Gruppo DAM (Designer Associati Milano) Furniture

Amazing and super rare original edition of the iconic ,radical 'libro' chair designed in 1970 by Gruppo DAM (Designer Associati Milano) in collaboration with the avant garde design group 'Gruppo G14' . Dimensions, please note the seating height, height and length of this chair is variable depending on how the seating leaves and enameled steel frame are arranged, only the width of the seat is fixed. The dimensions quoted are only one of the many possible and are for the seating elements as arranged in the last photo. The 'Libro'—meaning “book” in Italian—takes its form quite literally. Ten thin wedges are stacked on each other, hinged at the apex of an articulated enameled steel frame. What unfolds is an object with a childlike sense of discovery, offering an extraordinary range of seating positions depending on the flipping of each “page” along the spine. It demonstrates the re-envisioning of industrial design into a subversive lifestyle tool. And for a chair that cleanly falls into Italy’s postwar radical design movement of the late 1960s and early ’70s, it’s surprisingly functional—as practical as it is playfully outlandish. Undoubtedly, its originality, its simplicity, its ease of use, and its versatility make this sculpture-like armchair attractive to lovers of beauty and collectors interested in the conception and cultural process of design. Chairs from the original edition , finished in shiny vinyl, were originally produced in tiny numbers by 'Busnelli', as you can imagine at the time this design was considered too avant-garde and conceptual for the taste of the mass market. This example suffers from the same fate as per 95% of the original edition chairs in that the type of vinyl used proved to be particularly sensitive to UV light so over the passing years the surface layer of the vinyl upholstery has cracked significantly , some may see this as a flaw but it proves the originality of this museum piece and the chances of today finding an original edition chair without this vinyl surface cracking are effectively and unfortunately next to none. Today these extremely rare and early iconic examples of italian radical...

Mid-Century Modern Set of 10 'Topos' Chairs by Gruppo DAM for Busnelli, 1970s