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Harry Bertoia Furniture

American, Italian, 1915-1978

Sculptor, furniture and jewelry designer, graphic artist and metalsmith, Harry Bertoia was one of the great cross-disciplinarians of 20th-century art and design and a central figure in American mid-century modernism. Among furniture aficionados, Bertoia is known for his chairs such as the wire-lattice Diamond chair (and its variants such as the tall-backed Bird chair) designed for Knoll Inc. and first released in 1952.

As an artist, he is revered for a style that was his alone. Bertoia’s metal sculptures are by turns expressive and austere, powerful and subtle, intimate in scale and monumental. All embody a tension between the intricacy and precision of Bertoia’s forms and the raw strength of his materials: steel, brass, bronze and copper.

Fortune seemed to guide Bertoia’s artistic development. Born in northeastern Italy, Bertoia immigrated to the United States at age 15, joining an older brother in Detroit. He studied drawing and metalworking in the gifted student program at Cass Technical High School. Recognition led to awards that culminated, in 1937, in a teaching scholarship to attend the Cranbrook Academy of Art in suburban Bloomfield Hills, one of the great crucibles of modernism in America

At Cranbrook, Bertoia made friendships — with architect Eero Saarinen, designers Charles and Ray Eames and Florence Schust Knoll and others — that shaped the course of his life. He taught metalworking at the school, and when materials rationing during World War II limited the availability of metals, Bertoia focused on jewelry design. He also experimented with monotype printmaking, and 19 of his earliest efforts were bought by the Guggenheim Museum.

In 1943, he left Cranbrook to work in California with the Eameses, helping them develop their now-famed plywood furniture. (Bertoia received scant credit.) Late in that decade, Florence and Hans Knoll persuaded him to move east and join Knoll Inc. His chairs became and remain perennial bestsellers. Royalties allowed Bertoia to devote himself full-time to metal sculpture, a medium he began to explore in earnest in 1947.

By the early 1950s Bertoia was receiving commissions for large-scale works from architects — the first came via Saarinen — as he refined his aesthetic vocabulary into two distinct skeins. One comprises his “sounding sculptures” — gongs and “Sonambient” groupings of rods that strike together and chime when touched by hand or by the wind. The other genre encompasses Bertoia’s naturalistic works: abstract sculptures that suggest bushes, flower petals, leaves, dandelions or sprays of grass. 

As you will see on these pages, Harry Bertoia was truly unique; his art and designs manifest a wholly singular combination of delicacy and strength.

Find vintage Harry Bertoia sculptures, armchairs, benches and other furniture and art on 1stDibs.

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Item Ships From: USA
Creator: Harry Bertoia
Harry Bertoia, Monumental Sonambient Sculpture
By Harry Bertoia
Located in New York, NY
Harry Bertoia, Monumental Sonambient Sculpture, USA, circa 1970's. Inconel on brass plate, comprised of 49 rods in a 7 x 7 layout with cattails, unmarked. Measures H: 81, W: 16, D: 1...
Category

Late 20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Harry Bertoia Furniture

Materials

Metal

Original 1960s Set of Six Harry Bertoia Side Chairs with Full Seat Covers
By Harry Bertoia
Located in New York, NY
This gorgeous set was acquired from an original owner who bought the set of six chairs in 1968 from Knoll and I have a copy of the receipts. The chairs are covered in the original re...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Harry Bertoia Furniture

Materials

Metal, Steel

Slat Bench by Harry Bertoia for Knoll
By Harry Bertoia, Knoll
Located in Chicago, IL
c. 1970s. Wood slat bench with metal legs. Tagged.
Category

1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Harry Bertoia Furniture

Materials

Metal

Unique Welded and Patinated Bronze Sculpture by Harry Bertoia
By Harry Bertoia
Located in Atlanta, GA
A unique bronze sculpture displayed on a granite stone base circa 1973 by Harry Bertoia (1915-1978), the celebrated Italian-born American artist, sculptor, and designer. The welded a...
Category

1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Harry Bertoia Furniture

Materials

Bronze

Harry Bertoia for Knoll Wire Diamond Chair Mid Century Modern
By Harry Bertoia
Located in Keego Harbor, MI
Discover sculptural sophistication with this Harry Bertoia for Knoll Wire Diamond Chair, a true Mid Century Modern gem. Its intricate and airy wire frame is a triumph of space-defyin...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Harry Bertoia Furniture

Materials

Steel

Mid Century White & Black Diamond Wire Chair by Bertoia for Knoll
By Knoll, Harry Bertoia
Located in Detroit, MI
This vintage mid century modern diamond wire lounge chairs designed by Harry Bertoia for Knoll is circa 1970. Originally designed by Bertoia in 1952, the industrial material and scul...
Category

1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Harry Bertoia Furniture

Materials

Steel, Iron, Wire

Harry Bertoia for Knoll Diamond Chair - Chrome
By Harry Bertoia
Located in Kennett Square, PA
Chrome diamond chair designed by Harry Bertoia for Knoll - a mid century classic, appears to be fairly recently made. Black leather seat highlights the striking chrome. Always surpri...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Harry Bertoia Furniture

Materials

Chrome

Unique Welded Bronze Sculpture Rare Figurative Form Harry Bertoia
By Harry Bertoia
Located in Atlanta, GA
A unique bronze sculpture circa 1960s by Harry Bertoia (1915-1978), the celebrated Italian-born American artist, sculptor, and designer. The welded and patinated bronze sculpture is ...
Category

1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Harry Bertoia Furniture

Materials

Bronze

Mid Century White Diamond Wire Chairs by Bertoia for Knoll
By Harry Bertoia, Knoll
Located in Detroit, MI
This set of four vintage mid century modern diamond wire lounge chairs designed by Harry Bertoia for Knoll are circa 1970. Originally designed by Bertoia in 1952, the industrial mate...
Category

1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Harry Bertoia Furniture

Materials

Steel, Iron, Wire

Set of 6 Harry Bertoia for Knoll Wire Side Chairs Tan Leather Mid Century Modern
By Harry Bertoia, Knoll
Located in Keego Harbor, MI
A set of 6 Harry Bertoia for Knoll wire side chairs. A wonderful set of clean, chic Bertoia wire side chairs featuring lovely beige leather seat ...
Category

Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Harry Bertoia Furniture

Materials

Chrome

Bertoia Diamond Chairs, White, Set of Two, Welded & Painted Steel
By Harry Bertoia
Located in Bloomfield Hills, MI
SALE ONE WEEK ONLY Bertoia Diamond Chairs, White, Set of Two, Welded & Painted Steel. They are as elegant, strong and functional as when they were manufactured. The chairs will add a touch of class to any setting. Harry Bertoia's career began in the 1930s as a student at Cranbrook Academy of Art where he re-established the metal-working studio and later became head of the department before the school closed during WWII due to wartime restrictions on materials in 1943. During the war, Bertoia moved to California and is credited with developing new techniques for molding plywood with Charles and Ray Eames also from Cranbrook. Harry Bertoia is one of the many well-known artists and designers who attended The Cranbrook Academy of Art in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, The school & buildings were designed by architect and faculty member, Eliel Saarinen who collaborated with Charles and Ray Eames on chair and furniture design. It is the country’s top ranked, graduate-only program in architecture, design and fine art. Each year, just 75 students are invited to study and live on the landmark Saarinen-designed campus which features: private studios, state-of-the art workshops, the renowned Cranbrook Art Museum and 300 acres of forests, lakes and streams, all a short drive from the city of Detroit. The focus at Cranbrook is on studio practice in one of ten disciplines including Architecture, 2D and 3D Design, Ceramics, Fiber, Metalsmithing, Painting, Photography, Print Media, and Sculpture. The program is anchored by celebrated Artists- and Designers-in-Residence, one for each discipline, all of whom live and practice on campus alongside the graduate students. Numerous creative artists who are alumni of Cranbrook include: Florence Knoll, Jack Lenor Larsen, Donald Lipski, Duane Hanson, Nick Cave, Hani Rashid, George Nelson, Urban Jupena (Nationally recognized fiber artist), Artis Lane (the first African-American artist to have her sculpture, "Sojourner Truth," commissioned for the Emancipation Hall in the Capital Visitor Center in Washington DC), Cory Puhlman (televised Pastry Chef extraordinaire), Thom O’Connor (Lithographs), Paul Evans (Brutalist-inspired sculpted metal furnishings), Eugene Caples (small bronze images/abstract), Morris Brose (Bronze Sculptures), Herb Babcock (blown glass), Larry Butcher (mixed media), Lauren Anais Hussey (Abstract), Andrea Eis (film, photography), Lilian Swann Saarinen (Sculpture), Douglas Semivan...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Harry Bertoia Furniture

Materials

Steel

1980s Harry Bertoia for Knoll International Bar Stools With Original Cushion
By Harry Bertoia
Located in Boston, MA
Pair of authentic Bertoia bar stools by Harry Bertoia for Knoll International, circa 1988. Black powder coated frame with original tan colored seat pad that snaps securely to the fra...
Category

1980s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Harry Bertoia Furniture

Materials

Metal

Expertly Restored - Vintage Harry Bertoia Diamond Wire Chair for Knoll
By Florence Knoll, Harry Bertoia
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Transforming a piece of Mid-Century Modern furniture is like bringing history back to life, and we take this journey with passion and precision. With over 17 years of artisanal exper...
Category

1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Harry Bertoia Furniture

Materials

Metal

Early Important Harry Bertoia Monotype
By Harry Bertoia
Located in Chicago, IL
Early Important Harry Bertoia Monotype One of his first works on paper, Monoprint on Rice Raper Signed to verso ‘HB’. Inscribed to lower right '1264'. Sold with a certificate of auth...
Category

1940s Vintage Harry Bertoia Furniture

Materials

Paper

Midcentury Chrome Bar Stools by Harry Bertoia for Knoll
By Harry Bertoia, Knoll
Located in BROOKLYN, NY
Mid century classic and iconic Bertoia for Knoll stools in a high chrome finish. Architectural design, clean original condition, ready to use. Very solid and sturdy showing no loss t...
Category

Early 2000s American Mid-Century Modern Harry Bertoia Furniture

Materials

Steel, Stainless Steel, Chrome

White Wire Side Chair by Harry Bertoia for Knoll, 1952 Set of 4
By Harry Bertoia
Located in Van Nuys, CA
The Bertoia Side Chair is an icon of mid-century modern design. Bertoia found sublime grace in an industrial material, creating a design that works with every decor, in every room. T...
Category

20th Century Harry Bertoia Furniture

Materials

Metal

Early and Rare 'Pre-Production' Harry Bertoia Small Diamond Chair for Knoll
By Harry Bertoia
Located in Cincinnati, OH
Early production small diamond chair with a very usual double wire seat configuration, the typical wire structure is in place but an additional larger space...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Harry Bertoia Furniture

Materials

Wire

Harry Bertoia monoprint
By Harry Bertoia
Located in Dallas, TX
After an intense day of casting and welding mid-century artist Harry Bertoia (American, born Italian. 1915-1978) would unwind by creating one-of-a-kind prints, laying rice paper on a...
Category

1960s American Vintage Harry Bertoia Furniture

Materials

Paper

Bird Chair + Ottoman by Harry Bertoia for Knoll
By Knoll, Harry Bertoia
Located in Chicago, IL
c. 1960s. Price is for the set. Contact us if you’d like to purchase a single item. Wire frame, good for indoor or outdoor use.
Category

1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Harry Bertoia Furniture

Materials

Metal

Harry Bertoia: Untitled, Framed Monotype on Rice Paper, United States 1960s
By Harry Bertoia
Located in New York, NY
Harry Bertoia (1915 - 1978) Untitled A striking monotype on rice paper by Harry Bertoia, in ochres, rusts, and greens. Professionally framed and matted. 1960's. Signed "HB" on...
Category

1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Harry Bertoia Furniture

Materials

Paper

Harry Bertoia monoprint
By Harry Bertoia
Located in Dallas, TX
After an intense day of casting and welding mid-century artist Harry Bertoia (American, born Italian. 1915-1978) would unwind by creating one-of-a-kind prints, laying rice paper on a...
Category

1960s American Vintage Harry Bertoia Furniture

Materials

Paper

Set of Four Harry Bertoia Designed Child Chairs for Knoll
By Harry Bertoia, Knoll
Located in San Francisco, CA
Offered here are four Harry Bertoia designed child chair for Knoll. First designed in 1950. All are white.
Category

1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Harry Bertoia Furniture

Materials

Metal

Harry Bertoia White Wire Diamond Lounge Chair for Knoll (B)
By Harry Bertoia
Located in Cincinnati, OH
A white plastic coated welded wire diamond lounge chair with a contrasting satin black base and sunflower yellow leatherette seat pad . Manufactured by Knoll International and design...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Harry Bertoia Furniture

Materials

Steel, Wire

Harry Bertoia White Wire Diamond Lounge Chair for Knoll (A)
By Harry Bertoia
Located in Cincinnati, OH
A white plastic coated welded wire diamond lounge chair with a contrasting satin black base and sunflower yellow leatherette seat pad . Manufactured by Knoll International and design...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Harry Bertoia Furniture

Materials

Steel, Wire

Set of 6 Harry Bertoia Bar Stools for Knoll
By Harry Bertoia, Knoll
Located in Boynton Beach, FL
Set of 6 bar stools by Harry Bertoia for Knoll. A beautiful and classic design by one of the most notable Mid Century designer and artist. Each one retains its original white powder ...
Category

Late 20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Harry Bertoia Furniture

Materials

Metal

Set of Four Harry Bertoia for Knoll Barstool in Chrome & Black Leatherette
By Harry Bertoia, Knoll
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Deisgned in the early 1950s by genius up-and-coming designer Harry Bertoia, this chair stands today as part of an entire line produced by Knoll. Accompanied by Bertoia's Diamond chai...
Category

Early 2000s American Mid-Century Modern Harry Bertoia Furniture

Materials

Steel, Chrome

Harry Bertoia #420 Wire Dining Chairs for Knoll
By Harry Bertoia
Located in Cincinnati, OH
A set of four white wire dining chairs with black bases and bright yellow upholstered seat pads . A great special order combination making for a cheery and refined look and feel , de...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Harry Bertoia Furniture

Materials

Metal

Vintage Knoll Bertoia Counter Height Stool, Model 426C
By Harry Bertoia, Knoll
Located in West Reading, PA
This is a single Bertoia Counter Stool, model 426C, designed by Harry Bertoia for Knoll in 1952. This particular stool was manufactured by Knoll in the...
Category

1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Harry Bertoia Furniture

Materials

Steel

Pair of Mid Century Modern Bertoia Large Diamond Chairs
By Harry Bertoia
Located in Tulsa, OK
Pair of Mid Century Modern Bertoia Large Diamond Chairs Sold individually at $1738 each. Above average vintage condition and structurally...
Category

1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Harry Bertoia Furniture

Materials

Steel

1970s Harry Bertoia for Knoll Black Wire Side Chair
By Harry Bertoia
Located in Chula Vista, CA
Harry Bertoia for Knoll Black Side Chair No label Black Metal with original vinyl cushion. Visible use and wear. 30 h x 20.75 w x 22.75 d Seat 17.25 Unrestored preowned vintage cond...
Category

Late 20th Century Mid-Century Modern Harry Bertoia Furniture

Materials

Metal

Harry Bertoia Upholstered Small Diamond Lounge Chair for Knoll ( A )
By Harry Bertoia
Located in Cincinnati, OH
A very nice black wire framed small diamond lounge chair with matching black base . Having a full upholstered cover in a chocolate tone with soft woven fabric making the chair a very...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Harry Bertoia Furniture

Materials

Steel

Harry Bertoia Upholstered Small Diamond Lounge Chair for Knoll ( B )
By Harry Bertoia
Located in Cincinnati, OH
A very nice black wire framed small diamond lounge chair with matching black base . Having a full upholstered cover in a chocolate tone with soft woven fabric making the chair a very...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Harry Bertoia Furniture

Materials

Steel

Harry Bertoia Diamond Chair for Knoll
By Harry Bertoia
Located in New York, NY
Mid-Century Modern Harry Bertoia (American, 1915 - 1978) Diamond Chair for Knoll (designed 1952) in white with black base and one seat cushion (black). 30" H x 34" W x 25" D; seat he...
Category

Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Harry Bertoia Furniture

Materials

Metal

Mid Century Modern Bertoia Large White Wire Diamond Chairs
By Harry Bertoia
Located in Tulsa, OK
Mid Century Modern Bertoia Large White Wire Diamond Chairs Good vintage condition and structurally sound. Some discoloration on the white white looks to ...
Category

1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Harry Bertoia Furniture

Materials

Metal

Set of Four Harry Bertoia for Knoll Barstool in Chrome & Black Leatherette
By Harry Bertoia, Knoll
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Deisgned in the early 1950s by genius up-and-coming designer Harry Bertoia, this chair stands today as part of an entire line produced by Knoll. Accompanied by Bertoia's Diamond chai...
Category

Early 2000s American Mid-Century Modern Harry Bertoia Furniture

Materials

Steel, Chrome

Monumental Harry Bertoia Silver Necklace, Bertoia Catalogue Raisonne D.JE.49
By Harry Bertoia
Located in Bloomfield Hills, MI
WEARABLE ART AN IMPORTANT DESIGN FOR A NECKLACE The necklace is unique and extraordinary. Because of its specific design elements it lays beautifully and comfortably on any body structure. This piece comes from a private collection. Provenance will accompany the piece. It has been authenticated by Val Bertoia and is listed in the Harry Bertoia Foundation Catalogue Raisonne # D.JE.49 having been authenticated as a Harry Bertoia piece. REPLY FROM CHRISTIE'S: "Dear Charles, thank you for contacting Christie's. I am absolutely stunned to see the necklace by Harry Bertoia you have submitted for feedback from us, and I would love to speak with you about the work at your earliest convenience. I am a great fan and a known expert in the work of Harry Bertoia, and I have handled over 600 of his sculptures, jewelry and art over the last 22 years. I have never seen a better piece of his jewelry, and it stands as one of the greatest objects in any category that he made. Michael Jefferson Senior Vice President International Senior Specialist Design" The following is from Beverly H. Twitchell, PhD, author of Bertoia: The Metalworker, London: Phaidon, 2019. She provides a very informative critique of Bertoia and his jewelry. Wearable Art an Important Design for a Necklace “Before Harry Bertoia enrolled at the Cranbrook Academy of Art in 1937 he had already mastered traditional jewelers’ techniques, but his engagement with Modernism led him to invent and use more direct methods. Instead of precious metals and gems, Bertoia made jewelry that appealed through its design, craftsmanship and the nature of its materials. That approach would make Bertoia a direct predecessor of the American Studio Crafts movement. So complex and cumulative are human perception and memory that we often do not know from where our own ideas come and without firm evidence, it is impossible to think we can establish the origins of an artist’s ideas. While his jewelry is entirely modern, chokers with multiple small pendants had come from ancient Mediterranean cultures: Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece and Italy, even from Europe and America at the turn of the last century. Did Bertoia see works in books, journals or at the Detroit Institute of Arts that resonated with him or did he invent this on his own, as he would so many other forms? Bertoia found inspiration in nature from an early age on a small farm in Italy and later in Cranbrook’s woods, on the beaches of southern California and in the fields near his home in eastern Pennsylvania where he lived after 1950. The fluidity and motion of the his jewelry characterize much of his art. In that spirit, too, he made jewelry that suited human anatomy and was animated by its wearer’s movement. Bertoia had the instincts of an engineer, as the intricacy of the present lot’s clasp and overall construction of the jewelry demonstrates. Large jewelry by Bertoia is very rare. A delight to the eye, and like all of Bertoia’s work it is timeless. Bertoia had the instincts of an engineer, as the intricacy of the present lot's clasp and the overall construction of this piece demonstrate. Closed, the necklace sits on a table in a surprisingly conical shape, but it is so flexible that it conforms to its wearer from her neck nearly to her shoulders. Each handmade section is riveted to its neighbors, allowing it to adjust to the body while the pendants curve in many directions: one fits the left clavicle so precisely that Bertoia likely tried it on Brigitta Valentiner, who became his wife in 1943. Other pendants face toward or away from each other, bending up or down. Each element has been hammered into multiple curves and worked in Bertoia’s hands. Large jewelry by Bertoia is very rare. A delight to the eye, this necklace no doubt caused a sensation in its day as it might at the 2022 Met Ball in ours, for like all of Harry Bertoia’s work, it is timeless.” Harry Bertoia (1915 – 1978) was an Italian-born American artist, jewelry creator and modern furniture designer. He was born in San Lorenzo d...
Category

1940s American Vintage Harry Bertoia Furniture

Materials

Sterling Silver

Early Set of Four Harry Bertoia Molded Shell Side Chairs for Knoll, Labeled
By Harry Bertoia, Knoll
Located in Chesterfield, NJ
Set of four molded shell side chairs designed by Harry Bertoia and manufactured by Knoll. Originally debuted in 1960, this very early set is from 1963 and...
Category

1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Harry Bertoia Furniture

Materials

Metal

Mid-Century Large Knoll Diamond Bertoia Lounge - Single
By Knoll, Harry Bertoia
Located in Raleigh, NC
1960’s Large Knoll Diamond bertoia lounge designed by Harry Bertoia. Very comfy with rubber pads allowing this lounge to flex for comfort. Bertoia ...
Category

1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Harry Bertoia Furniture

Materials

Metal, Chrome

Extremely RareHarry Bertoia Necklace Sterling Silver Lapis Coral ca. 1940
By Harry Bertoia
Located in Bloomfield Hills, MI
Extremely rare combination pendant attached to custom-made chain by Harry Bertoia in sterling silver, containing one Lapis Lazuli and one Coral. This piece comes from a private collection. Provenance will accompany the piece. The work has been added to the Harry Bertoia Catalogue Raisonné and assigned the following catalogue raisonné number: D.JE.78. Although associated with Mid-Century Modern furniture, Harry Bertoia was originally a jewelry designer who used both sterling silver, precious stones and gem stones. The pendant measures: 1.25" long x 1" wide. The necklace measures: 11" length with a measurement of 22" overall length. The chain and closure are all handcrafted and in his unique design. Lapis Lazuli measures 20mm round supported by one 6 mm red coral. Total weight is 33 grams. The following is from Beverly H. Twitchell, PhD, author of Bertoia: The Metalworker, London: Phaidon, 2019. She provides a very informative critique of Bertoia and his jewelry. Wearable Art an Important Design for a Necklace “Before Harry Bertoia enrolled at the Cranbrook Academy of Art in 1937 he had already mastered traditional jewelers’ techniques, but his engagement with Modernism led him to invent and use more direct methods. Instead of precious metals and gems, Bertoia made jewelry that appealed through its design, craftsmanship and the nature of its materials. That approach would make Bertoia a direct predecessor of the American Studio Crafts movement. So complex and cumulative are human perception and memory that we often do not know from where our own ideas come and without firm evidence, it is impossible to think we can establish the origins of an artist’s ideas. While his jewelry is entirely modern, chokers with multiple small pendants had come from ancient Mediterranean cultures: Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece and Italy, even from Europe and America at the turn of the last century. Did Bertoia see works in books, journals or at the Detroit Institute of Arts that resonated with him or did he invent this on his own, as he would so many other forms? Bertoia found inspiration in nature from an early age on a small farm in Italy and later in Cranbrook’s woods, on the beaches of southern California and in the fields near his home in eastern Pennsylvania where he lived after 1950. The fluidity and motion of the his jewelry characterize much of his art. In that spirit, too, he made jewelry that suited human anatomy and was animated by its wearer’s movement. Bertoia had the instincts of an engineer, as the intricacy of the present lot’s clasp and overall construction of the jewelry demonstrates. Large jewelry by Bertoia is very rare. A delight to the eye, and like all of Bertoia’s work it is timeless.” Harry Bertoia (1915 – 1978) was an Italian-born American artist, jewelry creator and modern furniture designer. He was born in San Lorenzo d-Arzene, Pordenone, Italy. At age 15 he moved to Detroit, Michigan to live with his older brother, Oreste. He quickly learned English and the bus schedule and enrolled in Cass Tech High School in Detroit (1930-1936) where he studied art and design and learned the skill of handmade jewelry making. At that time, there were three jewelry and metals teachers Louise Green...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Harry Bertoia Furniture

Materials

Coral, Lapis Lazuli, Sterling Silver

Rare Harry Bertoia Sterling Silver Brooch "Ginko Leaves" ca. 1940s
By Harry Bertoia
Located in Bloomfield Hills, MI
An extremely rare Harry Bertoia sterling silver brooch "Ginko Leaves." The brooch has been added to the Harry Bertoia Catalogue Raisonné and assigned the following catalogue raisonné number: D.JE.77. This piece comes from a private collection. Provenance will accompany the piece. The Brooch measures: 2.94 " long x 1.5 " wide x .30 " deep. Although associated with Mid-Century Modern furniture, Harry Bertoia was originally a jewelry designer who used both sterling silver, precious stones and gem stones. The brooch and closure are all handcrafted and the clasp is his unique design. The following is from Beverly H. Twitchell, PhD, author of Bertoia: The Metalworker, London: Phaidon, 2019. She provides a very informative critique of Bertoia and his jewelry. Wearable Art an Important Design for a Necklace “Before Harry Bertoia enrolled at the Cranbrook Academy of Art in 1937 he had already mastered traditional jewelers’ techniques, but his engagement with Modernism led him to invent and use more direct methods. Instead of precious metals and gems, Bertoia made jewelry that appealed through its design, craftsmanship and the nature of its materials. That approach would make Bertoia a direct predecessor of the American Studio Crafts movement. So complex and cumulative are human perception and memory that we often do not know from where our own ideas come and without firm evidence, it is impossible to think we can establish the origins of an artist’s ideas. While his jewelry is entirely modern, chokers with multiple small pendants had come from ancient Mediterranean cultures: Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece and Italy, even from Europe and America at the turn of the last century. Did Bertoia see works in books, journals or at the Detroit Institute of Arts that resonated with him or did he invent this on his own, as he would so many other forms? Bertoia found inspiration in nature from an early age on a small farm in Italy and later in Cranbrook’s woods, on the beaches of southern California and in the fields near his home in eastern Pennsylvania where he lived after 1950. The fluidity and motion of the his jewelry characterize much of his art. In that spirit, too, he made jewelry that suited human anatomy and was animated by its wearer’s movement. Bertoia had the instincts of an engineer, as the intricacy of the present lot’s clasp and overall construction of the jewelry demonstrates. Large jewelry by Bertoia is very rare. A delight to the eye, and like all of Bertoia’s work it is timeless.” Harry Bertoia (1915 – 1978) was an Italian-born American artist, jewelry creator and modern furniture designer. He was born in San Lorenzo d-Arzene, Pordenone, Italy. At age 15 he moved to Detroit, Michigan to live with his older brother, Oreste. He quickly learned English and the bus schedule and enrolled in Cass Tech High School in Detroit (1930-1936) where he studied art and design and learned the skill of handmade jewelry making. At that time, there were three jewelry and metals teachers Louise...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Harry Bertoia Furniture

Materials

Sterling Silver

Collectible Monochromatic Harry Bertoia Print
By Harry Bertoia
Located in Hopewell, NJ
Fascinating monographic by Harry Bertoia having surrealistic style probably influenced by Odilon Redon and Paul Klee. Handsomely matted and framed.
Category

1970s American Modern Vintage Harry Bertoia Furniture

Materials

Paper

2000s Set of Six Harry Bertoia for Knoll Chrome Wire Dining / Side Chairs
By Harry Bertoia, Knoll
Located in Philadelphia, PA
These are classic Bertoia side chairs, model 420c, designed in 1952 by Harry Bertoia for Knoll International. These chairs consist of welded chromed-steel wire seats & backs, and ret...
Category

Early 2000s American Modern Harry Bertoia Furniture

Materials

Steel

2000s Harry Bertoia for Knoll Diamond Lounge Chair in Purple Boucle
By Harry Bertoia, Knoll
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This is a classic Bertoia Diamond Chair, Model No. 421, originally designed by Harry Bertoia for Knoll in 1952. This particular example dates to the early 2000s and came from a corpo...
Category

Early 2000s American Modern Harry Bertoia Furniture

Materials

Bouclé, Upholstery

2021 Harry Bertoia for Knoll Counter Stool in White with Full Cover
By Harry Bertoia, Knoll
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This is a classic 2021 production Harry Bertoia for Knoll Counter Stool, Model 426C, originally designed in 1952. The piece is fabricated of a wel...
Category

2010s American Modern Harry Bertoia Furniture

Materials

Steel

1950s Harry Bertoia for Knoll Associates Model 400 Bench in Oak with Black Base
By Harry Bertoia, Knoll
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Listed for sale is an iconic slatted oak bench designed by Harry Bertoia and produced by Knoll. It dates to circa 1952. This piece was constructed using solid oak wood for the top an...
Category

1950s American Modern Vintage Harry Bertoia Furniture

Materials

Steel

Harry Bertoia Bush Form Sculpture
By Harry Bertoia
Located in Dallas, TX
A large organic bush form with beautiful patina. Masterful work by Harry Bertoia. Sold with a COA from the Bertoia foundation.
Category

1970s Vintage Harry Bertoia Furniture

Materials

Bronze

1960s Harry Bertoia for Knoll Large Diamond Chairs w/ Original White Covers
By Harry Bertoia, Knoll
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This is a rare pair of large diamond lounge chairs, designed by Harry Bertoia and produced by knoll circa mid 1960s. These are notable in that they retain their original 320 park ave...
Category

1960s American Modern Vintage Harry Bertoia Furniture

Materials

Steel

Custom Powder Coated Green Harry Bertoia Diamond Chairs for Knoll
By Harry Bertoia
Located in Ferndale, MI
Pair of Harry Bertioa for Knoll diamond chairs recently restored and powder coated in a lively apple g green .
Category

1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Harry Bertoia Furniture

Materials

Steel

Vintage White Bertoia Steel Wire Side Chair With "X" Base by Knoll Set of 4
By Harry Bertoia, Knoll
Located in Culver City, CA
These spectacular chairs need no introduction. this rare X base models are in my opinion the most incredible of his designs with this unexpected and unconventional look and design al...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Harry Bertoia Furniture

Materials

Steel

Harry Bertoia Baby Size Child Chairs - a Pair
By Harry Bertoia
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Vintage pair of wire child chairs designed by Harry Bertoia for Knoll. This iconic chair was originally issued in three sizes. As the smallest size was never reissued, the miniatures...
Category

1960s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Harry Bertoia Furniture

Materials

Metal

20th Century Italian Metal Chairs Created by H. Bertoia, a Pair
By Harry Bertoia
Located in High Point, NC
A pair of 20th century Italian metal chairs created by Harry Bertoia. Referred to as ‘diamond chairs,’ these classic mid-century chairs exude a sp...
Category

20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Harry Bertoia Furniture

Materials

Metal

1986 Pair of Harry Bertoia for Knoll Dining Chairs with Original Full Pads
By Harry Bertoia, Knoll
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This is a pair of classic Bertoia side chairs, model 420C, designed in 1952 by Harry Bertoia for Knoll International. These chairs have welded steel basket seats and retain their ori...
Category

1980s American Modern Vintage Harry Bertoia Furniture

Materials

Steel

Harry Bertoia for Knoll Large Diamond Chair
By Harry Bertoia, Knoll
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Harry Bertoia for Knoll large diamond chair with a green cover. Base is original white. Bushings are in good shape, and overall the cover is pretty clean! ...
Category

1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Harry Bertoia Furniture

Materials

Metal

Bertoia, Eight White Welded Steel Chairs with Four Red Cushions
By Harry Bertoia
Located in Bloomfield Hills, MI
SALE ONE WEEK ONLY This set of eight side chairs & four red cushions are as elegant, strong and functional as when they were manufactured. The colors are bright and the cushions are in very good condition. The chairs will add a touch of class to any setting. Harry Bertoia's career began in the 1930s as a student at Cranbrook Academy of Art where he re-established the metal-working studio and later became head of the department before the school closed during WWII due to wartime restrictions on materials in 1943. During the war, Bertoia moved to California and is credited with developing new techniques for molding plywood with Charles and Ray Eames also from Cranbrook. Harry Bertoia is one of the many well-known artists and designers who attended The Cranbrook Academy of Art in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, The school & buildings were designed by architect and faculty member, Eliel Saarinen who collaborated with Charles and Ray Eames on chair and furniture design. It is the country’s top ranked, graduate-only program in architecture, design and fine art. Each year, just 75 students are invited to study and live on the landmark Saarinen-designed campus which features: private studios, state-of-the art workshops, the renowned Cranbrook Art Museum and 300 acres of forests, lakes and streams, all a short drive from the city of Detroit. The focus at Cranbrook is on studio practice in one of ten disciplines including Architecture, 2D and 3D Design, Ceramics, Fiber, Metalsmithing, Painting, Photography, Print Media, and Sculpture. The program is anchored by celebrated Artists- and Designers-in-Residence, one for each discipline, all of whom live and practice on campus alongside the graduate students. Numerous creative artists who are alumni of Cranbrook include: Florence Knoll, Jack Lenor Larsen, Donald Lipski, Duane Hanson, Nick Cave, Hani Rashid, George Nelson, Urban Jupena (Nationally recognized fiber artist), Artis Lane (the first African-American artist to have her sculpture, "Sojourner Truth," commissioned for the Emancipation Hall in the Capital Visitor Center in Washington DC), Cory Puhlman (televised Pastry Chef extraordinaire), Thom O’Connor (Lithographs), Paul Evans (Brutalist-inspired sculpted metal furnishings), Eugene Caples (small bronze images/abstract), Morris Brose (Bronze Sculptures), Herb Babcock (blown glass), Larry Butcher (mixed media), Lauren Anais Hussey (Abstract), Andrea Eis (film, photography), Lilian Swann Saarinen (Sculpture), Douglas Semivan...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Harry Bertoia Furniture

Materials

Metal, Steel

Harry Bertoia bronze
By Harry Bertoia
Located in Dallas, TX
American Mid-century artist Harry Bertoia would spend his daylight hours working on the monumental public projects for which he is so well known. In the evenings though, after dinner...
Category

1970s Vintage Harry Bertoia Furniture

Materials

Bronze

Bertoia for Knoll Large Diamond Chair and Ottoman with New Knoll Cover!
By Harry Bertoia, Knoll
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Harry Bertoia for Knoll Large Diamond Chair and Ottoman. Ottoman measures 23.5 x 16.5 and 14.5" tall. New Cover in a Knoll Fabric. On close inspection fabric is woven of threads of r...
Category

1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Harry Bertoia Furniture

Materials

Metal

Childs Size Wire Chair by Harry Bertoia for Knoll
By Harry Bertoia, Knoll
Located in Oklahoma City, OK
A staple design from famous designer Harry Bertoia for Knoll. A child’s Size wire side chair. Great for indoor or outdoor use. Your kid will definitely have the coolest chair on the ...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Harry Bertoia Furniture

Materials

Metal

Harry Bertoia for Knoll ”BIRD” Chair
By Harry Bertoia, Knoll
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Harry Bertoia Bird Frame or High Back Diamond. Black metal frame with 4 rubber bushings that let that chair rock slightly. Newer Knoll cover in the last 10-15 years. Cover is very...
Category

1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Harry Bertoia Furniture

Materials

Metal

Harry Bertoia furniture for sale on 1stDibs.

Harry Bertoia 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 Harry Bertoia furniture, although gray editions of this piece are particularly popular. We have 188 vintage editions of these items in-stock, while there is 2 modern edition to choose from as well. Many of the original furniture by Harry Bertoia were created in the mid-century modern style in north america during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider furniture by Charles Eames, Michael Taylor, and Warren Platner. Prices for Harry Bertoia furniture can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $325 and can go as high as $450,000, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $2,930.
Questions About Harry Bertoia Furniture
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    Italian-American designer Harry Bertoia made the Diamond chair in 1952, and his design went into production in 1983. The original chair featured a woven steel wire back with angled wings resting on angled wire legs. Find a collection of Harry Bertoia Diamond chairs on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    Whether or not a Harry Bertoia chair is comfortable really comes down to a matter of personal preference, but there are a lot of positive reviews pertaining to how comfortable the Italian-born American designer’s seating is. Among furniture aficionados he is known for the wire-lattice Diamond chair (and its variants such as the tall-backed Bird chair) designed for Knoll Inc. and first released in 1952. Shop a selection of Bertoia chairs from some of the world’s top dealers on 1stDibs.

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