Italian architect and furniture designer Maurizio Tempestini is well-known among vintage outdoor furniture aficionados for his sculptural Clamshell line and other elegant mid-century modern furnishings for patios and gardens.
Born in Florence in 1908, Tempestini completed his studies in Industrial Decoration at the Porta Romana Art Institute in 1929. His career as an interior architect and furniture and lighting designer flourished during the early 1930s. It was during this time Tempestini was also active as a set designer for several Italian theater productions, including Mario Massa’s Osteria degli immortali and Luigi Bonelli’s comedy Il Gigli.
Tempestini then turned his attention from the stage to designing furniture and decorative objects. He crafted pieces for ceramics factory Cantagalli in Florence, as well as for Murano glass manufacturers Seguso and Cappellin.
In 1934, Tempestini worked on the external renovation of the Palazzo delle Esposizioni at the Parterre di San Gallo in Florence for the Littoriali Exhibition. Later, in 1938, he formed a studio with architects Nello Baroni and Pietro Porcinai before cofounding the legendary postwar Italian lighting maker Arteluce with designer and engineer Gino Sarfatti in 1939.
During the 1950s, Tempestini designed lighting fixtures for Lightolier and began to collaborate with Brooklyn, New York’s John B. Salterini Company. Salterini was an Italian emigree who initially worked in journalism before becoming an eminent producer of high-end wrought-iron furniture.
Tempestini’s modernist outdoor furniture for Salterini resembled indoor seating manufactured by the likes of Knoll or Artifort — his chairs and other seating boasted organic curves and seductive, unconventional shapes. His work complemented Salterini’s own handmade designs, which reflected Gothic Revival and Art Deco influences. Together the designers produced successful lines of garden and patio furniture for Salterini’s eponymous firm.
Tempestini’s name soon became widely known in the United States. His designs were first introduced to the American public in 1951 through Gimbels Department Store and Suniland Furniture in Houston, Texas. Today his bold and stylish patio furniture remains sought after by collectors everywhere.
On 1stDibs, discover a range of vintage Maurizio Tempestini garden elements, lounge chairs and tables.
Maurizio Tempestini Brass & Travertine "Geometric" Table Lamp, 1960s
By Maurizio Tempestini
Located in Buffalo, NY
Futurist Maurizio Tempestini angular brass table lamp with travertine base. Tall kite form structure in a patina'ed brass on a travertine base. Diagonal. Architectural. Rarity. 24H t...
Travertine, Brass
$1,750
H 14 in W 10 in D 14 in
Maurizio Tempestini for Laurel Adjustable Swedish Brass Desk Lamp, 1960s
By Laurel Lamp Company, Maurizio Tempestini
Located in Bainbridge, NY
American Mid Century Laurel lamp Co. D-747 swedish brass table lamp, 1960s. Featuring a sculpted curved Brass arm, adjustable 10D Brass domed mushroom shade with enameled Off White i...
Aluminum, Brass
Atomic Brass Table Lamp, Switzerland, 1960s
Located in Aachen, NRW
Atomic brass table lamp with nine-glass globes. The globes are hand blown and fitted with a screwing device. High quality and in very good c...
Opaline Glass
Mid-Century Brutalist Table Lamp by Maurizio Tempestini for Laurel Lamp Co.
By Maurizio Tempestini, Laurel Lamp Company
Located in New York, NY
Designed by Italian-American designer Maurizio Tempestini, this Mid-Century Brutalist table lamp for the Laurel Lamp Company is a masterful blend of sculptural artistry and functiona...
Metal
$1,862 / item
H 23.63 in Dm 14.57 in
Handmade geometric sand ceramic and brass table lamp, minimalist styled. Brazil
By Atelier BAM
Located in Sao Paulo, SP
Minimalist-styled sand ceramic table lamp reveals the textures and colors gradian of its materials, handmade movements, and unexpected organic form. Slowly air-dried for more than 30 days, until it reaches a few hours into a low temperature hoven, to reach its final color and form. During all this process, the clay disc will take an unexpected organics movement in its form, almost like a living material, making each object unique in its details and colors. The brass part would be added at the end and tailored for each piece. The sculpture results in a process of hand modeling and details carving of grey...
Brass
$1,500
H 37 in W 7 in D 7 in
Maurizio Tempestini Mid-Century Modern Chrome Travertine "Geometric" Table Lamp
By Oscar Niemeyer, Maurizio Tempestini
Located in St. Louis, MO
1960s MCM Maurizio Tempestini sculptural and very architectural table lamp with angular chrome fins on travertine base. Three-light sockets, chain, plus inline switch.. Shade shown f...
Travertine, Chrome
Italian Chrome Travertine Table Lamp 1960s
Located in Paris, IDF
The color and texture juxtaposition of travertine, chrome and perspex lucite makes this italian table lamp typically mid-century modern, as the period was known for championing piece...
Travertine, Chrome
Italian Brass Table Lamp, 1960s
Located in Palermo, PA
Italian brass table lamp, 1960s. Dimensions: H= 50 cm; D=35cm.
Brass
1950's Maurizio Tempestini Biomorphic Alabaster Table Lamp
By Maurizio Tempestini
Located in Asbury Park, NJ
A beautiful biomorphic design in alabaster from the early 50's. Designed by Maurizio Tempestini for export to the US market. It is fully functional and in fine original condition. It...
Alabaster
1950's Italian Alabaster table lamp by Maurizio Tempestini
By Maurizio Tempestini
Located in Asbury Park, NJ
A beautiful Alabaster table lamp designed by Maurizio Tempestini in the 1950's for the export market. The lamp is in excellent original condition. It measures 19" tall to the socket ...
Alabaster
$837Sale Price|40% Off
H 14 in Dm 6.5 in
1960s Modernist Spring Table Lamp by Sonneman Lighting Company
Located in Van Nuys, CA
This Modernist spring table lamp features a black steel cube with a chrome socket surrounded by a large chrome coil spring. It's unique and elegant simplicity is an exquisite exampl...
Chrome, Steel
$4,950 / set
H 37.5 in W 5 in D 7.5 in
Lamp by Maurizio Tempestini, Chrome With Black Base, C 1950, No Lamp Shade, Lamp
By Maurizio Tempestini
Located in New York, NY
Single Laura lamp, circa 1950. Designed by Maurizio Tempestini. The lamp does not come with a lamp shade. Chrome curved shape on a black pedestal which is a very elegant design. The ...
Chrome
$2,200Sale Price|24% Off
H 31 in W 8 in D 5 in
Maurizio Tempestini for Laurel Lamp Co Sculptural Chrome Arc Table Lamp, 1970s
By Laurel Lamp Company
Located in Los Angeles, CA
An exceptional sculptural table lamp, designed by the esteemed Maurizio Tempestini for Laurel Lamp Company, circa 1970. The lamp’s striking chrome-plated body arcs elegantly upward i...
Metal, Chrome
Pair of Large Brutalist Table Lamps by Maurizio Tempestini
By Maurizio Tempestini
Located in Sag Harbor, NY
Large-scale pair of cast bronze patinated table lamps in Brutalist Manner by Maurizio Tempestini for Laurel Lamp Company in the 1970s. The pair have slightly different yet compatible...
Bronze
Maurizio Tempestini Abstract Iron Lamp for Lightolier
By Lightolier, Maurizio Tempestini
Located in Rochester, NY
A hard to find table lamp designed by Maurizio Tempestini for Lightolier by Salterini having an abstract sculptural form of black enameled steel and mounted into a shaped travertine ...