He died tragically young, and his career as a designer lasted little more than 10 years. But through the 1960s, Joe Colombo proved himself one of the field’s most provocative and original thinkers, and he produced a remarkably large array of innovative chairs, table lamps and other lighting and furniture as well as product designs. Even today, the creations of Joe Colombo have the power to surprise.
Cesare “Joe” Colombo was born in Milan, the son of an electrical-components manufacturer. He was a creative child — he loved to build huge structures from Meccano pieces — and in college he studied painting and sculpture before switching to architecture.
In the early 1950s, Colombo made and exhibited paintings and sculptures as part of an art movement that responded to the new Nuclear Age, and futuristic thinking would inform his entire career. He took up design not long after his father fell ill in 1958, and he and his brother, Gianni, were called upon to run the family company.
Colombo expanded the business to include the making of plastics — a primary material in almost all his later designs. One of his first, made in collaboration with his brother, was the Acrilica table lamp (1962), composed of a wave-shaped piece of clear acrylic resin that diffused light cast by a bulb concealed in the lamp’s metal base. A year later, Colombo produced his best-known furniture design, the Elda armchair (1963): a modernist wingback chair with a womb-like plastic frame upholstered in thick leather pads.
Portability and adaptability were keynotes of many Colombo designs, made for a more mobile society in which people would take their living environments with them. One of his most striking pieces is the Tube chair (1969). It comprises four foam-padded plastic cylinders that fit inside one another. The components, which are held together by metal clips, can be configured in a variety of seating shapes (his Additional Living System seating is similarly versatile).
Vintage Tube chairs generally sell for about $9,000 in good condition; Elda chairs for about $7,000. A small Colombo design such as the plastic Boby trolley — an office organizer on wheels, designed in 1970 — is priced in the range of $700.
As Colombo intended, his designs are best suited to a modern decor. If your tastes run to sleek, glossy Space Age looks, the work of Joe Colombo offers you a myriad of choices.
Find vintage Joe Colombo lamps, seating and other furniture for sale on 1stDibs.
Elda Chair by Joe Colombo for Comfort - 1960's Italy
By Joe Colombo
Located in Lisboa, PT
Iconic Elda Chair by Joe Colombo for Comfort - Collectible Design Masterpiece The Elda Chair, designed by visionary Italian designer Joe Colombo for Comfort in the 1960s, is an unpa...
Leather, Fiberglass
Joe Colombo for Kartell Armchair Mod. 4801 Numbered No. 29, Italy 1960s
By Joe Colombo, Kartell
Located in Naples, IT
Fantastic and large white curved beech wood armchair, Mod. 4801 Designer Joe Colombo and produced by Kartell in Italy , an icon of Italian Modernism. A limited number of wooden 4801 ...
Leather, Wood
Joe Colombo Swivel "Elda" Italian Lounge Chair
By Joe Colombo, Comfort, Italy
Located in Vienna, AT
Lounge chair designed by Joe Colombo (1930-1971) in 1963 model "Elda"for Comfort. Made of fiberglass structure reupholstered with creme bouclé fabric which make it very unique. It ha...
Bouclé, Fiberglass
Joe Colombo for Comfort 'Elda' Lounge Chair in Red Leather and Fiberglass
By Joe Colombo, Comfort, Italy
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Joe Colombo for Comfort, lounge chair ‘Elda’, fiberglass, leather, Italy, design 1963 The ‘Elda’ chair is one of the most well-known designs of Italian designer Joe Colombo. This lo...
Leather, Fiberglass
Joe Colombo Chair No. 4801, Black Plywood, Kartell, Italy, 1960s, One of Two
By Joe Colombo, Kartell
Located in Hausmannstätten, AT
One of two "interlocking" lounge chairs designed by Joe Colombo for Kartell, Italy, manufactured in midcentury. Joe Colombo's iconic 4801 armchair was designed in 1963-1964. A modern chair with striking visual appeal by the master of Italian Space Age design. A limited number of wood 4801 chairs...
Plywood
$12,297Sale Price|5% Off
Vintage iconic Joe Colombo Elda armchair, Italian Space Age 1960s, Black Leather
By Joe Colombo, Comfort, Italy
Located in Milano, IT
Iconic Armchair , Vintage Italian Armchair , Joe Colombo , Elda It’s 1963, Space Age is at its dawn, and Italian architect Joe Colombo designs a piece that will define the aestheti...
Leather, Fiberglass
Pair of Joe Colombo Chairs No. 4801, Black Plywood Wood, Kartell, Italy, 1960s
By Joe Colombo, Kartell
Located in Hausmannstätten, AT
A pair of "interlocking" lounge chairs by Joe Colombo for Kartell, Italy, manufactured in Mid-Century, circa 1963. Joe Colombo's iconic 4801 armchair was designed in 1963/1964. A mod...
Plywood, Wood, Bentwood
Italian Space Age Additional System armchairs by Joe Colombo for Sormani, 1970s
By Joe Colombo, Sormani
Located in MIlano, IT
Pair of armchairs model Additional System, with aluminum base and six cushions each, with rounded edges and of different sizes, placed side by side and connected to each other by hoo...
Aluminum
Customizable Tacchini Additional System Armchair by Joe Colombo
By Tacchini, Joe Colombo
Located in New York, NY
Modules with unusual shapes give life to original seating configurations where aggregation and variability take center stage. Additional System is a project by Joe Colombo from 1967,...
Upholstery
Elda Lounge Chair by Joe Colombo for Comfort, Italy 1960s
By Joe Colombo, Comfort, Italy
Located in bruxelles, BE
Swivel armchair in beige canvas and black shell by Joe Colombo. Elda model. Seat height 40 cm. Wear due to time and age of armchair. FOR SHIPPING, REQUEST US FOR RECEIVE THE BEST PRICE
Fiberglass, Canvas
Model 4801 Armchair by Joe Colombo for Kartell, 1960s
By Joe Colombo, Kartell
Located in bruxelles, BE
Orange wooden armchair by Joe Colombo. The armchair is numbered. Dimensions: Seat height 34cm Wear due to time and age of the armchair. FOR SHIPPING, REQUEST US FOR RECEIVE THE BEST ...
Wood
Joe Colombo for Comfort 'Elda' Lounge Chairs in Red Leather and Fiberglass
By Comfort, Italy, Joe Colombo
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Joe Colombo for Comfort, lounge chairs ‘Elda’, fiberglass, leather, Italy, design 1963 The ‘Elda’ chair is one of the most well-known designs of Italian designer Joe Colombo. This l...
Leather, Fiberglass
"Supercomfort" Armchair by Joe Colombo, 1964
By Joe Colombo
Located in Berlin, DE
The ‘Supercomfort’ armchair was designed by the Italian architect and industrial designer Joe Colombo for Comfort in 1964. The frame is moulded from two cut-out and joint-free plywoo...
Faux Leather, Plywood
Vintage 1960s vintage swivel armchair model Elda designed by Joe Colombo for Comfort
By Comfort, Italy, Joe Colombo
Located in None, IT
Swivel armchair with fiberglass frame and white leather upholstery, model "Elda" designed by Joe Colombo for Comfort, 1960s. CONDITION: In good condition, shows signs of wear due to...
Leather
Joe Colombo for Comfort Lounge Chair 'Elda' in Black Leather and Fiberglass
By Joe Colombo, Comfort, Italy
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Joe Colombo for Comfort, lounge chair ‘Elda’, fiberglass, leather, Italy, 1963 The ‘Elda’ chair is one of the most well-known designs of Italian designer Joe Colombo. This lounge ch...
Leather, Fiberglass
$13,276Sale Price / set|20% Off
Tacchini Additional System Lounge Chair & Ottoman by Joe Colombo in STOCK
By Tacchini, Joe Colombo
Located in New York, NY
Additional System Ottoman + Lounge Chair Cat Z Zurah Col 03 Modules with unusual shapes give life to original seating configurations where aggregation and variability take center st...
Fabric
Model 4801 Armchairs by Joe Colombo for Kartell, 1960s, set of 2
By Joe Colombo, Kartell
Located in bruxelles, BE
Set of 2 white wooden armchairs designed by Joe Colombo, Model 4801. Numbered 121. Seat height 34cm. Wear due to time and age.
Wood
Model 4801 Armchairs by Joe Colombo for Kartell, 1960s, set of 2
By Kartell, Joe Colombo
Located in bruxelles, BE
Set of 2 white wooden armchairs designed by Joe Colombo, Model 4801. Numbered 16. Seat height 34cm. Wear due to time and age.
Wood
Pair of Stella 1001 Armchairs by Joe Colombo for Confort Italy, 1960s
By Joe Colombo
Located in Brussels, BE
Pair of Stella 1001 Armchairs by Joe Colombo for Confort Italy, 1960s The Sella 1001 chair, designed by Joe Colombo in 1963, is a compact and versatile piece It is a part of Colombo...
Leather, Wood
Joe Colombo 'Supercomfort' Armchair for B-Line
By Joe Colombo
Located in Tilburg, NL
Joe Colombo 'Supercomfort' Armchair for B-Line. Designed in 1964. New, current production. The Supercomfort armchair designed by Joe Colombo is the result of a meticulous ergonomi...
Leather, Oak
Golden Limited Edition Elda Chair by Joe Colombo for Longhi Italy no. 8/20
By Joe Colombo, Longhi
Located in Budapest, Budapest
LONGHI celebrated the Elda chair's 60th anniversary by creating a limited edition golden chair based on Joe Colombo’s original ELDA design. The chair was on...
Metal
Additional System - Armchair by Joe Colombo for Tacchini
By Tacchini, Joe Colombo
Located in Alcamo, IT
The Additional System armchair, designed by Joe Colombo, represents a revolutionary approach to modular furniture. Part of a system where cushions of six different sizes can be combi...
Aluminum
Rare Bell Armchair by Joe Colombo for Benini, Italy
By Joe Colombo
Located in Brussels, BE
Rare Bell Armchair by Joe Colombo for Benini, Italy Designed in 1963 by Italian designer Joe Colombo, the Bell Chair perfectly reflects his visionary and experimental approach to de...
Metal
Joe Colombo Swivel "Elda" Leather Lounge Chair
By Joe Colombo, Comfort, Italy
Located in Vienna, AT
Lounge chair designed by Joe Colombo (1930-1971) in 1963 model "Elda"for Comfort. Made of fiberglass structure upholstered with black and white leather which make it very unique. It ...
Bouclé, Fiberglass
Joe Colombo Plywood 4801 Lounge Chair No 42, Kartell, 1960s
By Joe Colombo, Kartell
Located in Echt, NL
Early 4801 Lounge Chair by Joe Colombo in very good condition Number 42 This chair is formed from 3 pieces of plywood which lock together without a...
Plywood
Joe Colombo 20th Century Pair of Armchairs from the Series “Additional System”
By Joe Colombo
Located in Barcelona, ES
Pair of armchairs From the series “Additional System” Manufactured by Sormani Italy, 1968 From the archives of Side Gallery Barcelona Aluminium,...
Aluminum
Additional System - Armchair by Joe Colombo for Tacchini
By Tacchini, Joe Colombo
Located in Alcamo, IT
The Additional System armchair, designed by Joe Colombo, represents a revolutionary approach to modular furniture. Part of a system where cushions of six different sizes can be combi...
Aluminum
Mid-Century Modern Wooden Armchair Model 4801 by Joe Colombo for Kartell, 1960s
By Joe Colombo
Located in Brussels, BE
Mid-Century Modern Wooden Armchair Model 4801 by Joe Colombo for Kartell, 1960s.
Wood
$11,588
Elda Armchairs
By Joe Colombo
Located in Paris, FR
While visiting a shipyard, Joe Colombo was inspired by the hulls of ships to design a chair. He created a self-supporting fiberglass structure that was as robust as anything. This 3...
Leather
Joe Colombo 20th Century Pair of Armchairs from the Series “Additional System”
By Joe Colombo
Located in Barcelona, ES
Pair of armchairs From the series “Additional System” Manufactured by Sormani Italy, 1968 From the archives of Side Gallery Barcelona Aluminium,...
Aluminum