with silver coloured reflectors designed by Gae Aulenti and Livio Castiglioni for Stilnovo in the 1970s. As described in a catalogue by...

Category

1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Gae Aulenti

Materials

Metal

Gae Aulenti Tavolo Con Ruote Low Glass Coffee Table on Casters for Fontana Arte

$2,400

H 9.75 in W 55 in D 27.5 in

Gae Aulenti Tavolo Con Ruote Low Glass Coffee Table on Casters for Fontana Arte

By Fontana Arte, Gae Aulenti

Located in Miami, FL

Designed by Gae Aulenti, this low coffee table consists of a tempered glass top supported by four black industrial wheels and was produced by Fontana Arte and imported by Luminaire. ...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Bauhaus Gae Aulenti

Materials

Steel

Gae Aulenti Italian "Tau" Steel Coffee Table Signed La Rinascente, 1970s

$1,674

H 14.97 in W 29.53 in D 27.56 in

Gae Aulenti Italian "Tau" Steel Coffee Table Signed La Rinascente, 1970s

By Gae Aulenti, La Rinascente

Located in Roma, IT

Wonderful Mid-Century “Tau” coffee table in steel with a crystal glass top. This stylish table was designed by Gae Aulenti for La Rinascente in Italy during the 1970s, and still reta...

Category

1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Gae Aulenti

Materials

Crystal, Metal, Steel

Gae Aulenti for Francesconi ‘Singa’ Lamp

$19,800

H 22.05 in W 21.66 in D 21.26 in

Gae Aulenti for Francesconi ‘Singa’ Lamp

By Gae Aulenti

Located in Waalwijk, NL

Gae Aulenti for Francesconi, ‘Singa’ lamp, plastic, steel, chrome-plated steel, Italy, 1975 This rare ‘Singa’ lamp is designed by Italian architect and designer Gae Aulenti for Ita...

Category

1970s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Gae Aulenti

Materials

Steel, Chrome

Gae Aulenti Enamel Steel Lounge Coffee Table for Knoll, 1980

$3,400

H 29.1 in W 31.8 in D 35.4 in

Gae Aulenti Enamel Steel Lounge Coffee Table for Knoll, 1980

By Knoll, Gae Aulenti

Located in Vienna, AT

Enamel metal sculptural coffee table designed by Gae Aulenti for Knoll, original label. We got this from the first owner together with pair of matching original chairs from the same series (check our other listings). It's a heavy metal sculptural coffee table in a great size of 34"x34". The steel frame has light scratches and age related wear. The coated table top has light scratches and patina, sturdy and structurally sound, ready to be used immediately. In recent years Gae (pronounced "Guy...

Category

1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Gae Aulenti

Materials

Steel

Browse all Furniture from Gae Aulenti

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Gae Aulenti Sale Prices

Sold Date

Sold Price

Category

Material

Creation Year

2026	$8,816	Coffee and Cocktail Tables	Travertine	Circa 1960
2026	$2,550	Lounge Chairs	Steel, Leather	Circa 1970
2026	$7,601	Table Lamps	Steel, Glass	1970s
2026	$1,815	Chandeliers and Pendants	Murano Glass	1970-1979
2026	$11,272	Table Lamps	Metal, Glass	Unkown
2026	$1,705	Chandeliers and Pendants	Murano Glass	1970s
2026	$3,918	Table Lamps	Chrome, Acrylic	Circa 1970
2026	$2,706	Table Lamps	Murano Glass	1970s
2026	$11,700	Coffee and Cocktail Tables	Marble	1960
2026	$2,614	Table Lamps	Brass, Glass	1970
2026	$6,755	Floor Lamps	Metal, Glass	1970s
2026	$3,246	Table Lamps	Murano Glass	1970s
2026	$16,980	Coffee and Cocktail Tables	Marble	1970s
2026	$850	Table Lamps	Alabaster	unknown
2026	$3,400	Armchairs	Metal, Leather	1960
2026	$5,980	Lounge Chairs	Steel, Leather	Circa 1970
2026	$22,500	Coffee and Cocktail Tables	Carrara Marble	1964
2026	$2,677	Chairs	Steel, Canvas, Chrome	1972
2025	$8,640	Center Tables	Marble	2018
2025	$7,410	Dining Room Tables	Marble	1970s

$5,551

Average sold price of items in the past 12 months

$850-$22,500

Sold price range of items in the past 12 months

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More Gae Aulenti Designs

Jumbo Coffee Table

Average Price

$16,412

Number Available

Jumbo Coffee Table

By Gae Aulenti

Materials

Marble, Stone, Carrara Marble

Styles

Mid Century Modern

The Jumbo coffee table was more than just a piece of furniture to Gae Aulenti (1927–2012). As a participant in Italy’s Neo-Liberty movement in the late 1950s, she rejected the omnipresent Bauhaus modernist aesthetic and instead chose to create pieces that exemplified her taste for classical design with a modern edge. The Jumbo coffee table, with its opulent marble top and sculpted column legs, epitomized Aulenti's approach. Weighing nearly 450 pounds, the table is unquestionably heavy yet it ...

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Gae Aulenti Ruspa Table Lamp

Average Price

$9,332

Number Available

Gae Aulenti Ruspa Table Lamp

By Gae Aulenti

Materials

Metal, Glass

Styles

Mid Century Modern

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Pileino Lamp

Average Price

$6,562

Number Available

Pileino Lamp

By Gae Aulenti

Materials

Plastic, Metal

Styles

Mid Century Modern, Space Age

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Sgarsul Rocker

Average Price

$3,999

Number Available

Sgarsul Rocker

By Gae Aulenti

Materials

Animal Skin, Leather, Wood, Plywood

Styles

Mid Century Modern

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Gae Aulenti furniture for sale on 1stDibs.

Gae Aulenti 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 Gae Aulenti furniture, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. We have 220 vintage editions of these items in-stock, while there is 41 modern edition to choose from as well. Many of the original furniture by Gae Aulenti were created in the mid-century modern style in europe during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider furniture by Tommaso Barbi, Toni Zuccheri, and Luigi Caccia Dominioni. Prices for Gae Aulenti furniture can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $540 and can go as high as $33,395, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $3,894.