Italian entrepreneur, sculptor and designer Sergio Cammilli was born in 1920 in the Province of Pistoia in Tuscany — the home of the Italian Renaissance and the birthplace of legendary modernist furniture brand Poltronova, which Cammilli founded in 1957.
Poltronova is known for embracing the creativity that opposites can introduce to a space. Its radical furniture and lighting designs are simultaneously grounded in classic aesthetics and inspired by what were then new and provocative artistic movements of mid-century Italy (Cammilli had studied at the Porta Romana Art Institute in Florence). This tension resulted in unique and extraordinary pieces at the manufacturer, from eccentric, glove-shaped armchairs to striking dining tables that featured a mix of materials and textures.
In the year that Cammilli established Poltronova — which began as a modest workshop with a handful of upholsterers — the company 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 partnerships 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. Superstudio’s wondrous Gherpe lamp and Archizoon’s Mies armchair, for example, are attributed to Design Centre, a subsidiary of Poltronova that existed from 1967 until around 1979.
Collectives associated with the avant-garde 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, Cammilli and Sottsass 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 met Cammilli through designer couple Massimo and Lella Vignelli and represented the company, helping introduce it to the American market.
Cammilli left Poltronova during the 1970s and subsequently worked as an independent designer in his own studio. In 1986, he established Mirabili, which he once called a consortium of “well-known artists and designers selected for their particular gifts and their poetic world, lending an innovative and sensitive contribution to the cultural image of the habitat as ‘Art of Living.’”
In 2002, Formitalia Luxury Group acquired Mirabili (now known as Mirabili Arte d'Abitare). In 2005, Poltronova established the Centro Studi Poltronova to recreate some of the company's iconic furniture.
Find Sergio Cammilli furniture on 1stDibs.
$3,000Sale Price / set|25% Off
Pair of Pop Art Sergio Camilli Snail or Chiocciolona for Bieffeplast
By Sergio Cammilli
Located in Munster, NRW
Sergio Camilli. 'Snail' or 'chiocciolona' objects, designed in 1974. Measures: Large snail: 95 cm wide, 65 cm deep and 50 cm high. Small snail: 62 cm wi...
$960Sale Price / set|20% Off
H 18.5 in W 4 in D 7 in
Pair of Art Glass Terns/Sea Gulls by Livio Seguso for Murano Glass Studios
By Livio Seguso, Murano 5
Located in San Diego, CA
Nice pair of art glass terns or sea gulls by Livio Seguso for Murano Glass Studios, circa 1970s. The gulls measure 7"W x 4"D x 18.5"H and present the image of two birds soaring high ...
Art Glass
Cast Bronze Snail Sculpture
Located in Jimbaran, Bali
This exquisite brass snail sculpture captures the beauty of nature with remarkable craftsmanship and elegant form. The spiraled shell is adorned with delicate, swirling etchings that...
Bronze
$1,365Sale Price|20% Off
H 10.52 in W 13 in D 4.73 in
Large Murano Art Glass Swan by Sergio Costantini, Gold Aventurine Sculpture
By Sergio Costantini
Located in Bad Säckingen, DE
A large and elegant Murano art glass swan sculpture created by renowned Italian glass artist Sergio Costantini. This stunning piece showcases the artist's signature craftsmanship wit...
Glass, Opaline Glass, Murano Glass, Blown Glass, Art Glass
$4,500Sale Price / set|21% Off
H 35.5 in W 12 in D 9 in
Pair of Large Art Glass Cranes by Licio Zanetti for Murano Glass
By Licio Zanetti, Murano 5
Located in San Diego, CA
Gorgeous, absolutely stunning, pair of art glass cranes by Licio Zanetti for Murano, circa 1970s. The larger crane measures 12"W x 9"D x 35.5"H (the smaller one is 12"W x 7"D x 26"H)...
Brass
$900Sale Price|25% Off
H 4.5 in W 4.75 in D 7.75 in
Salviati Murano Sommerso Blue Green Italian Art Glass Snail Figure Sculpture
By Salviati, Luciano Gaspari
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Beautiful, and large, vintage Murano hand blown Sommerso emerald green with bubbles, and sapphire blue Italian art glass snail sculpture. The piece is documented to the Salviati comp...
Glass, Art Glass, Blown Glass, Murano Glass, Sommerso, Uranium Glass
Pair of 1970s Italian Silver Snail Figurines
Located in Stamford, CT
Pair of 1970s heavy silver metal snail figurines. No brand stamp or makers mark.
Metal
$1,200
H 5.5 in W 4.75 in D 7.5 in
Murano Salviati Sommerso Sapphire Blue Italian Art Glass Snail Figure Sculpture
By Luciano Gaspari, Salviati
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Beautiful, and large, vintage Murano hand blown Sommerso cobalt blue snail, with light blue shell Italian art glass sculpture. The piece is documented to the Salviati company, and at...
Glass, Art Glass, Blown Glass, Murano Glass, Sommerso, Uranium Glass
$950
H 1.5 in W 3 in D 3 in
Vintage 70s POP ART Robert Indiana LOVE Sculpture Paperweight or Desk Accessory
By Robert Indiana
Located in St. Louis, MO
An authentic vintage 1970s gold anodized aluminum sculpture after the famous LOVE image by American Pop Art master Robert Indiana. Robert Indiana's original LOVE artwork, created in the 1960s, instantly became an international Pop Art touchstone and solidified his place in modern art history. Authorized miniature versions such as this piece were produced during the 1970s and sold in leading museum design shops, including the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York. Cast in solid aluminum with a gleaming gold anodized finish, this rare gold edition functions as a bold desktop sculpture or paperweight. Dimensions: Height: 3.0" (7.6 cm) Width: 3.0" (7.6 cm) Depth: 1.5" (3.8 cm) Details: Artist / Style: After Robert Indiana (American, 1928–2018) Period: Circa 1970s Style: Pop Art / Modernist Desk Accessory Materials: Cast Aluminum, Gold Anodized Finish Provenance / Context: Vintage Museum Shop Authorized Production (MoMA Design Store) Condition: Good vintage condition overall. Displays light surface wear and minor loss to the gold finish consistent with age and desktop use, revealing the polished aluminum underneath in small areas as shown in the photographs. The structure remains solid and heavy. Keywords: Robert Indiana LOVE sculpture...
Aluminum
Murano Glass Pop Art Woman Head Sculpture
Located in Bradenton, FL
Hand Crafted Murano Pop Art Glass Sculpture of the Stylized Head of a Woman. Vivid colors of cobalt blue and black with blue irises and red lips. Weighs 8 pounds. The sculptural hair...
Art Glass
$1,250
H 4 in W 8.5 in D 12 in
Vintage American Bronzed Converse Sneakers Pop Art Sculpture, Pair, circa 1970s
Located in San Diego, CA
A wonderfully unusual pair of vintage Converse Chuck Taylor All Star sneakers, preserved in bronze to create a sculptural celebration of one of the most recognizable shoes in America...
Bronze
$500
H 4 in W 3.5 in D 4.63 in L 4 in
Murano Black Gold Silver Flecks Italian Art Glass Snail Figurine Paperweight
By Gambaro & Poggi
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Beautiful and unusual, Murano hand blown jet black with gold and silver flecks Italian art glass snail paperweight figurine. The piece has an original clear and gold label that reads “Vetreria Venier Murano...
Gold Leaf, Silver Leaf
$2,880Sale Price / set|20% Off
H 4.34 in W 6.3 in D 4.3 in
Art Deco Pair of Elephant Bookends by George Nilsson for Gero Holland
Located in Buenos Aires, Olivos
Art Deco bookends set by George Nilsson for Gero Netherlands Holland. Pair of Art Deco elephant bookends by George Nilsson for Gero Holland. Signed 'GN' for George Nilsson. We have ...
Metal
Camilli Sergio snail sculpture in semi-transparent fiberglass
Located in Brussels, BE
This mid-century style snail sculpture by Camilli Sergio is crafted from semi-transparent fiberglass, embodying the design principles of the era with its organic form and warm amber ...
Fiberglass
$3,495 / set
H 21 in W 32 in D 20 in
Pair of Signed Ceramic Fish Sculpture by Mexican Artist Sergio Bustamante
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A lovely pair of signed ceramic fish by Mexican artist Sergio Bustamante. The captivating blue and green body of this fish is dappled with light and comes to an expressive fin an...
Ceramic
$799
H 3.94 in W 5.52 in D 3.55 in
Mid Century Hand Blown Two-Tone Murando Art Glass Snail - Italy 1960´s
By Livio Seguso
Located in Buenos Aires, Olivos
Mid Century Hand Blown Two-Tone Murando Art Glass Snail - Italy 1960´s. This charming stylized snail by Livio Seguso, exemplifies the finesse of the Venetian Glass masters skills in ...
Murano Glass