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Masanori Umeda Furniture

Japanese, b. 1941

From his cheerful Getsuen Lily chair to his provocative Ginza robot cabinet, Masanori Umeda’s furniture designs are often described by critics and collectors alike as poetic, ironic and full of whimsy. 

Umeda was born in 1941 in Kanagawa, graduating from Tokyo’s Kuwasawa Design School in 1962. In 1967, he moved to Milan, Italy, where he began his design career working in the studio of Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni. From 1970 to 1979, Umeda was a design consultant for the Olivetti studio, and there he met prolific furniture designer and architect Ettore Sottsass, who founded the Memphis Group, Italy's boldest, brashest postmodern design movement.

In the early 1980s, Umeda joined Memphis, creating his most famous piece, the Tawayara boxing ring seating unit in 1981. Comprising a monochrome, Tatami matte floor, tie-dyed cushions, bungee-style ropes and flexible lighting at each of the four corners, the Tawayara was Umeda’s homage to space-constrained Japanese living areas. It remains one of Umeda’s rarest pieces (only 30 were ever made). Fashion designer and icon Karl Lagerfeld once owned a Tawayara boxing ring that featured prominently in his Monaco apartment.

In 1986, Umeda returned to Japan and opened his U-MetaDesign Studio (now Umeda Design Studio Inc.) in Tokyo, garnering accolades for his uniquely lighthearted collection of armchairs, lounge chairs, table lamps and decorative objects.

Over the course of his career, Umeda has won several awards, including the BraunPrize in 1968, the Grand Prix of Japan Display Design Award in 1981, the Japan Commercial Space Design Award in 1984 and the Grand Prix of Good Design Award in 1990.

Umeda continues to design furnishings that embody the spirit of postmodernism, enjoying collaborations with Memphis Milano and Italian furniture manufacturer Edra. His pieces have been exhibited internationally and are held in the collections of museums around the world, including the M+ Museum in Hong Kong, which acquired more than 180 of his works in 2015. 

On 1stDibs, find a range of vintage Masanori Umeda seating, lighting and serveware.

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Creator: Masanori Umeda
Orinoco Ceramic Vase, by Masanori Umeda from Memphis Milano
By Memphis Group, Memphis Milano, Masanori Umeda
Located in La Morra, Cuneo
Orinoco Vase in ceramic, was originally designed in 1983 by Masanori Umeda. Was born in 1941 at Kanagawa in Japan. He obtained his diploma from the Kuwasawa School of Design in Tok...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Masanori Umeda Furniture

Materials

Ceramic

Ping-Pong Wall Lamps by Masanori Umeda for Iguzzini, 1979
By iGuzzini, Masanori Umeda
Located in UTRECHT, NL
Extremely rare iGuzzini wall lamps. These lamps are part of the Ping-Pong series. Designed by the Japanese Masanori Umeda in 1979. That was before he worked with Memphis Milano and b...
Category

1970s Italian Space Age Vintage Masanori Umeda Furniture

Materials

Plastic

Parana Ceramic Fruit Bowl, by Masanori Umeda from Memphis Milano
By Memphis Group, Masanori Umeda, Memphis Milano
Located in La Morra, Cuneo
Trigonal ceramic fruit bowl in pastel colors was originally designed by Masanori Umeda in 1983 for Memphis Milano. Was born in 1941 at Kanagawa in Japan. He obtained his diploma fro...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Masanori Umeda Furniture

Materials

Ceramic

Ginza Wooden Robot by Umeda Masanori for Memphis Milano Collection
By Memphis Milano, Masanori Umeda
Located in La Morra, Cuneo
Ginza wooden robot with plastic laminate, shelves & drawers by Masanori Umeda for Memphis Milano collection Additional information: Wooden robot with ...
Category

2010s Masanori Umeda Furniture

Materials

Plastic

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Previously Available Items
Getsuen Chair by Masanori Umeda for Edra Italy 1990
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Masanori Umeda furniture for sale on 1stDibs.

Masanori Umeda 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 Masanori Umeda furniture, although gray editions of this piece are particularly popular. We have 14 vintage editions of these items in-stock, while there is 4 modern edition to choose from as well. Many of the original furniture by Masanori Umeda were created in the mid-century modern style in italy during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider furniture by Pallucco, Shiro Kuramata, and Cattelan Italia. Prices for Masanori Umeda furniture can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $110 and can go as high as $45,000, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $950.

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