Kartell More Furniture and Collectibles
Italian
The Italian design giant Kartell transformed plastic from the stuff of humble household goods into a staple of luxury design in the 1960s. Founded in Milan by Italian chemical engineer Giulio Castelli (1920–2006) and his wife Anna Ferrieri (1918–2006), Kartell began as an industrial design firm, producing useful items like ski racks for automobiles and laboratory equipment designed to replace breakable glass with sturdy plastic. Even as companies like Olivetti and Vespa were making Italian design popular in the 1950s, typewriters and scooters were relatively costly, and Castelli and Ferrieri wanted to provide Italian consumers with affordable, stylish goods.
They launched a housewares division of Kartell in 1953, making lighting fixtures and kitchen tools and accessories from colorful molded plastic. Consumers in the postwar era were initially skeptical of plastic goods, but their affordability and infinite range of styles and hues eventually won devotees. Tupperware parties in the United States made plastic storage containers ubiquitous in postwar homes, and Kartell’s ingenious designs for juicers, dustpans, and dish racks conquered Europe. Kartell designer Gino Colombini was responsible for many of these early products, and his design for the KS 1146 Bucket won the Compasso d’Oro prize in 1955.
Buoyed by its success in the home goods market, Kartell introduced its Habitat division in 1963. Designers Marco Zanuso and Richard Sapper created the K1340 (later called the K 4999) children’s chair that year, and families enjoyed their bright colors and light weight, which made them easy for kids to pick up and move. In 1965, Joe Colombo (1924–78) created one of Kartell’s few pieces of non-plastic furniture, the 4801 chair, which sits low to the ground and comprised of just three curved pieces of plywood. (In 2012, Kartell reissued the chair in plastic.) Colombo followed up on the success of the 4801 with the iconic 4867 Universal Chair in 1967, which, like Verner Panton’s S chair, is made from a single piece of plastic. The colorful, stackable injection-molded chair was an instant classic. That same year, Kartell introduced Colombo’s KD27 table lamp. Ferrierei’s cylindrical 4966 Componibili storage module debuted in 1969.
Kartell achieved international recognition for its innovative work in 1972, when a landmark exhibition curated by Emilio Ambasz called “Italy: The New Domestic Landscape” opened at New York’s Museum of Modern Art. That show introduced American audiences to the work of designers such as Gaetano Pesce; Ettore Sottsass, founder of the Memphis Group; and the firms Archizoom and Superstudio (both firms were among Italy's Radical design groups) — all of whom were using wit, humor and unorthodox materials to create a bracingly original interior aesthetic.
Castelli and Ferrieri sold Kartell to Claudio Luti, their son-in-law, in 1988, and since then, Luti has expanded the company’s roster of designers.
Kartell produced Ron Arad’s Bookworm wall shelf in 1994, and Philippe Starck’s La Marie chair in 1998. More recently, Kartell has collaborated with the Japanese collective Nendo, Spanish architect Patricia Urquiola and glass designer Tokujin Yoshioka, among many others. Kartell classics can be found in museums around the world, including MoMA, the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum. In 1999, Claudio Luti established the Museo Kartell to tell the company’s story, through key objects from its innovative and colorful history.
Find vintage Kartell tables, seating, table lamps and other furniture on 1stDibs.
to
2
27
12
36
4
22
7
36
4
13
21
3
16
2
2
36
11
3
3
2
39
39
40
37
40
606
1,031
212
187
129
Creator: Kartell
Giotto Stoppino for Kartell Magazine Holder Orange Mod.4675, Italy 1970s
By Giotto Stoppino, Kartell
Located in Naples, IT
Minimalist six-compartment magazine rack designed by Giotto Stoppino for Kartell and first introduced in 1972.
Made in Italy from ABS plastic
In Great Condition
Category
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Kartell More Furniture and Collectibles
Materials
Plastic
Iconic Vintage Design: Magazine Rack 4675 by Giotto Stoppino for Kartell, Italy
By Kartell, Giotto Stoppino
Located in LA FERTÉ-SOUS-JOUARRE, FR
Add a touch of iconic Italian design to your interior with this magazine rack, model 4675, created by renowned designer Giotto Stoppino for Kartell in the 1970s. Made in Italy, this ...
Category
1970s Italian Space Age Vintage Kartell More Furniture and Collectibles
Materials
Plastic
Giotto Stoppino for Kartell Cream Magazine Rack, Italy 1970s
By Kartell, Giotto Stoppino
Located in Roma, IT
Iconic magazine rack mod. 4675 in beige plastic designed by Giotto Stoppino and produced by Kartell in Italy during the 1970s.
This large magazine rack has 6 compartments and is i...
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Kartell More Furniture and Collectibles
Materials
Plastic
Magazine Rack Model 4675 Designed by Giotto Stoppino for Kartell, Italy 70s
By Giotto Stoppino, Kartell
Located in Lucija, SI
Mid Century Modern Black Magazine Rack, model 4675, was designed by Italian architect Giotto Stoppino and manufactured by Kartell Italy in '70s.
It has mark on the bottom; as you ca...
Category
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Kartell More Furniture and Collectibles
Materials
Plastic, Fiberglass
Kartell floor-standing coat rack, 1960s
By Kartell
Located in Bastia Umbra, IT
Floor standing coat rack by Kartell, Made in Italy, 1960s.
Kartell post modern plastic coat rack in cream/white, removable.
The price of shipping is for the Italian territory, for ...
Category
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Kartell More Furniture and Collectibles
Materials
Plastic
Gino Colombini Midcentury Black Umbrella Stands or Ashtray for Kartell, 1970
By Gino Colombini, Kartell
Located in Roma, IT
Amazing free standing ashtray or usable as an umbrella stand in mid-century black plastic with chromed metal rings. This fantastic piece was designed by Gino Colombini...
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Kartell More Furniture and Collectibles
Materials
Metal, Chrome
Kartell 'Model 4788' Coat Rack by Anna Castelli Ferrieri, 1980
By Kartell, Anna Castelli Ferrieri
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Mid-Century Kartell 'model 4788' coat rack as designed by Anna Castelli Ferrieri, Italy 1980s. Unique and eye-catching enameled metal wire grid with dark grey plastic base. This smar...
Category
1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Kartell More Furniture and Collectibles
Materials
Metal
Floor Lamp / Coat Hanger Mod. "4706" Design Group Bbpr for Kartell, 1970s
By Kartell
Located in taranto, IT
beautiful floor lamp / coat hanger model "4706" designed by Gruppo BBPR for Kartell , 1970s
Made of anodized aluminum and abs, in bright red color, a real icon of world design of ...
Category
1970s Vintage Kartell More Furniture and Collectibles
Materials
Aluminum
Magazine Rack Giotto Stoppino for Kartell Black Plastic Midcentury Italy 1970s
By Kartell, Giotto Stoppino
Located in Palermo, IT
Curved black plastic magazine rack with 6 compartments. Giotto Stoppino for Kartell, Italy, 1970s. Engraved stamp. Please look carefully at the video and photos, thank you.
Weight:...
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Kartell More Furniture and Collectibles
Materials
Plastic
Giotto Stoppino "4675" Magazine Rack in Black by Kartell, 1970s
By Giotto Stoppino, Kartell
Located in Bagnolo Mella, Brescia
Giotto Stoppino "4675" Magazine Rack in black by Kartell, 1970s
Crafted with premium-quality materials, this functional yet stylish magazine rack will add a touch of sophisticatio...
Category
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Kartell More Furniture and Collectibles
Materials
Plastic
Gino Colombini Midcentury Cream Plastic Italian Umbrella Stand for Kartell 1970s
By Gino Colombini, Kartell
Located in Roma, IT
Incredible Midcentury cream white plastic umbrella stand. This fantastic piece was designed by Gino Colombini for Kartell in Italy during the 1970s.
This fantastic piece is numbered 4610-50 and the weight is 3 pounds. The piece is wonderful because of its smooth colour and delicate lines.
The piece is perfect for a modern study and a midcentury entrance, with its lines and materials. The item is used and in excellent vintage condition.
Dimensions (cm):
diameter - 25
height - 61
Gino Colombini (born 1915) is an Italian architect and industrial designer.
From 1933 to 1952, Colombini worked in the Milan practice of the architect and designer Franco Albini.
From 1953 until 1960, Colombini was the technical director of Kartell, which Giulio Castelli founded to produce plastic injection moulded products. Kartell produced modern household appliances that were distinctive and colourful, which represented a complete transition from the typical utilitarian aesthetic of the 1950s.
Colombini designed many household products for Kartell that were revolutionary and affordable examples of everyday items. His products include a carpet beater...
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Kartell More Furniture and Collectibles
Materials
Metal, Chrome
VINTAGE Giotto Stoppino for Kartell Magazine Rack
By Giotto Stoppino, Kartell
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Giotto Stoppino for Kartell Vintage White Plastic Magazine Rack! 2 Available! No chips or cracks but both show some yellowing to the finish.
Category
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Kartell More Furniture and Collectibles
Materials
Plastic
Kartell Small Ghost Buster Smoke Nightstand by Philippe Starck & Eugeni Quitllet
By Philippe Starck, Kartell
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Night table version of the Ghost Buster commode. A little squared cube on four legs, available in completely transparent, colored or matte versions made o...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Kartell More Furniture and Collectibles
Materials
Plastic
"Centopiedi 4545-6" Daybed Design A. Locatelli P. Salmoiraghi for Kartell, 1972
By Antonio Locatelli and Pietro Salmoiraghi, Kartell
Located in taranto, IT
"CentopIedi 4545-6" bed design A. Locatelli P. Salmoiraghi - Studio Pro - for Kartell, 1972
Extremely rare Centipede bed designed by antonio locatelli and pietro salmoiraghi, stud...
Category
1970s Italian Vintage Kartell More Furniture and Collectibles
Materials
Plastic
Kartell Ghost Buster Nightstand in Crystal by Philippe Starck & Eugeni Quitllet
By Philippe Starck, Kartell
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Night table version of the Ghost Buster commode. A little squared cube on four legs, available in completely transparent, coloured or matte versions made ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Kartell More Furniture and Collectibles
Materials
Resin
Italian White Magazine Rack by Kartell - 2 available
By Kartell, Giotto Stoppino
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage Italian mid-century white plastic magazine rack with six compartments and a round handle, designed by Giotto Stopinno for Kartell, model 4675 / Made in Milan Italy 1970s
Measures: height 18 inches, width 16 inches, depth 12 inches...
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Kartell More Furniture and Collectibles
Materials
Plastic
Kartell Ghost Buster Nightstand in Black by Philippe Starck & Eugeni Quitllet
By Kartell, Philippe Starck
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Night table version of the Ghost Buster commode. A little squared cube on four legs, available in completely transparent, colored or matte versions made of plastic. Like its older br...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Kartell More Furniture and Collectibles
Materials
Resin
Ignazio Gardella and Anna Castelli Ferrieri for Kartell Pair of Beds "4550"
By Kartell, Ignazio Gardella, Anna Castelli Ferrieri
Located in Naples, IT
Two very rare beds model 4550 designed by Ignazio Gardella and Anna Castelli Ferrieri for the firm Kartell in the 1970s. The beds are made of white-colored fiberglass and metal. The ...
Category
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Kartell More Furniture and Collectibles
Materials
Fiberglass
Kartell 1968 Catalog: Lampade e Arredamento
By Kartell, Anna Castelli Ferrieri
Located in New York, NY
November 1968 catalog for the iconic Italian design company Kartell, divided into two sections: Lamps and Furnishings. Square 8vo with printed plasticized wrappers, 55 pages, lavishl...
Category
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Kartell More Furniture and Collectibles
Materials
Paper
Giotto Stoppino for Kartell 1970s Post Modern bright red plastic magazine stand
By Kartell, Giotto Stoppino
Located in Ferndale, MI
Op Pop Mod 1970s Italian plastic magazine rack . Kartell model number 4675 designed by Giotto Stoppino Magazine rack in red plastic. The structure is made up of six rounded and e...
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Kartell More Furniture and Collectibles
Materials
Plastic
Italian 1970's coat rack by Studio BBPR for Kartell
By Studio BBPR, Kartell
Located in Uccle, BE
A Space Age design with the coat hanger by Studio BBPR.
Graduates of the Milan Polytechnic, the four designers in their early work followed the themes of Italian Rationalism of the 1...
Category
20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Kartell More Furniture and Collectibles
Materials
Metal
Pair of Italian White Magazine Racks by Kartell
By Kartell, Giotto Stoppino
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage Italian mid-century white plastic magazine racks with six compartments and a round handle, designed by Giotto Stopinno for Kartell, model 4675 / Made in Milan Italy 1970s
Measures: height 18 inches, width 16 inches, depth 12 inches...
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Kartell More Furniture and Collectibles
Materials
Plastic
Kartell Ghost Buster Nightstand in Black by Philippe Starck & Eugeni Quitllet
By Kartell, Philippe Starck
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Night table version of the Ghost Buster commode. A little squared cube on four legs, available in completely transparent, colored or matte versions made o...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Kartell More Furniture and Collectibles
Materials
Resin
Grey Plastic and White Metal 4788 Clothes-Stand by Ferrieri for Kartell, 1980s
By Kartell, Anna Castelli Ferrieri
Located in Varese, Lombardia
This coat-stand is made up by 3 main parts: a dark grey plastic base, one plastic ballast to be filled with sand or water and one white metal grid. Some plastic hooks...
Category
1980s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Kartell More Furniture and Collectibles
Materials
Metal
Italian Modern Plastic Metal Valet Stand by A Castelli Ferrieri Kartell, 1990s
By Anna Castelli Ferrieri, Kartell
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian modern Plastic and metal Valet stand by Anna Castelli Ferrieri for Kartell, 1990s
Standing valet stand in black metal and white plastic. Coat st...
Category
1990s Italian Modern Kartell More Furniture and Collectibles
Materials
Metal
Gino Colombini Midcentury Large Umbrella Stand for Kartell, Italy, 1970s
By Kartell, Gino Colombini
Located in Praha, CZ
- marked
- practical
- Space age style
Category
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Kartell More Furniture and Collectibles
Materials
Plastic
Three New 1970's Bakelite Ashtrays by Kartell, Italy
By Kartell
Located in Weesp, NL
Three N.O.S. ( new old stock ) bakelite ashtrays produced by Kartell, Italy in the 1970's.
Bakelite , “phenol formaldehyde” , was invented in 1906 by the belgian Leo Baekeland (18...
Category
1970s Italian Vintage Kartell More Furniture and Collectibles
Materials
Bakelite
Unique Coat Rack by Olaf Von Boh for Kartell, Italy 1970
By Olaf von Bohr, Kartell
Located in Amsterdam, NL
A pop-art style coat rack designed by Olaf Von Bohr, manufactured by Kartell in Italy around 1970.
A very unique and distinctive piece! Made of brown wood with a lovely natural nerv...
Category
1970s Italian Vintage Kartell More Furniture and Collectibles
Materials
Plastic, Wood
Vintage Black Giotto Stoppino Kartell Magazine Rack
By Kartell, Giotto Stoppino
Located in Chicago, IL
A nice example of this design in desirable black color. Earlier vintage Kartell label on underside.
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Kartell More Furniture and Collectibles
Materials
Plastic
Iconic black magazine rack 4676 by Giotto Stoppino for Kartel, Italy 1970s
By Kartell, Giotto Stoppino
Located in Meulebeke, BE
Italy / 1970 / magazine rack 4676 / Giotto Stoppino for Kartel / plastic / Italian / Vintage / Mid-Century / Pop Art / Design Classics / Italian Modern / Modernist / Postmodern / Spa...
Category
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Kartell More Furniture and Collectibles
Materials
Plastic
Gino Colombini for Kartell, Italy 1970s Space Age Umbrella Stand
By Kartell, Gino Colombini
Located in Delft, NL
A Gino Colombini for Kartell, Italy 1970s Space Age umbrella Stand
A beige plastic round Stand with a round loose silver metal ring...
Category
20th Century Italian Kartell More Furniture and Collectibles
Materials
Metal
Kartell 'Servomuto' Standing Valet Stand by Anna Castelli Ferrieri
By Anna Castelli Ferrieri, Kartell
Located in Toronto, CA
Standing valet stand in black tubular metal and red plastic, designed by Anna Castelli Ferrieri in 1989 and produced by Kartell in 1990s. Two movable arms and a plastic ball at the '...
Category
1990s Italian Post-Modern Kartell More Furniture and Collectibles
Materials
Metal
Vintage Kartell Marcello Siard and Olaf von Bohr '70s Coat Stand Shelf
By Olaf von Bohr, Marcello Siard, Kartell
Located in Taranto, IT
Kartell Marcello Siard and Olaf von Bohr '70s Vintage Hanging Shelf.
Structure made entirely of black-colored plastic material, silver-colored hooks.
The item is in good conservati...
Category
1970s Italian Vintage Kartell More Furniture and Collectibles
Materials
Plastic
Pair of Space Age Bookends by Giotto Stoppino for Kartell
By Giotto Stoppino, Kartell
Located in San Diego, CA
A pair of space gge bookends by Giotto Stoppino for Kartell, circa 1970's.
The set is in very good vintage condition with no cracks and measures 16"W x 8"D x 8"H. Cool and functio...
Category
Late 20th Century Italian Space Age Kartell More Furniture and Collectibles
Materials
Plastic
Vintage Italian Black ABS Plastic Magazine Rack by Olaf von Bohr for Kartell
By Olaf von Bohr, Kartell
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Sculptural magazine rack/stand in black ABS plastic with four sizable storage sections and handle by Olaf Von Bohr for Kartell (ca. 1970s, Italy).
Uncommon model and color, long out ...
Category
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Kartell More Furniture and Collectibles
Materials
Plastic
Italian Modern White Plastic Magazine Rack 4675 by Stoppino for Kartell, 1970s
By Kartell, Giotto Stoppino
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian modern white plastic Magazine rack mod. 4675 by Giotto Stoppino for Kartell, 1970s
Iconic magazine rack mod. 4675 in white-beige plastic with 6 compartments. It features a r...
Category
1970s Italian Modern Vintage Kartell More Furniture and Collectibles
Materials
Plastic
Italian Design Coat Hanger Studio BBPR for Kartell
By Kartell, Studio BBPR
Located in bari, IT
A Space Age design with the coat hanger by Studio BBPR.
Graduates of the Milan Polytechnic, the four designers in their early work followed the themes of Italian Rationalism of the 1930s, although they were not an integral part of the main 'Group 7' Movement and MIAR, they collaborated on some projects with Figini and Pollini; these compositional canons can be clearly read in an exemplary building such as the colonia elioterapica in Legnano (1938), where they also realised popular housing units, the so-called Le Grazie working-class neighbourhood (1940-1942).
They distinguished themselves for various town-planning schemes, the Pavia Master Plan (1932), the Tourism Plan for the Island of Elba (1939), and above all for the most important and far-reaching, the Valle d'Aosta Master Plan (1936-1937). During this period they took an active part in the controversy that arose between rationalists and traditionalists and at first, like others, felt they could support the clash for freedom of expression and the triumph of modern architecture within fascism, but after the introduction of the racial laws of 1938 that also affected one of their collaborators, the BBPR architects...
Category
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Kartell More Furniture and Collectibles
Materials
Iron
Hook coat stand with shelf by Olaf Von Bohr and Marcello Siard, Kartell 1970s
By Kartell, Olaf von Bohr, Marcello Siard
Located in MIlano, IT
Hook coat stand with shelf by Olaf Von Bohr and Marcello Siard, Kartell 1970s.
Hook model wall coat hanger with structure entirely in beige plastic with four coat hangers and hat rac...
Category
1970s Italian Modern Vintage Kartell More Furniture and Collectibles
Materials
Plastic
Mid-Century Modern Set of Three Chrome Plastic Coat Hangers Olaf Bohr, 1960s
By Kartell, Olaf von Bohr
Located in Catania, CT
Original vintage condition with trace of age and use for this set of three coat hangers made from chrome plastic designed by Olaf Bohr for Kartell. Small losses of chrome. Italy 1960s.
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Kartell More Furniture and Collectibles
Materials
Plastic
Black Kartel Umbrella Stand
By Kartell
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Free standing simplistic barbell design of brushed aluminum and black plastic make up this umbrella stand from Italian design house Kartell. This stand features a circular pedestal b...
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Post-Modern Kartell More Furniture and Collectibles
Materials
Aluminum
Kartell more furniture and collectibles for sale on 1stDibs.
Kartell more furniture and collectibles are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of plastic and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Kartell more furniture and collectibles, although gray editions of this piece are particularly popular. We have 33 vintage editions of these items in-stock, while there is 29 modern edition to choose from as well. Many of the original more furniture and collectibles by Kartell were created in the modern style in italy during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider more furniture and collectibles by Stefano Giovannoni, Fortuny, and Arcahorn Srl.. Prices for Kartell more furniture and collectibles can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $110 and can go as high as $4,993, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $426.
Creators Similar to Kartell
Questions About Kartell More Furniture and Collectibles
- Who is the founder of Kartell?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertOctober 15, 2024The founders of Kartell are Italian chemical engineer Giulio Castelli and his wife, Anna Ferrieri. Kartell began as an industrial design firm, producing useful items like ski racks for automobiles and laboratory equipment designed to replace breakable glass with sturdy plastic. Even as companies like Olivetti and Vespa made Italian design popular in the 1950s, typewriters and scooters were relatively costly. Castelli and Ferrieri wanted to provide Italian consumers with affordable, stylish goods. They launched a housewares division of Kartell in 1953, making lighting fixtures, kitchen tools and accessories from colorful molded plastic. Buoyed by its success in the home goods market, Kartell introduced its Habitat division in 1963. Castelli and Ferrieri sold Kartell to Claudio Luti, their son-in-law, in 1988, and since then, Luti has expanded the company’s roster of designers. Shop a collection of Kartell furniture on 1stDibs.
- Where is Kartell made?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertOctober 24, 2024Kartell is made in Italy. The company has had its headquarters and factory in Noviglio, Lombardy, since 1967. The company was initially founded in Milan by Italian chemical engineer Giulio Castelli and his wife, Anna Ferrieri. It began as an industrial design firm, producing useful items like ski racks for automobiles and laboratory equipment designed to replace breakable glass with sturdy plastic. Shop a wide variety of Kartell furniture on 1stDibs.
- What country is Kartell from?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertAugust 29, 2024The country that Kartell is from is Italy. Founded in Milan by Italian chemical engineer Giulio Castelli and his wife Anna Ferrieri, Kartell began as an industrial design firm, producing useful items like ski racks for automobiles and laboratory equipment designed to replace breakable glass with sturdy plastic. They launched a housewares division of Kartell in 1953, making lighting fixtures and kitchen tools and accessories from colorful molded plastic. Then, buoyed by its success in the home goods market, Kartell introduced its Habitat division in 1963. On 1stDibs, shop a large selection of Kartel furniture.
- What is the history of Kartell?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertFebruary 21, 2024The history of Kartell starts with an Italian chemical engineer named Giulio Castelli and his wife, Anna Ferrieri. The couple founded Kartell in Milan as an industrial design firm, producing utilitarian items like ski racks for automobiles and laboratory equipment designed to replace breakable glass with sturdy plastic. Even as companies like Olivetti and Vespa were making Italian design popular in the 1950s, typewriters and scooters were relatively costly, and Castelli and Ferrieri wanted to provide Italian consumers with affordable, stylish goods. They launched a housewares division of Kartell in 1953, making lighting fixtures and kitchen tools and accessories from colorful molded plastic. Buoyed by its success in the home goods market, Kartell introduced its Habitat division in 1963. Kartell achieved international recognition for its innovative work in 1972, when a landmark exhibition curated by Emilio Ambasz called "Italy: The New Domestic Landscape" opened at New York's Museum of Modern Art. Castelli and Ferrieri sold Kartell to Claudio Luti, their son-in-law, in 1988, and since then, Luti has expanded the company's roster of designers. On 1stDibs, explore a large selection of Kartell furniture.
- What is Kartell known for?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022Kartell is known largely for producing contemporary furniture out of plastic. The Italian company, founded in 1949, helped elevate the material, proving that it was suitable for designer furniture. You can find a collection of Kartell furniture and decorative objects on 1stDibs.
- How do you tell a real Kartell?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertOctober 15, 2024To tell a real Kartell, look for the maker's markings. Nearly all authentic pieces will feature an embossed mark that indicates the Kartell name, the product name and the designer name. If your piece lacks any of these three marks or the marking is printed in ink on the piece or on a paper label, it may be a replica. You can also research identifying characteristics for your particular type of furniture and use these to evaluate your item. Alternatively, you can seek the opinion of a certified appraiser or knowledgeable dealer. Find a variety of Kartell furniture on 1stDibs.
- Where are Kartell chairs made?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertOctober 24, 2024Kartell chairs are made in Italy. Since 1967, the Italian furniture maker has produced pieces at its own factory in Noviglio, Lombardy. During the 1960s, Kartell transformed plastic from the stuff of humble household goods into a staple of luxury design, and plastic remains one of its best-known materials to this day. In fact, it is the material for some of its most iconic chairs, including the Ghost chair, designed by Philippe Starck, and the S chair, created by Verner Panton. On 1stDibs, find a large collection of Kartell chairs.
- 1stDibs ExpertOctober 24, 2024The history of Kartell furniture begins with Italian chemical engineer Giulio Castelli and his wife, Anna Ferrieri. They founded the company in 1949 as an industrial design firm, producing items like ski racks for automobiles and laboratory equipment designed to replace breakable glass with sturdy plastic. They launched a housewares division of Kartell in 1953, making lighting fixtures, kitchen tools and accessories from colorful molded plastic. The affordability and infinite range of styles and hues won devotees of Kartell’s ingenious designs for juicers, dustpans and dish racks. Kartell designer Gino Colombini was responsible for many of these early products, including the KS 1146 Bucket, which won the Compasso d’Oro prize in 1955. Buoyed by its success in the home goods market, Kartell introduced its Habitat division in 1963. In 1972, Kartell achieved international recognition for its innovative work when a landmark exhibition curated by Emilio Ambasz called “Italy: The New Domestic Landscape” opened at New York’s Museum of Modern Art. In 1988, Castelli and Ferrieri sold Kartell to Claudio Luti, their son-in-law, who has expanded the company’s roster of designers. Shop a collection of Kartell furniture on 1stDibs.
- Is Kartell an Italian brand?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertSeptember 9, 2024Yes, Kartell is an Italian brand. Giulio Castelli and his wife, Anna Ferrieri, founded the company in Milan in 1949. Originally, Kartell was an industrial design firm, producing items like ski racks for automobiles and laboratory equipment to replace breakable glass with sturdy plastic. It first introduced its housewares division in 1953. Find a large selection of Kartell furniture on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertSeptember 9, 2024Yes, the Kartell Componibili is stackable. In fact, a big part of the appeal of the furniture collection is the fact that you can stack it up to create the ideal storage solution for your needs. Kartell first unveiled the Componibili line in 1967, and it remains popular today. Find a collection of Kartell Componibili furniture on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertMarch 25, 2024How you clean Kartell plastic depends on the piece. Often, the best way to clean plastic furniture is with lukewarm water and mild dish soap. However, recommended cleaning methods vary. For the best results, refer to the manufacturer's care instructions that accompany your furniture. Shop a collection of Kartell furniture on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022Kartell Louis Ghost chairs are made of lucite. Designed by Phillipe Starck for Kartell in 2002, this clear chair is crafted from a single piece of plastic, making it a beautifully elegant piece. On 1stDibs, find a range of authentic Kartell Ghost chairs from top sellers.
- 1stDibs ExpertAugust 20, 2024The dimensions of the Kartell Invisible table vary by style. The high rectangular table measures around 15.75 inches in height by 15.75 inches in depth by 47 inches in length, while the low rectangle version is 12.4 inches high by 15.75 inches deep by 47 inches long. There is also a 39-inch by 39-inch square Invisible table available in 28- and 12.4-inch heights. On 1stDibs, explore a selection of Kartell Invisible tables.
- 1stDibs ExpertOctober 24, 2024How big the Kartell Four table is varies. The rectangular dining table is actually available in four sizes. Its smallest version measures 62.5 inches in width by 31 inches in depth, and the largest is 87.5 inches long by 32 inches deep. Kartell also offers a 74.75-inch long option in two depths: 31 inches and 35.5 inches. All four size options are 28.25 inches tall. Shop a selection of Kartell dining tables on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertOctober 15, 2024Yes, many online reviewers state that the Kartell Masters chair is comfortable. Fans of the chair designed by Philippe Starck with Eugeni Quitllet frequently say that the unique shape of its back and its gently sloped seat together provide optimal support. However, whether or not any chair is comfortable is a matter of personal preference. Find an assortment of Kartell Masters chairs on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertAugust 29, 2024Philippe Starck designed the Louis Ghost chair for Kartell in 2002. The chair is a postmodern take on the classic Louis XVI armchair, a style that emerged under the fraught reign of French King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette. This style represented the birth of neoclassicism in France and was characterized by a relative restraint compared to the Rococo flourishes of previous eras. The second half of the chair’s name refers to its materiality. It wasn’t Starck’s first plastic chair for Kartell, but it was the first time it could use a single polycarbonate plastic mold in the process, creating a structure completely free of joints. Formally, Starck distilled the geometry of his antique reference to its main elements: the oval-shaped backrest, curved armrests and straight legs. On 1stDibs, shop a collection of Philippe Starck Louis Ghost chairs.
- 1stDibs ExpertOctober 24, 2024Kartell started making plastic objects shortly after its founding in 1949. The company began as an industrial design firm, producing useful items like ski racks for automobiles and laboratory equipment designed to replace breakable glass with sturdy plastic. Even as companies like Olivetti and Vespa made Italian design popular in the 1950s, typewriters and scooters remained relatively costly. Kartell founders Giulio Castelli and Anna Ferrieri wanted to provide Italian consumers with affordable, stylish goods. They launched a housewares division in 1953, making lighting fixtures, kitchen tools and accessories from colorful molded plastic. Buoyed by its success in the home goods market, Kartell introduced its Habitat division in 1963. On 1stDibs, shop a wide range of Kartell furniture.