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Ico Parisi

Italian, 1916-1996

Domenico “Ico” Parisi was one half of a prolific postwar design duo he comprised with his wife, Luisa. Their furniture designs are known for running the stylistic gamut, with celebrated mid-century modern pieces ranging from elegantly skeletal — like dramatic ebonized dining chairs — to plush and shapely, like the iconic 1951 Egg chair, in a plethora of materials.

The son of an art teacher father, Ico Parisi was exposed to art at an early age. Born in 1916 in the Sicilian capital of Palermo, he and his family moved to Como in 1925. There, the young Parisi would begin to develop his interest in architecture and design. After earning a degree as a building inspector in 1936 and working as a civil engineer, Parisi took on an apprenticeship in the studio of Giuseppe Terragni, the modernist, fascist Italian architect, pioneer of the Rationalist movement and creator of the iconic Casa del Fascio.

While working for Terragni, Parisi crossed paths with such contemporary design talents as Lucio Fontana, Bruno Munari and Pietro Lingeri, though he briefly moved away from design and architecture to explore photography and film. His artistic work would soon be interrupted, however, by the outbreak of World War II, during which he served at the front before returning to Como in 1943. There, he resumed work as a designer and architect, founding two architecture groups: the Alta Quota and the Gruppo Como.

Through his creative circles, Parisi met Luisa Aiani, a former student of the prolific architect and furniture designer Gio Ponti, who was affiliated with the Alta Quota. They married in 1947 and founded the studio La Ruota — a cross between a design firm and an intellectual salon — in Como shortly thereafter. In 1950, Parisi finally completed his architectural schooling, studying under the nationalist architect Alberto Sartoris at the Athenaeum Architecture School in Lausanne, Switzerland. He and Aiani began several decades of sophisticated output, designing curved sofas upholstered in yellow velvet and armchairs with slender mahogany frames for enduring Italian manufacturers such as Cassina and others.

Much like Charles and Ray Eames in America, the Parisis worked as a team and relied on experimentation in style and material for many of their designs. Ico Parisi died in Como in 1996.

Find a collection of vintage Ico Parisi coffee tables, dining chairs and more on 1stDibs.

Average Sold Price
$4,096
Styles
Materials
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Low square brown wooden MIM table Ico Parisi Model Tivoli 1960 Label
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Located in Palermo, Sicily
Low Square Table made by MIM of Rome designed by Ico Parisi with Original Label
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1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ico Parisi

Materials

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Ico Parisi Bespoke Wall Key Rack, Letter Holder and Wall Phone Station, 1950s
By Ico Parisi
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Ico Parisi Bespoke Wall Key Rack, Letter Holder and Wall Phone Station, Italy 1950s Provenance Villa M, Como, Italy
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1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ico Parisi

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Ico Parisi 875 Armchair For Cassina
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Ico Parisi 875 Armchair For Cassina. Designed by Ico Parisi in 1960 and revisited by Cassina in 2020, 875 is an inviting, comfortable design armchair and...
Category

2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Ico Parisi

Materials

Foam

Ico Parisi 875 Armchair For Cassina
Ico Parisi 875 Armchair For Cassina
H 29.93 in W 31.11 in D 33.08 in
Rare Ico Parisi for Fratelli Rizzi Cabinet or Vanity in Chestnut
By Fratelli Rizzi, Ico Parisi
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Ico Parisi for Fratelli Rizzi, Intimiano, cabinet or vanity, a desk from the same series referenced under cat. no, '1950.56', chestnut, mahogany, brass, mirrored glass, Italy, 1950 ...
Category

1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ico Parisi

Materials

Brass

Ico Parisi for Angelo de Baggis Pair of Side Tables in Mahogany
By Ico Parisi, Angelo De Baggis
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Ico Parisi for Angelo de Baggis, pair of side tables or night stands, model ‘360’, mahogany, glass, brass, Italy, designed in 1954 Ico Parisi designed the side tables model ‘360’ or...
Category

1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ico Parisi

Materials

Brass

Rare Ico Parisi for Stildomus 'Altair' Fireplace Tools
By Ico Parisi, Stildomus
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Ico Parisi for Stildomus Selezione, 'Altair' fireplace tools with standard, model '2001', nickel-plated brass, wood, steel, Italy, 1959 The Altair design is a rare creation by Ico P...
Category

1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ico Parisi

Materials

Brass, Steel, Nickel

Ico Parisi for MIM Roma XL Large Dining Room Table, Italy 1950.
By MIM Roma, Ico Parisi
Located in Almelo, NL
Ico Parisi for MIM Roma XL Large Dining Room Table, Italy 1950. This is a large dining room table designed by Ico Parisi for MIM Roma, Italy in the 1950s. The table is made of dark ...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Ico Parisi

Materials

Metal

1960s Italian Ico Parisi Rosewood President's Writing Office Desk for MIM Roma
By MIM Roma, Ico Parisi
Located in London, GB
A very large Italian 'President's' office desk designed by Ico & Luisa Parisi for MIM Italy during the 1960s. The polished rosewood desk top is supported by beautifully detailed alum...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Ico Parisi

Materials

Metal, Aluminum, Steel

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Creators Similar to Ico Parisi

More Ico Parisi Designs
Model 865 Sofa
Model 865 Sofa
Average Price
$17,185
Number Available
3
Model 865 Sofa
By Ico Parisi
Materials
Metal, Steel
Styles
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Ico Parisi furniture for sale on 1stDibs.

Ico Parisi furniture are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of wood and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Ico Parisi furniture, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. We have 331 vintage editions of these items in-stock, while there is 6 modern edition to choose from as well. Many of the original furniture by Ico Parisi 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 Gianfranco Frattini, Osvaldo Borsani, and Willy Rizzo. Prices for Ico Parisi furniture can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $409 and can go as high as $78,112, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $5,052.

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