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Poltronova Decorative Objects

Poltronova is known for embracing the creativity that opposites can introduce to a space. Its radical modernist furniture and lighting fixtures are simultaneously grounded in classic aesthetics and inspired by what were then new and provocative artistic movements in mid-century Italy, when the company was founded. This tension resulted in unique and extraordinary pieces at the manufacturer, from eccentric, glove-shaped armchairs to striking dining tables that feature a mix of materials and textures.

Italian designer Sergio Cammilli founded Poltronova in Tuscany in 1957. That same year, it won the Compasso d’Oro for the Panchetto chair designed by Luciano Nustrini. Revolutionary Italian architect Ettore Sottsass — a maestro of postmodern design who would later establish the Memphis Group — came on board as an art director in 1958. Poltronova manufactured many of his furniture and ceramic designs. Sottsass’s lighting, seating and other works for Poltronova showcase the designer’s bold experimentation with solid wood, glass, metal and laminate materials.

Other established names in Italian furniture design collaborated with Poltronova’s Sottsass and Cammilli, including Giovanni Michelucci, Gae Aulenti and Angelo Mangiarotti. However, the company truly set itself apart in its collaborations with Superstudio and Archizoom Associati, groups that were part of an irreverent, avant-garde movement in art and design that took shape during the 1960s in Florence, Turin and Milan. Collectives associated with the movement — which would one day be called Italian Radical design — drew on Pop art and minimalism and explored working with unconventional materials to create colorful, quirky and uniquely shaped objects and furnishings. At the time, Poltronova also worked with up-and-coming names in the art world, like painter Max Ernst and sculptor Mario Ceroli.

Poltronova showcased its groundbreaking designs in many exhibitions, such as “La Casa Abitata,” which was held in Florence in 1965. At Milan's Eurodomus trade show in 1970, Poltronova debuted an entire bedroom collection designed by Sottsass — including his sensuous Ultrafragola mirror. The brand’s furnishings were included in a 1972 exhibition at New York’s Museum of Modern Art called "Italy: The New Domestic Landscape," and in 1977, Poltronova again won the Compasso d’Oro for a book called Fare Mobili con Poltronova (Making Furniture with Poltronova).

Poltronova's enduring and acclaimed furniture designs came to be loved far outside Italy. During the 1960s, importer Charles Stendig represented the company and helped introduce it to the American market.

In 2005, Poltronova established the Centro Studi Poltronova to recreate some of the company's iconic furniture. The brand has also recently collaborated with English architect Nigel Coates, who worked with a Poltronova master craftsman in Italy to design a series of limited-edition furniture in 2011, including the Domo chair.

On 1stDibs, find vintage Poltronova tables, seating, storage cabinets and more.

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Creator: Poltronova
Ettore Sottsass Y23 Vase in White Enameled Ceramic Yantra Series Poltronova 70s
Ettore Sottsass Y23 Vase in White Enameled Ceramic Yantra Series Poltronova 70s

Ettore Sottsass Y23 Vase in White Enameled Ceramic Yantra Series Poltronova 70s

By Poltronova, Ettore Sottsass

Located in Cascina, Pisa

This ceramic piece is part of the Yantra series by Ettore Sottsass, a collection of thirty-nine forms including containers, ashtrays, vases and bowls, created between 1969 and 1973 a...

Category

1970s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Poltronova Decorative Objects

Materials

Ceramic

Italian Mid Century Wooden Box in Pine by Mario Ceroli for Poltronova, 1970s
Italian Mid Century Wooden Box in Pine by Mario Ceroli for Poltronova, 1970s

Italian Mid Century Wooden Box in Pine by Mario Ceroli for Poltronova, 1970s

By Mario Ceroli, Poltronova

Located in Stockholm, SE

Very rare Italian mid century wooden and decorative case box designed by Mario Ceroli from the "Mobili della Valle" series produced by Poltronova Italy, 1977. This small box is a uni...

Category

1970s Italian Scandinavian Modern Vintage Poltronova Decorative Objects

Materials

Pine

Ettore Sottsass Y29 Vase in Black Enameled Ceramic Yantra Series Poltronova 70s
Ettore Sottsass Y29 Vase in Black Enameled Ceramic Yantra Series Poltronova 70s

Ettore Sottsass Y29 Vase in Black Enameled Ceramic Yantra Series Poltronova 70s

By Poltronova, Ettore Sottsass

Located in Cascina, Pisa

This ceramic piece is part of the Yantra series by Ettore Sottsass, a collection of thirty-nine forms including containers, ashtrays, vases and bowls, created between 1969 and 1973 a...

Category

1970s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Poltronova Decorative Objects

Materials

Ceramic

Ceramic Vase Model "Y29" by Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova, Italy, 1969
Ceramic Vase Model "Y29" by Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova, Italy, 1969

Ceramic Vase Model "Y29" by Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova, Italy, 1969

By Poltronova, Ettore Sottsass

Located in Milan, IT

Ceramic vase model "Y29" by Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova. Cast-formed red glazed ceramic, it's part of the of the series "Yantra" collection.

Category

1960s Italian Vintage Poltronova Decorative Objects

Materials

Ceramic

Ettore Sottsass Y15 Vase in Black Enameled Ceramic Yantra Series Poltronova 70s
Ettore Sottsass Y15 Vase in Black Enameled Ceramic Yantra Series Poltronova 70s

Ettore Sottsass Y15 Vase in Black Enameled Ceramic Yantra Series Poltronova 70s

By Poltronova, Ettore Sottsass

Located in Cascina, Pisa

This ceramic piece is part of the Yantra series by Ettore Sottsass, a collection of thirty-nine forms including containers, ashtrays, vases and bowls, created between 1969 and 1973 a...

Category

1970s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Poltronova Decorative Objects

Materials

Ceramic

Ceramic Vase Model "Y33B" by Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova, Italy, 1969
Ceramic Vase Model "Y33B" by Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova, Italy, 1969

Ceramic Vase Model "Y33B" by Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova, Italy, 1969

By Poltronova, Ettore Sottsass

Located in Milan, IT

Ceramic vase model "Y33B" by Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova. Cast-formed white glazed ceramic, it's part of the of the series "Yantra" collection.

Category

1960s Italian Vintage Poltronova Decorative Objects

Materials

Ceramic

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Poltronova decorative objects for sale on 1stDibs.

Poltronova decorative objects are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of wood and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Poltronova decorative objects, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original decorative objects by Poltronova were created in the mid-century modern style in italy during the 1960s. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider decorative objects by Schiavon, Progetti, and Giovanni Bertoncello. Prices for Poltronova decorative objects can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $2,670 and can go as high as $6,462, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $4,566.