Ettore Sottsass Collectibles and Curiosities
Italian, 1917-2007
An architect, industrial designer, philosopher and provocateur, Ettore Sottsass led a revolution in the aesthetics and technology of modern design in the late 20th century.
Sottsass was the oldest member of the Memphis Group — a design collective, formed in Milan in 1980, whose irreverent, spirited members included Alessandro Mendini, Michele de Lucchi, Michael Graves and Shiro Kuramata. All had grown disillusioned by the staid, black-and-brown “corporatized” modernism that had become endemic in the 1970s. Memphis (the name stemmed from the title of a Bob Dylan song) countered with bold, brash, colorful, yet quirkily minimal designs for furniture, glassware, ceramics and metalwork. They mocked high-status by building furniture with inexpensive materials such as plastic laminates, decorated to resemble exotic finishes such as animal skins. Their work was both functional and — as intended — shocking. Even as it preceded the Memphis Group's formal launch, Sottsass's iconic Ultrafragola mirror — in its conspicuously curved plastic shell and radical pops of pink neon — embodies many of the collective's postmodern ideals.
Sottsass's most-recognized designs appeared in the first Memphis collection, issued in 1981 — notably the multihued, angular Carlton room divider and Casablanca bookcase. As pieces on 1stDibs demonstrate, however, Sottsass is at his most imaginative and expressive in smaller, secondary furnishings such as lamps and chandeliers, and in table pieces and glassware that have playful and sculptural qualities.
It was as an artist that Ettore Sottsass was celebrated in his life, in exhibitions at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, in 2006, and the Philadelphia Museum of Art a year later. Even then Sottsass’s work prompted critical debate. And for a man whose greatest pleasure was in astonishing, delighting and ruffling feathers, perhaps there was no greater accolade. That the work remains so revolutionary and bold — that it breaks with convention so sharply it will never be considered mainstream — is a testament to his genius.
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Creator: Ettore Sottsass
1986 Enorme Telephone Handset by Ettore Sottsass
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Brooklyn, NY
A perfectly postmodern telephone handset designed by the Memphis Milano master, Ettore Sottsass, and produced in 1986. The Enorme telephone was the result of a collaboration between...
Category
Late 20th Century Post-Modern Ettore Sottsass Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Plastic
Carlton Miniature / 1:4 Scale by Ettore Sottsass
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Designed by Ettore Sottsass himself after his iconic full-scale object, the Carlton cabinet. Perfect reproduction of the Carlton bookcase.
The vivid colors and seemingly random interplay of solids and voids suggest AvantGarde painting...
Category
1990s Italian Post-Modern Ettore Sottsass Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Laminate, Wood
1986 Enorme Telephone Handset by Ettore Sottsass
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Brooklyn, NY
A perfectly postmodern telephone handset designed by the Memphis Milano master, Ettore Sottsass, and produced in 1986. The Enorme telephone was the result of a collaboration between Sottsass and David Kelley, founder of the design firm IDEO. Sottsass created the conceptual design, and Kelley and his team were responsible for the engineering and detail design. To produce the telephone, the two formed the Enorme Corporation with Jean Pigozzi. Examples of this phone design are found in the collections of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art, RISD Museum, and the Los Angeles County Museum.
In vintage condition with wear consistent with age and use. This is the handset only and it has not been tested. Molded manufacturer's mark on handset and base: "Designed by Ettore Sottsass Enorme...
Category
Late 20th Century Post-Modern Ettore Sottsass Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Plastic
Memphis, Barbara Radice 1984 First Edition
By Ettore Sottsass, Barbara Radice, Memphis Group
Located in London, GB
First edition, published by Rizzoli, 1984
‘Research, Experiences, Result, Failures and Successes of New Design’
Founded in 1981 by designer Ettore Sottsass, the Italy-based Mem...
Category
1980s American Vintage Ettore Sottsass Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
1986 Gray and Black Enorme Telephone by Ettore Sottsass for Enorme
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Brooklyn, NY
A perfectly postmodern telephone designed by the Memphis Milano master, Ettore Sottsass, and produced in 1986. The Enorme phone was produced in another color way but this is the much rarer gray and black version. The Enorme telephone was the result of a collaboration between Sottsass and David Kelley, founder of the design firm IDEO. Sottsass created the conceptual design, and Kelley and his team were responsible for the engineering and detail design. To produce the telephone, the two formed the Enorme Corporation with Jean Pigozzi. Examples of this phone design are found in the collections of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art, RISD Museum, and the Los Angeles County Museum.
In good vintage condition with wear consistent with age and use. Works great! Molded manufacturer's mark on handset and base: "Designed by Ettore Sottsass Enorme...
Category
Late 20th Century Post-Modern Ettore Sottsass Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Plastic
Ettore Sottsass Pink Ceramic Shiva Flower Vase, by BD Barcelona
By BD Barcelona Design, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Shiva ceramic flower vase designed by Ettore Sottsass, circa 1973, edited by BD in Barcelona.
In good original condition with minor wear consistent with age and use preserving a b...
Category
2010s Spanish Mid-Century Modern Ettore Sottsass Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Ceramic
Olivetti Lettera 36 Portable Typewriter Designed by Ettore Sottsass. circa 1970s
By Ettore Sottsass, Olivetti
Located in Miami, FL
Vintage Olivetti Lettera 36 Portable Typewriter with the Original Case. circa early 1970s
Created by famed Italian designer/architect Ettore Sottsass...
Category
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Metal
Ettore Sottsass Pink Ceramic Shiva Flower Vase
By BD Barcelona Design, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Shiva ceramic flower vase designed by Ettore Sottsass, circa 1973, edited by BD in Barcelona.
In good original condition with minor wear consistent with age and use preserving a b...
Category
2010s Spanish Mid-Century Modern Ettore Sottsass Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Ceramic
Ettore Sottsass Pink Ceramic Shiva Flower Vase, by BD Barcelona
By BD Barcelona Design, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Shiva ceramic flower vase designed by Ettore Sottsass, circa 1973, edited by BD in Barcelona.
In good original condition with minor wear consistent ...
Category
2010s Spanish Mid-Century Modern Ettore Sottsass Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Ceramic
1986 Enorme Telephone by Ettore Sottsass for Enorme
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Brooklyn, NY
A perfectly postmodern telephone designed by the Memphis Milano master, Ettore Sottsass, and produced in 1986. The Enorme telephone was the result of ...
Category
Late 20th Century Post-Modern Ettore Sottsass Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Metal
Ettore Sottsass Twenty-Seven Woods for a Chinese Artificial Flower Vase G
By Ettore Sottsass, Design Gallery Milano
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Twenty-seven woods for a Chinese Artificial flower vase G by Ettore Sottsass,
edited by Design Gallery Milano, 1995.
Limited edition of 12 signed and numered pieces, number 3 / 1...
Category
1990s European Modern Ettore Sottsass Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Brass
Twenty-Seven Woods for a Chinese Artificial Flower Vase U by Ettore Sottsass
By Ettore Sottsass, Design Gallery Milano
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Twenty-seven woods for a Chinese artificial flower vase U by Ettore Sottsass,
Edited by Design Gallery Milano, 1995.
Limited edition of 12 signed and numbered pieces, number 4 / ...
Category
1990s European Modern Ettore Sottsass Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Glass, Wood
Limited Edition Vase O by Ettore Sottsass
By Ettore Sottsass, Design Gallery Milano
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Twenty-seven woods for a Chinese Artificial flower vase O by Ettore Sottsass,
edited by Design Gallery Milano, 1995.
Limited edition of 12 signed and numered pieces, number 3 / 1...
Category
1990s European Modern Ettore Sottsass Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Brass
Ettore Sottsass Twenty-Seven Woods for a Chinese Artificial Flower Vase A
By Ettore Sottsass, Design Gallery Milano
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Twenty-seven woods for a Chinese artificial flower vase A by Ettore Sottsass,
edited by Design Gallery Milano, 1995.
Limited edition of 12 signed and numered pieces, number 8 / 12.
This piece has also been produced as a limited edition with a total of only 12 units.
In good original condition, with minor wear consistent with age and use, preserving a beautiful patina.
In 2005, two years before Sottsass’ death, a gold prototype was made and was an award for an international competition for students of design. This is the very same one that Sottsass holds in his portrait.
Ettore Sottsass (14 September 1917-31 December 2007) was an Italian architect and designer of the late 20th century. His body of designs included furniture, jewelry, glass, lighting and office machine design. Sottsass was born on 14 September 1917 in Innsbruck, Austria, and grew up in Milan, where his father was an architect. In 1956, Ettore Sottsass began working as a design consultant for Olivetti, designing office equipment...
Category
1990s European Modern Ettore Sottsass Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Brass
Ettore Sottsass Pink Ceramic Shiva Flower Vase, by BD Barcelona
By BD Barcelona Design, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Shiva ceramic flower vase designed by Ettore Sottsass, circa 1973, edited by BD in Barcelona.
In good original condition with minor wear consistent with age and use preserving a b...
Category
2010s Spanish Mid-Century Modern Ettore Sottsass Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Ceramic
Twenty-Seven Woods, Chinese Artificial Flower Vase Omega by Ettore Sottsass
By Ettore Sottsass, Design Gallery Milano
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Twenty-seven woods for a Chinese artificial flower vase omega by Ettore Sottsass,
Edited by Design Gallery Milano, 1995.
Limited edition ...
Category
1990s European Modern Ettore Sottsass Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Aluminum
Twenty-Seven Woods for a Chinese Artificial Flower Vase S by Ettore Sottsass
By Ettore Sottsass, Design Gallery Milano
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Twenty-seven woods for a Chinese artificial flower vase S by Ettore Sottsass,
edited by Design Gallery Milano, 1995.
Limited edition of 12 signed and numbered pieces, number 10 ...
Category
1990s European Modern Ettore Sottsass Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Wood
Rare Limited Edition of 12 Vase Alpha by Ettore Sottsass
By Ettore Sottsass, Design Gallery Milano
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Twenty-seven woods for a Chinese artificial flower vase alpha by Ettore Sottsass,
edited by Design Gallery Milano, 1995.
Limited edition of 12 signed and numbered pieces, number 7 / 12.
This piece has also been produced as a limited edition with a total of only 12 units.
In good original condition, with minor wear consistent with age and use, preserving a beautiful patina.
Ettore Sottsass (14 September 1917-31 December 2007) was an Italian architect and designer of the late 20th century. His body of designs included furniture, jewelry, glass, lighting and office machine design. Sottsass was born on 14 September 1917 in Innsbruck, Austria, and grew up in Milan, where his father was an architect. In 1956, Ettore Sottsass began working as a design consultant for Olivetti, designing office equipment...
Category
1990s European Modern Ettore Sottsass Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Brass
Ettore Sottsass Pink Ceramic Shiva Flower Vase, by BD Barcelona
By BD Barcelona Design, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Shiva ceramic flower vase designed by Ettore Sottsass, circa 1973, edited by BD in Barcelona.
In good original condition with minor wear consistent with age and use preserving a bea...
Category
2010s Spanish Mid-Century Modern Ettore Sottsass Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Ceramic
Ettore Sottsass Pink Ceramic Shiva Flower Vase, by BD Barcelona
By BD Barcelona Design, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Shiva ceramic flower vase designed by Ettore Sottsass, circa 1973, edited by BD in Barcelona.
In good original condition with minor wear consistent with age and use preserving a b...
Category
2010s Spanish Mid-Century Modern Ettore Sottsass Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Ceramic
Ettore Sottsass Pink Ceramic Shiva Flower Vase, by BD Barcelona
By Ettore Sottsass, BD Barcelona Design
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Shiva ceramic flower vase designed by Ettore Sottsass, circa 1973, edited by BD in Barcelona.
In good original condition with minor wear consistent with age and use preserving a bea...
Category
2010s Spanish Mid-Century Modern Ettore Sottsass Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Ceramic
Ettore Sottsass Pink Ceramic Shiva Flower Vase, by BD Barcelona
By Ettore Sottsass, BD Barcelona Design
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Shiva ceramic flower vase designed by Ettore Sottsass, circa 1973, edited by BD in Barcelona.
In good original condition with minor wear consistent with age and use preserving a b...
Category
2010s Spanish Mid-Century Modern Ettore Sottsass Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Ceramic
Ettore Sottsass Pink Ceramic Shiva Flower Vase, by BD Barcelona
By Ettore Sottsass, BD Barcelona Design
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Shiva ceramic flower vase designed by Ettore Sottsass, circa 1973, edited by BD in Barcelona.
In good original condition with minor wear consistent with age and use preserving a b...
Category
2010s Spanish Mid-Century Modern Ettore Sottsass Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Ceramic
Ettore Sottsass H Limited Edition Vase in Wood and Murano Glass for Flowers
By Design Gallery Milano, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Vase H designed by Ettore Sottsass, from the collection 'Twenty-seven Woods for a Chinese Artificial Flowers',
Edited by Design Gallery Milano, 1995.
Limited edition of 12 numbered ...
Category
1990s European Modern Ettore Sottsass Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Glass, Wood
Ettore Sottsass Pink Ceramic Shiva Flower Vase, by BD Barcelona
By Ettore Sottsass, BD Barcelona Design
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Shiva ceramic flower vase designed by Ettore Sottsass, circa 1973, edited by BD in Barcelona.
In good original condition with minor wear consistent with age and use preserving a b...
Category
2010s Spanish Mid-Century Modern Ettore Sottsass Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Ceramic
Ettore Sottsass Pink Ceramic Shiva Flower Vase, by BD Barcelona
By Ettore Sottsass, BD Barcelona Design
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Shiva ceramic flower vase designed by Ettore Sottsass, circa 1973, edited by BD in Barcelona.
In good original condition with minor wear consistent with age and use preserving a b...
Category
2010s Spanish Mid-Century Modern Ettore Sottsass Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Ceramic
Twenty-Seven Woods for a Chinese Artificial Flower Vase P by Ettore Sottsass
By Design Gallery Milano, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
From the collection of twenty-seven woods for Chinese artificial flowers, vase P by Ettore Sottsass,
Edited by Design Gallery Milano, 1995.
Limited edition of 12 signed and numer...
Category
1990s Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Chrome
Twenty-Seven Woods for a Chinese Artificial Flowers, Vase F by Ettore Sottsass
By Design Gallery Milano, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
F vase made for the collection of twenty-seven woods for Chinese Artificial flowers vase by Ettore Sottsass,
Edited by Design Gallery Milano, 1995.
Limited edition of 12 numbered pi...
Category
1990s Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Brass
Twenty-Seven Woods for a Chinese Artificial Flower Vase L by Ettore Sottsass
By Design Gallery Milano, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Twenty-seven woods for a Chinese artificial flower vase L by Ettore Sottsass,
Edited by Design Gallery Milano, 1995.
Limited edition of 12 signed and numbered pieces, number 3/12...
Category
1990s European Modern Ettore Sottsass Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Glass, Wood
Ettore Sottsass Pink Ceramic Shiva Flower Vase, by BD Barcelona
By Ettore Sottsass, BD Barcelona Design
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Shiva ceramic flower vase designed by Ettore Sottsass, circa 1973, edited by BD in Barcelona.
In good original condition with minor wear consistent with age and use preserving a b...
Category
2010s Spanish Mid-Century Modern Ettore Sottsass Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Ceramic
Ettore Sottsass Flower Vase C for Twenty-Seven Woods for an Artificial Flower
By Ettore Sottsass, Design Gallery Milano
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
C vase made for the collection of twenty-seven woods for Chinese artificial flowers vase by Ettore Sottsass,
Edited by Design Gallery Milano, 1995.
Limited edition of 12 numbere...
Category
1990s Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Brass
Alaska Silver Candlestick, by Ettore Sottsass, 1981
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Roma, IT
Alaska is an original decorative silver object realized and created by Ettore Sottsass in the 1980s.
Original silver candlestick realized in 1981.
Made in Italy.
The label...
Category
1980s Italian Vintage Ettore Sottsass Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Silver
Ettore Sottsass collectibles and curiosities for sale on 1stDibs.
Ettore Sottsass collectibles and curiosities 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 Ettore Sottsass collectibles and curiosities, although black editions of this piece are particularly popular. We have 22 vintage editions of these items in-stock, while there is 11 modern edition to choose from as well. Many of the original collectibles and curiosities by Ettore Sottsass were created in the mid-century modern style in europe during the late 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider collectibles and curiosities by Lladro, BD Barcelona Design, and Raul Rubio. Prices for Ettore Sottsass collectibles and curiosities can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $175 and can go as high as $10,453, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $925.
Creators Similar to Ettore Sottsass
Questions About Ettore Sottsass Collectibles and Curiosities
- What did Ettore Sottsass do?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022Ettore Sottsass was an architect and designer. He founded the Memphis Group, a collective of designers active from 1981 to 1987. The Ultrafragola mirror is one of his most well-known designs. On 1stDibs, you can shop a variety of Ettore Sottsass furniture.
- Where is Ettore Sottsass from?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022Ettore Sottsass was from Innsbruck, Austria. He was born there on September 14, 1917, but he moved to Turin, Italy, as a child. The Italian architect and designer died in Milan, Italy, on December 31, 2007. You'll find a variety of Ettore Sottsass furniture and decorative objects on 1stDibs.
- What did Ettore Sottsass design?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022Ettore Sottsass was a famous 20th century architect and designer known for his work in furniture, lighting, jewelry and more, as well as from his work in designing buildings. He was Italian, though he was born in Austria, and lived from 1917 to 2007. Shop a range of Ettore Sottsass pieces on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022To pronounce Ettore Sottsass, say "AY-tore-ee SOAT-sas." The second syllable of the designer's surname sounds similar to the word “sauce” but with a shorter, clipped vowel. On 1stDibs, find a range of Ettore Sottsass furniture.
- Where did Ettore Sottsass study?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022Ettore Sottsass studied at the Politecnico di Torino in Turin, Italy. In 1939, he graduated from the institution with a degree in architecture. Sottsass began working as an artist and designer in the late 1940s. He produced furniture, ceramics, paintings, sculptures and jewelry. Find a variety of Ettore Sottsass furniture on 1stDibs.
- What inspired Ettore Sottsass?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022Ettore Sottsass was inspired by many things, including pop culture, travel and various cultures from around the world. His primary objective of his work was to bring out the deeper beauty of whatever he created. On 1stDibs, shop a collection of Ettore Sottsass furniture.
- Why is Ettore Sottsass famous?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertFebruary 13, 2024Ettore Sottsass is famous for his work as an architect and an industrial designer, which spurred a revolution in the aesthetics and technology of modern design in the late 20th century. He was the oldest member of the Memphis Group, a design collective formed in Milan in 1980. Having grown disillusioned by the staid, black-and-brown corporatized modernism that had become endemic in the 1970s, the Memphis Group produced bold, brash, colorful, yet quirkily minimal designs for furniture, glassware, ceramics and metalwork. They mocked high status by building furniture with inexpensive materials, such as plastic laminates, decorated to resemble exotic finishes like animal skins. Other than his Ultrafragola mirror (1970), Sottsass's most-recognized designs appeared in the first Memphis collection, issued in 1981. They include the multihued, angular Carlton room divider and Casablanca bookcase. Shop a diverse assortment of Ettore Sotsass furniture and decorative objects on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertFebruary 1, 2024Ettore Sottsass used a variety of materials over the course of his career. The Italian artist experimented with glass, ceramics, enamel, brass, textiles and more. Along with fellow members of the Memphis Group, he skewed expectations for furniture by using inexpensive materials such as plastic laminates decorated to resemble exotic finishes like animal skins. He also revolutionized ceramics through the pieces he created for the Italian maker Bitossi. On 1stDibs, shop a range of Ettore Sottsass art.
- 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022Ettore Sottsass's father, also named Ettore Sottsass, designed modernist architecture. He worked for the firm Movimento Italiano per l'Architettura Razionale or MIAR. Giuseppe Pagano was the company's head architect. On 1stDibs, shop a range of Ettore Sottsass furniture.
- 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022Ettore Sottsass did not design the Carlton room divider for a specific patron or client. He created the piece while working with the Memphis Group, an art collective that held joint shows from 1981 to 1987. Find a selection of Ettore Sottsass furniture on 1stDibs.
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