Collectors of vintage mid-century modern furniture will find that the work of Italian designer Vittorio Dassi is elegant and sculptural, brimming with all of the clean, angular lines and pleasing symmetry associated with the best of the era’s offerings. While Dassi's name is less known to enthusiasts of the period’s furniture than the likes of Ico and Luisa Parisi, Franco Albini and other leading lights of mid-20th century Italian design, his case pieces, tables and seating will prove no less worthy of hunting down at today's flea markets and online marketplaces.
Wood was Dassi's preferred material — he favored rosewood, mahogany, walnut and other species for his covetable desks and wall units, which frequently featured decorative flourishes such as glass inlays, while a sideboard or buffet’s fronts might boast hand-carved geometric cutouts in lieu of brass door handles.
While little is known about Dassi's early life, it is believed that his career in furniture design began in 1940 at his family's company Dassi Mobili Moderni, in Lissone, Italy. Shortly thereafter, he took over managing the company from his father.
While Dassi produced dry bars and other case pieces during the 1950s that featured the motifs and ornament that are today attributed to the Art Deco movement, he created sumptuous mahogany nightstands topped with black glass and minimalist teak coffee tables that better represented the forward-looking spirit of mid-century modernism. His wall units of the era for Mobili Cantù are works of art — crafted in walnut and featuring birch veneers and high-gloss lacquer finishes as well as a single door front decorated with an abstract painting or otherwise provocative illustration, these structures would undoubtedly prove quite impressive to the likes of Poul Cadovius and George Nelson.
Dassi often collaborated with Italian architect, editor and furniture designer Gio Ponti. Ponti designed thousands of furnishings and products — from cabinets, mirrors and chairs to ceramics and coffeemakers — and his buildings, including the brawny Pirelli Tower (1956) in his native Milan, and the castle-like Denver Art Museum (1971), were erected in 14 countries. A collaboration between Dassi and Ponti of note is the pair’s work on the Hotel Royal in Naples — Ponti was commissioned to design the hotel and he partnered with Dassi to design the hotel's furnishings.
Today, Dassi Mobili Moderni S.R.L. is still in operation in Lissone.
Find vintage Vittorio Dassi furniture on 1stDibs.
Drybar & Sideboard by Vittorio Dassi for Palazzi dell'Arte Cantù 1950s
By Vittorio Dassi, Palazzi dell’Arte Cantù
Located in Byron Bay, NSW
Vittorio Dassi design drybar/sideboard for Palazzi dell’Arte Cantù. Rosewood bar cabinet with two side doors, mirrored central bar compartment with flap opening and lights, front dec...
Brass
Vittorio Dassi Mid-Century Modern Italian Mahogany Cabinet Bar, 1950s
By Vittorio Dassi
Located in Puglia, Puglia
This bar cabinet was designed by the famous Italian design Vittorio Dassi, Italy, 1950. The cabinet is covered in herringbone mahogany with maple inlays and glass top, the central in...
Marble, Brass
$8,056Sale Price|20% Off
Italian-made Deco-style bar cabinet by Vittorio Dassi 1940s-50s
By Vittorio Dassi
Located in Milano, MI
Bar cabinet in the "deco" style designed and produced between the 1940s and 1950s by Vittorio Dassi. the cabinet has three storage compartments. The central one has a flap door and ...
Brass
$2,997
H 29.93 in W 38.59 in D 17.72 in
Italian 1940s Art Deco Mid-Century Walnut Burl and Mirror Mosaic Dry Bar Cabinet
By Ico & Luisa Parisi, Guglielmo Ulrich, Vittorio Dassi, Paolo Buffa, Gio Ponti
Located in Carimate, Como
Very elegant Italian Art Deco Mid-Century Modern drinks dry bar cabinet with beautiful veneer walnut briar burl wood, two side doors and central turning compartments with great woode...
Brass
Rosewood Sideboard from Palazzi dell'Arte Cantù, 1950s
By La Permanente Mobili Cantù
Located in Montelabbate, PU
Living room furniture with drawers, open-top compartment doors and 2 door display case with decorated glass, spiked legs with brass tips. Inside...
Rosewood
Vittorio Dassi Italian Mid-Century Modern Sideboard Bar Cabinet
By Vittorio Dassi
Located in Fort Lauderdale, FL
A 1950s Italian mid-century modern dry bar or cabinet designed by Vittorio Dassi. The top surface and outside bottom shelf are a very dark green glass. The doors and sides are rosew...
Brass
$4,195
H 30.71 in W 46.07 in D 15.75 in
1940s Art Deco Midcentury Italian Walnut Burl and Mirror Mosaic Dry Bar Cabinet
By Ico & Luisa Parisi, Vittorio Dassi, Gio Ponti
Located in Carimate, Como
Unique and very elegant Italian Art Deco Mid-Century Modern dry bar cabinet, in beautiful veneer walnut wood, with two side doors and amazing central part in mirrors mosaic, black gl...
Brass
$7,600
H 96 in W 84.5 in D 17.875 in
1950s Mid-Century Italian Mirrored Bar Cabinet Credenza with Asian Motif
By Gio Ponti, Osvaldo Borsani
Located in Detroit, MI
This truly exceptional vintage Mid-Century Modern Gio Ponti or Paolo Buffa style credenza or sideboard bar cabinet with mirrored wall panel was made in Italy circa 1950. This handcrafted cabinet is incredibly well-constructed and consists of a mahogany center cabinet supported above and below by 3/4” thick glass panel shelves and resting on heavy tubular steel legs, all attached to a monumental floor-to-ceiling mirrored...
Steel
$2,227Sale Price|35% Off
H 28.35 in W 80.12 in D 20.08 in
Mid-Century Italian Sideboard by Vittorio Dassi (circa 1950s)
By Vittorio Dassi
Located in London, GB
Charming sideboard designed by Vittorio Dassi made in Italy in the middle of the 20th century. This wonderful sideboard was rendered in veneer woods. It has five drawers configured b...
Wood
$2,997
H 32.68 in W 33.47 in D 15.75 in
1950s Art Deco Mid-Century Modern Italian Walnut Burl Glass Top Dry Bar Cabinet
By Vittorio Dassi, Paolo Buffa, Gio Ponti, Ico & Luisa Parisi, Guglielmo Ulrich
Located in Carimate, Como
Very elegant Italian Art Deco Mid-Century Modern dry bar cabinet with overall beautiful different veneer walnut briar burl wood decorations and especially the double front door with ...
Brass
$4,795
H 33.86 in W 47.64 in D 17.72 in
1940s Art Deco Mid-Century Italian Walnut Burl and Mirror Mosaic Dry Bar Cabinet
By Paolo Buffa, Gio Ponti, Vittorio Dassi, Guglielmo Ulrich, Ico & Luisa Parisi
Located in Carimate, Como
Unique and very elegant Italian Art Deco Mid-Century Modern dry bar cabinet, in beautiful veneer walnut briar burl wood, two doors with amazing interior part in mirrors mosaic, black...
Brass
$7,192
H 31.89 in W 73.63 in D 16.93 in
Italian Mid-Century Sideboard dresser with Mirror by Vittorio Dassi, 1950s
By Vittorio Dassi
Located in Traversetolo, IT
Italian mid-century sideboard i produced by Vittorio Dassi in the 1950s. This sideboard has excellent manufacturing aspects, noticeable from the arched line, hard transparent glass s...
Brass
$3,116
H 35.83 in W 39.38 in D 17.72 in
50s Art Deco Italian Radio Vynil Disc Walnut Burl Mirror Mosaic Dry Bar Cabinet
By Ico & Luisa Parisi, Guglielmo Ulrich, Paolo Buffa, Gio Ponti, Vittorio Dassi
Located in Carimate, Como
Very elegant Italian Art Deco Mid-Century Modern dry bar cabinet, in beautiful veneer walnut briar burl wood. On the top part we find the radio and the vynil record player while on t...
Brass
$10,669
H 35.44 in W 98.43 in D 19.69 in
Italian Art Deco Sideboard with Bar Cabinet Attributed to Osvaldo Borsani, 1940s
By Osvaldo Borsani
Located in Traversetolo, IT
Osvaldo Borsani designed this beautiful Italian sideboard in the 1940s. With its unique design and excellent manufacturing quality, the sideboard stands out from the crowd. The gl...
Brass
Bar Cabinet with illuminated compartments, 1940s
Located in Palermo, IT
Bar cabinet with illuminated compartments, 1940s Found in a noble apartment in my hometown, Palermo. Good condition, as per the descriptive photographs, with minor signs of aging. E1...
Wood
Vittorio Dassi Sideboard Bar Cabinet
By Vittorio Dassi
Located in Hanover, MA
SATURDAY SALE 1950s Italian extra large sideboard bar cabinet by Vittorio Dassi in beautifully executed herringbone pattern rosewood and mahogany suppo...
Mahogany, Sycamore, Glass, Rosewood
Sold
H 100.4 in W 64.97 in D 18.12 in
Vittorio Dassi Italian Monumental Wall Unit for Mobili Cantù, Italy, 1950s
By Vittorio Dassi, La Permanente Mobili Cantù
Located in Pijnacker, Zuid-Holland
Elevate your interior with this exquisite and rare mid-century modern wall unit designed by Vittorio Dassi, a true icon of Italian craftsmanship. Meticulously crafted in the 1950s, t...
Brass
Sold
H 118.9 in W 38.19 in D 23.63 in
Vintage 20th Century Italian Bar With Marble Countertop By Vittorio Dassi c.1950
By Vittorio Dassi
Located in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent
A mid 20th Century Italian wood & marble dry bar. Made by Vittorio Dassi, this elegantly designed bar features shelving on one side that doubles as a room divider. The bar top is ado...
Marble
Sold
H 90.56 in W 118.12 in D 18.9 in
Vittorio Dassi Monumental Wall Unit / Dry Bar for Mobili Cantù, Italy, 1950
By Vittorio Dassi, La Permanente Mobili Cantù
Located in Pijnacker, Zuid-Holland
Monumental and very rare wall unit by Vittorio Dassi for Mobili Cantù – Italy, circa 1950. Italian walnut, birch and brass details. The inside of the cabinets and drawers are covered...
Brass
Mid Century Revolving Interior Dry Bar by Vittorio Dassi
By Vittorio Dassi
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
This splendid mid century modern revolving drinks cabinet by Vittorio Dassi is a real "surprise cabinet" . Its exterior is all polished precio...
Art Glass
Vittorio Dassi Italian Drybar, Sideboard, Marble, Crystal
By Vittorio Dassi
Located in Valladolid, ES
Spectacular bar cabinet designed by Vittorio Dassi, a prestigious Italian designer active in the middle of the last century. Made of rosewood, it has an inlaid pearl...
Crystal, Marble, Brass
Sold
H 110.63 in W 118.12 in D 18.9 in
Vittorio Dassi Monumental Wall Unit / Dry Bar for Mobili Cantù, Italy, 1950
By Vittorio Dassi, La Permanente Mobili Cantù
Located in Pijnacker, Zuid-Holland
Monumental wall unit by Vittorio Dassi for Mobili Cantù – Italy, circa 1950. Italian walnut, birch and brass details. The inside of the cabinets and drawers are covered luxuriously...
Brass
Three Door Cabinet by Vittorio Dassi
By Vittorio Dassi
Located in Lyndhurst, NJ
The mahogany cabinet with gray blue inset glass top, having 3 doors with brass handles, each with quarter veneering the 2 doors on left opening to reveal a mirror and glass fitted in...
Brass
Sold
H 87.8 in W 105.52 in D 16.15 in
Vittorio Dassi Wall Unit / Dry Bar for Permanente Mobili Cantù, Italy, 1950-60
By Vittorio Dassi, La Permanente Mobili Cantù
Located in Pijnacker, Zuid-Holland
Sophisticated and very rare wall unit by Vittorio Dassi for Mobili Cantù - Italy, circa 1950-60. The inside of the cabinets and drawers are covered very luxuriously in Birch veneer and red felt. The inside shelves are made of Birch and some of glass. The large cabinet features a fold out bar...
Brass
Sold
H 56.3 in W 72.84 in D 19.69 in
Italian Mid-Century Sideboard of Birch Briar Root by Vittorio Dassi, 1950s
By Vittorio Dassi, Dassi Lissone
Located in Traversetolo, IT
Superb sideboard and / or bar cabinet designed by Vittorio Dassi in the 1950s. It's a very fine item made of precious materials as well as the two side doors of birch briar root, fin...
Brass
Sold
H 47.64 in W 82.29 in D 17.72 in
Vittorio Dassi Design Drybar / Sideboard for Palazzi dell’Arte Cantù, 1950s
By Vittorio Dassi
Located in Baambrugge, NL
Vittorio Dassi design drybar / sideboard for Palazzi dell’Arte Cantù. Rosewood bar cabinet with two side doors, mirrored central bar compartment with flap opening and lights, fron...
Brass
Sold
H 53 in W 51.5 in D 18 in
Vittorio Dassi Italian Rosewood Sideboard Liquor Cabinet, 1950s, Restored
By Vittorio Dassi
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Add some Mid-Century Italian Modern elegance to your space with this fully restored Rosewood sideboard / liquor cabinet designed by Vittorio Dassi, originally completed in the 1950s and restored in 2021. The subtly tapered design was crafted from Rosewood with distinct dark striped grain, restored with a gorgeous and luxurious French Polish. This piece comprises of flared spider legs, three (3) shelves, (2) slim drawers, brass hardware and a compact hutch which opens to reveal a curved mirrored...
Brass