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.
Ettore Sottsass for Design Centre/Poltronova ‘Bruco’ Wall Lights
By Ettore Sottsass, Poltronova
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Ettore Sottsass for Design Centre/Poltronova, ‘Bruco’ wall light from the Mobili Grigi series, chrome-plated brass, methacrylate (translucent Perspex), enameled aluminum, Italy, 1970...
Aluminum, Brass, Chrome
20th Century Ettore Sottsass Mirror Ultrafragola for Poltronova
By Ettore Sottsass, Poltronova
Located in Torino, Piemonte
Ettore Sottsass was a 20th-century Italian architect, noted for also designing furniture, jewellery, glass, lighting, home and office wares, as well as numerous buildings and interio...
Opal
Ettore Sottsass Callimaco Floor Lamp for Artemide
By Ettore Sottsass, Artemide
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Ettore Sottsass 'Callimaco' floor lamp for Artemide. Originally created in 1982, Ettore Sottsass’ “horn” of light creates the remarkable illusion of an oversized musical instrument...
Aluminum
$68,000 / set
H 39.5 in W 17 in D 8.5 in
Pair of 18th Century English Giltwood Chinoiserie Mirrors with Candleholders
Located in New York, NY
Beautiful pair of antique 18th century George II chinoiserie English carved giltwood mirrors with candleholders. These magnificently hand-carved giltwood mirrors are meticulously detailed and adorned with acanthus leaves flourishing throughout the frame with flowers and vines blossoming all around. On each mirror has a double arm gilt metal candleholder held up by acanthus vines growing upwards out of the plane of the mirrors, the primary wood is pine. From an Important and old NYC...
Mirror, Giltwood
$2,741 / set
H 17.72 in W 9.06 in D 8.67 in
Antique 18th Century Double Eagle Wall Mirrors Candle Sconces Repoussé Brass
Located in Munich, DE
This pair of 18th centurty repoussé brass walls sconces has retained its original condition and patina as well as the original mirror glass. A pair...
Brass
$13,786 / set
H 27.17 in W 14.38 in D 5.32 in
19th Century Pair Italian White Porcelain Baroque Mirrors with Flowers
Located in Brescia, IT
Beautiful and fine pair of white Maiolica mirrors with elegant multi-color flowers drawings, in Baroque Style, handmade in Bassano by the well known Manufacturer Antonibon, coming fr...
Iron
$3,800 / set
H 38.5 in W 15 in D 4 in
Pair of Early 19th Century Continental Neoclassical Giltwood Sconce Mirrors
Located in Essex, MA
Pair of early 19th century continental sconce mirrors with original early glass and original gilding. Two arm sconces for candles. Great size and wo...
Mirror, Beech, Giltwood
$17,000 / set
H 29 in W 15 in D 2 in
Mirrored Wall Sconces Swedish Gustavian 18th Century Signed Gilded Sweden, Pair
Located in New York, NY
A pair of mirrored wall sconces made during the early part of the Gustavian period 1775-1790. Made and signed by frame maker Johan Martin ...
Wood
$10,851
H 20.87 in W 13 in D 1.19 in
18th Century, Giltwood Pair of Italian Louis XV Candle Wall Sconce with Mirror
Located in IT
Pair of Piedmontese Italian candle wall sconce in carved and gilded wood with mirror. Turin (Italy), Louis XV period, mid-18th century The precious pair of sconce, made around th...
Mirror, Giltwood
$9,591 / item
H 76.78 in W 39.38 in D 5.12 in
Pink ‘Ultrafragola’ Mirror Designed by Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova, Italy
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in London, GB
The curvaceous pink ‘Ultrafragola’ mirror designed by Ettore Sottsass is probably the most iconic of all his many designs. Originally produced in the 1970s by Poltronova, the ‘Ultrafragola’ formed part of a series of Sottsass designs named Mobili Grigi. When illuminated, the lights within the mirror transform the white opaline acrylic shell into a stunning multi-pink display. This unique, individually numbered, re-edition piece is still produced by the same Florentine company today and is sold with a “Certificate of Authenticity”. The perfectly pink ‘selfie’ mirror!
Glass, Acrylic
$9,633 / item
H 76.78 in W 39.38 in D 5.12 in
Pink ‘Ultrafragola’ Mirror Designed by Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova, Italy
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in London, GB
The curvaceous pink ‘Ultrafragola’ mirror designed by Ettore Sottsass is probably the most iconic of all his many designs. Originally produced in the 1970s by Poltronova, the ‘Ultrafragola’ formed part of a series of Sottsass designs named Mobili Grigi. When illuminated, the lights within the mirror transform the white opaline acrylic shell into a stunning multi-pink display. This unique, individually numbered, re-edition piece is still produced by the same Florentine company today and is sold with a “Certificate of Authenticity”. The perfectly pink ‘selfie’ mirror!
Glass, Acrylic
$253
H 6.7 in W 7.88 in D 3.94 in
Ikea Wall Lamp in style of Ettore Sottsass, Memphis Milano, Italy, 1980s
By IKEA, Ettore Sottsass, Memphis Milano
Located in Praha, CZ
- iconic type - very nice style of lighting - marked by label
Metal
$1,827 / set
H 13.78 in W 8.67 in D 7.88 in
Early 20th Century Pair of Italian Decorative Brass Wall Lights with Mirror
Located in Roma, IT
Early 20th century pair of Italian decorative brass wall lights with mirror. This is a production of the first decade of the century in Venice, and the design recalls heavily the Ven...
Brass
$648Sale Price|20% Off
H 5.9 in W 8.7 in D 8.7 in
Stoja Wall Lamp by Ettore Sottsass for IKEA, Sweden, 1970s
By Ettore Sottsass, IKEA
Located in Stockholm, SE
This “Stoja” wall lamp was designed by Ettore Sottsass for IKEA during the late 1970s, as part of the company’s short-lived collaboration with external architects and designers. The ...
Plastic, Wood
Ettore Sottsass Table Lamps for Bitossi
By Ettore Sottsass, Bitossi
Located in San Francisco, CA
Ettore Sottsass design ceramic table lamps for Bitossi, Italy. Originally designed for an Amersterdam department store De Bijenkorf, produced circa 1958. The ovoid lamp form and str...
Ceramic
Ettore Sottsass Chandelier, 1970
By Ettore Sottsass, Poltronova
Located in Vienna, AT
Rare ‚Bruco‘ chandelier designed by Ettore Sottsass for Design Centre / Poltronova in 1970. Minimalist chrome structure with a large methacrylate diffuser. Very nice original conditi...
Aluminum, Chrome
Modern Murano Table Lamp by Ettore Sottsass for Venini, Signed ca. 1994
By Ettore Sottsass, Venini
Located in Merida, Yucatan
Beautiful table lamps in orange and green hand-blown Murano glass. Designed by Ettore Sottsass for Venini and manufactured in 1994. The glass shade is signed "Venini ". We have the ...
Murano Glass
20th Century Ettore Sottsass Mirror Ultrafragola for Poltronova
By Ettore Sottsass, Poltronova
Located in Torino, Piemonte
Mirror / lighting "Ultrafragola" designed in 1970s by Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova, in vacuum-formed opaline acrylic. Ultrafragola, with its sinuous shape, evocative of a wavy female hair, belongs to the series of Grey Furniture...
Opal
20th Century Ettore Sottsass Mirror Ultrafragola for Poltronova
By Ettore Sottsass, Poltronova
Located in Torino, Piemonte
Mirror / lighting "Ultrafragola" designed in 1970s by Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova, in vacuum-formed opaline acrylic. Ultrafragola, with its sinuous shape, evocative of a wavy female hair, belongs to the series of Grey Furniture...
Opal
20th Century Ettore Sottsass Mirror Ultrafragola for Poltronova
By Ettore Sottsass, Poltronova
Located in Torino, Piemonte
Mirror / lighting "Ultrafragola" designed in 1970s by Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova, in vacuum-formed opaline acrylic. Ultrafragola, with its sinuous shape, evocative of a wavy female hair, belongs to the series of Grey Furniture...
Opal
"Dalia" Wall Lamp by Gino Marotta for Poltronova
By Gino Marotta, Poltronova
Located in Milano, Lombardia
"Dalia" wall lamp, designed by Gino Marotta, manufactured by Poltronova in 1968. Printed plastic shade.