Rare Signed Gabriella Crespi Silver Sewing Kit Storage Egg, 1970, Italy
View Similar Items
Rare Signed Gabriella Crespi Silver Sewing Kit Storage Egg, 1970, Italy
About the Item
- Creator:Gabriella Crespi (Author)
- Dimensions:Height: 3.55 in (9 cm)Width: 2.37 in (6 cm)Depth: 2.37 in (6 cm)
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1970s
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:Vis, NL
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU3201121574962
Gabriella Crespi
Bronze discs that open up like clamshells for storage and fold back in to become side tables. Sleek cubes barely suspended off the ground that transform into full-size dining tables. Clean-lined boxes that contain multilevel shelving. Looking at the work of Italian designer Gabriella Crespi, born in 1922 and who still produced furniture in her Milan studio until her death in 2017, it’s hard to believe that many of these highly functional pieces — modernist Rubik’s Cubes of materials, colors and ergonomics — were created decades ago.
Among her best-known creations, the bronze Ellisse table, 1976, and her bronze-and-lacquer Yang-Yin bar, 1979, encapsulate a designer who had a strong dualism in her vision, mixing humble and precious materials, for instance, or creating geometric shapes that were softened by sensual surfaces. Crespi began studying architecture in 1944 at the Politecnico, in Milan, where she was among just a handful of women, and became profoundly influenced by the work of Charles-Édouard "Le Corbusier" Jeanneret and Frank Lloyd Wright. After getting married and having children, she launched her own collections, from jewelry to furniture, and soon gained a loyal following, with design houses such as Maison Dior snapping pieces up for their own lines.
She began work on her most iconic collection, Plurimi, in the late 1960s, and the series — including her Dama table, which plays on the themes of volume, light and adaptability that Crespi has explored throughout her career — flourished through the 1970s and early ’80s. Then there is her famed Z desk, from a mid-1970s series, which manages to be both stylish and humorous, looking like it’s ready to leap off the floor at any moment. Well-born and beautiful, Crespi garnered attention among the jet set. She was a muse to Valentino, and her pieces appeared in the homes of Princess Grace of Monaco, the Shah of Iran and Greek shipping magnate George Livanos.
In 1987, with her children now adults, the designer surprised everyone when she moved to the foot of the Indian Himalayas to study with the guru Sri Muniraj. This turned into a 20-year self-imposed exile that, if anything, made her pieces even more sought-after by collectors.
- Rare Signed Gabriella Crespi Bird Silver Pelican Sculpture, 1970s, ItalyBy Gabriella CrespiLocated in Vis, NLRare Signed Gabriella Crespi Pelican with Murano blown glass sculpture. 1970s, made in Italy. This piece is in near excellent condition. An amazing and seldom piece.Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Animal Sculptures
MaterialsSilver Plate
- Rare Signed Gabriella Crespi Bird Pelican Sculpture, 1970s, ItalyBy Gabriella CrespiLocated in Vis, NLRare Signed Gabriella Crespi Pelican sculpture. 1970s, made in Italy. This piece is in near excellent condition. An amazing and seldom piece.Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Animal Sculptures
MaterialsBronze
- Rare Signed Gabriella Crespi Wild Boar Sculpture, 1970s, ItalyBy Gabriella CrespiLocated in Vis, NLRare Signed Gabriella Crespi wild boar with Murano blown glass detail sculpture. 1970s, made in Italy. This piece is in near excellent condition. An amazing and seldom pie...Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Animal Sculptures
MaterialsSilver Plate
- Rare Signed Gabriella Crespi Ostrich Set of Two Sculpture, 1970s, ItalyBy Gabriella CrespiLocated in Vis, NLRare signed Gabriella Crespi set of two ostrich birds with Murano blown glass sculpture. 1970s, made in Italy. This piece is in near excellent condi...Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Animal Sculptures
MaterialsSilver Plate
- Rare Signed Gabriella Crespi Gold Cigarette / Pill Box Desk, 1970s, ItalyBy Gabriella CrespiLocated in Vis, NLRare signed Gabriella Crespi gold brass cigarette, pill box for a stylish desk. 1970s, made in Italy. This piece is new, unused, in excellent, nearly new condition. Comes ...Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Decorative Boxes
MaterialsBrass
- Rare Signed Binazzi Duck Shell Trinket Bowl Sculpture, 1970s, ItalyBy BinazziLocated in Vis, NLRare signed Binazzi Italy small duck trinket bowl. Natural shell combined with silver plated sculpture. 1970s, made in Italy. This piece is in nea...Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Animal Sculptures
MaterialsGold Plate
- Gabriella Crespi Rare Large Signed Bamboo and Brass Picture Frame, Italy, 1970sBy Gabriella CrespiLocated in New York, NYGabriella Crespi rare large round picture frame from the iconic Rising Sun series in bamboo and brass, Italy, 1970s. This elegant bamboo frame is a striking example of Crespi’s deft...Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Picture Frames
MaterialsBrass
- Elegant Gabriella Crespi Circular Photo Frame, Italy, 1970sBy Gabriella CrespiLocated in Brescia , BresciaElegant Gabriella Crespi Circular Photo Frame, Italy, 1970s Renowned for her elegant and sculptural designs, Gabriella Crespi has excelled yet again with this sophisticated piece....Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Picture Frames
MaterialsNickel
$1,049 Sale Price43% Off - Gabriella Crespi Brass Picture Frame, SignedBy Gabriella CrespiLocated in Brooklyn, NYSmall, handsome brass frame from the illustrious Italian designer. Signed.Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Picture Frames
MaterialsBrass
- Gabriella Crespi Style Photo Frame in Lucite Tortoiseshell, Italy, 1970sBy Gabriella CrespiLocated in Roma, ITGorgeous photo frame in lucite with a stunning tortoiseshell effect. This elegant piece was produced in Italy in the 1970s and attributable to Gabriella Crespi. This stunning piec...Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Picture Frames
MaterialsLucite, Plexiglass
- Gabriella Crespi Brass and Chrome Picture Frame, signed.By Gabriella CrespiLocated in New York, NYA Gabriella Crespi very rare large picture frame with alternating bands of brass and chrome, with a 6" x 6" centered picture frame. The triangular frame in the middle creates a fant...Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Picture Frames
MaterialsBrass, Chrome
- Gabriella Crespi Style Photo Frame in Lucite Tortoiseshell Brass, Italy, 1970sBy Gabriella CrespiLocated in Roma, ITFantastic Mid-Century photo frame in tortoiseshell effect lucite and brass. This incredibly charming piece was made in Italy during the 1970s, clearly in the style of Gabriella Cresp...Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Picture Frames
MaterialsBrass