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.
Space Age White Plastic Vintage Storage Trolley Container Joe Colombo 1970 Italy
By Joe Colombo, Bieffeplast
Located in Vienna, AT
Space Age vintage storage trolley container boy from plastic in white color by Joe Colombo for Bieffeplast 1970s Italy. Iconic white vintage ...
Plastic
Vintage Boby Trolley by Joe Colombo
By Joe Colombo
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Italian Post modern plastic storage Boby trolley by Joe Colombo for Bieffeplast. designed in 1968. Iconic design, Logo and signature present. features several storage compartments a...
Plastic
$872
H 19.69 in W 14.97 in D 14.97 in
Italian Space Age Red Modular Chest of Drawers by Castelli for Kartell, 1970s
By Kartell
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian Space Age Red plastic Modular chest of drawers by Anna Castelli for Kartell, 1970s Modular chest of drawers with square base and rounded corne...
Plastic
$4,418 / set
H 28.35 in W 37.41 in D 18.9 in
Set of Two "4D" Storage System Units by Mangiarotti for Molteni, Italy, 1960s
By Molteni & C, Angelo Mangiarotti
Located in Milan, IT
Set of two "4D" storage system units by Angelo Mangiarotti for Molteni. Totally built-in walnut with red marble base, these pieces are finished on all four sides, this allows to use...
Marble
$4,517Sale Price|25% Off
H 70.87 in W 75.6 in D 23.63 in
Space Age Vanity Table by Cabinetmaker MB Italy, White Lacquer, 1970
By MB Italy
Located in Valladolid, ES
One of a kind dressing table, space age style, 70s, with great influence of Art Deco aesthetics. In white lacquered wood, with a black marble effect fiberglass top. Large circular mirror in the upper part and the storage part is divided into two drawers on each side. With lighting in the upper and lower fin shapes. A piece of great sophistication and glamour, very difficult to find. It has a plate with the name of the Italian manufacturer DBM. The period known as the Space Age or Space Age was the post Atomic Age, that is, the late 50's and early 70's. It is part of the “stylings” that reigned in the US during the 20th century. The concept of an optimistic world based on a possible "Earth of Tomorrow" reigned by the dominance of atomic energy and space travel. This "Styling" is inspired by the North American space race, but above all, the aesthetics based on Science Fiction, space satellites, helmets, ships, the effect of weightlessness and a "cinematic" proposal of a new style. of life of the future. Movies like Barbarella 1968, James Bond, Space Odyssey 2001...
Lacquer, Wood, Fiberglass, Mirror
$524 / item
H 20.67 in W 16.93 in D 16.54 in
Joe Colombo 'Boby' Trolley with 2 Drawers in White for B-Line
By Joe Colombo
Located in Tilburg, NL
Joe Colombo 'Boby' Trolley for B-Line. Designed in 1970, current production. Part of the permanent collection of MoMA in New York and the “Triennale” in Milan, Smau Prize in 1971. ...
Plastic
$5,000 / set
H 28.35 in W 37.41 in D 18.9 in
Set of Three "4D" Walnut Storage System by Mangiarotti for Molteni, Italy, 1960s
By Angelo Mangiarotti, Molteni & C
Located in Milan, IT
Set of three "4D" storage system units by Angelo Mangiarotti for Molteni. Totally built-in walnut these pieces are finished on all four sides; this allows to use them as side table...
Wood
Joe Colombo work trolley Boby 1970s
By Bieffeplast, Joe Colombo
Located in bari, IT
An elegant and at the same time practical and useful work trolley, model Boby, this one designed by Joe Colombo and produced by Bieffeplast. Designed for ...
Plastic
$3,800 / set
H 28.35 in W 37.41 in D 18.9 in
Set of Two "4D" Storage System Units by Mangiarotti for Molteni, Italy, 1960s
By Angelo Mangiarotti, Molteni & C
Located in Milan, IT
Set of two "4D" storage system units by Angelo Mangiarotti for Molteni. Totally built-in walnut with marble base, these pieces are finished on all four sides; this allows to use the...
Marble
$3,954 / item
+ 3 moreH 43 in W 31 in D 15 in
Customizable Color USM Haller Storage G118 Storage System
By Paul Schaerer, Usm Haller, Fritz Haller
Located in New York, NY
Offered by M2L. With two drop down doors and one extension drawer. Designed by Swiss architect Fritz Haller and Paul Schaerer in 1963. Made from powder coated steel and chrome-pla...
Chrome, Steel
$2,869 / item
+ 3 moreH 29 in W 30 in D 15 in
Customizable Color USM Haller Storage C1A18 Storage System
By Usm Haller, Fritz Haller, Paul Schaerer
Located in New York, NY
Offered by M2L. With one drop down door and one drawer. Designed by Swiss architect Fritz Haller and Paul Schaerer in 1963. Made from powdercoated steel and chrome-plated steel t...
Chrome, Steel
$1,600
H 30.5 in W 47.5 in D 19 in
Vintage Broyhill Premier Yellow Molded Plastic Space Age Joe Colombo Style Desk
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Vintage Broyhill Premier Yellow Molded Plastic Space Age Joe Colombo Style 3 Drawer Desk. Circa 1970s. Measurements: 30.5" H x 47.5" W x 19" D x Middle 2...
Plastic, Laminate
$7,442 / item
+ 3 moreH 57 in W 60 in D 15 in
Customizable Color USM Haller Storage S2 Storage System
By Usm Haller, Fritz Haller, Paul Schaerer
Located in New York, NY
Offered by M2L. With two drop down doors and two drawers. Designed by Swiss architect Fritz Haller and Paul Schaerer in 1963. Made from powder coated steel and chrome plated stee...
Chrome, Steel
Set of 3 Joe Colombo Boby Trolley
By Joe Colombo
Located in Auribeau sur Siagne, FR
Signed original made in Italy. yellow, brown,white SHIPPING TO NY 300 euros