Rare Executive Desk Table by Gio Ponti for Pirelli Tower in Milan, by RIMA 1961
View Similar Items
Rare Executive Desk Table by Gio Ponti for Pirelli Tower in Milan, by RIMA 1961
About the Item
- Creator:
- Dimensions:Height: 29.53 in (75 cm)Width: 82.68 in (210 cm)Depth: 23.63 in (60 cm)
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1961
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:Rome, IT
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU950028414672
Gio Ponti
An architect, furniture and industrial designer and editor, Gio Ponti was arguably the most influential figure in 20th-century Italian modernism.
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. Through Domus, the magazine he founded in 1928, Ponti brought attention to virtually every significant movement and creator in the spheres of modern art and design.
The questing intelligence Ponti brought to Domus is reflected in his work: as protean as he was prolific, Ponti’s style can’t be pegged to a specific genre.
In the 1920s, as artistic director for the Tuscan porcelain maker Richard Ginori, he fused old and new; his ceramic forms were modern, but decorated with motifs from Roman antiquity. In pre-war Italy, modernist design was encouraged, and after the conflict, Ponti — along with designers such as Carlo Mollino, Franco Albini, Marco Zanuso — found a receptive audience for their novel, idiosyncratic work. Ponti’s typical furniture forms from the period, such as the wedge-shaped Distex chair, are simple, gently angular, and colorful; equally elegant and functional. In the 1960s and ’70s, Ponti’s style evolved again as he explored biomorphic shapes, and embraced the expressive, experimental designs of Ettore Sottsass Jr., Joe Colombo and others.
Ponti's signature furniture piece — the one by which he is represented in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art in New York, Germany’s Vitra Design Museum and elsewhere — is the sleek Superleggera chair, produced by Cassina starting in 1957. (The name translates as “superlightweight” — advertisements featured a model lifting it with one finger.)
Ponti had a playful side, best shown in a collaboration he began in the late 1940s with the graphic artist Piero Fornasetti. Ponti furnishings were decorated with bright finishes and Fornasetti's whimsical lithographic transfer prints of things such as butterflies, birds or flowers; the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts possesses a 1950 secretary from their Architetturra series, which feature case pieces covered in images of building interiors and facades. The grandest project Ponti and Fornasetti undertook, however, lies on the floor of the Atlantic Ocean: the interiors of the luxury liner Andrea Doria, which sank in 1956.
Widely praised retrospectives at the Queens Museum of Art in 2001 and at the Design Museum London in 2002 sparked a renewed interest in Ponti among modern design aficionados. (Marco Romanelli’s monograph, which was written for the London show, offers a fine overview of Ponti’s work.) Today, a wide array of Ponti’s designs are snapped up by savvy collectors who want to give their homes a touch of Italian panache and effortless chic.
Find a range of vintage Gio Ponti desks, dining chairs, coffee tables and other furniture on 1stDibs.
- Gio Ponti vanity desk console table with a adjustable Fontana arte mirror, 1950By Gio Ponti, Giordano ChiesaLocated in Rome, ITrare Gio Ponti toilette, vanity table dressing table one drawer with an adjustable brass mirror by Fontana Arte produced by Giordano Chiesa for Das...Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
MaterialsBrass
- Gio Ponti Large Walnut Diamond Table from San Francesco Fopponino Milan, 1961By Gio PontiLocated in Rome, ITImportant and impressive Gio Ponti big conference dining table 1961-1964 big diamond dining table from the Church San Francesco al Fopponino Via Paolo G...Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Tables
MaterialsBrass, Iron
- Ico Parisi Rare Large Wood and Laminate Desk with Mirror, Hotel Lorena, 1959.60By Bernini, Ico ParisiLocated in Rome, ITIco and Luisa Parisi vanity desk from Hotel Lorena, Grosseto manufacured by Ditta Bernini Italy, 1959-60 this desk is very rare because this is the large version of the desk and...Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
MaterialsMirror, Laminate, Mahogany
$5,976 Sale Price20% Off - Gio Ponti Flatware Set For 6 (54 Pieces)By Gio PontiLocated in Rome, ITGio Ponti complete flatware set for 6 people (54 pieces) from the Hotel Parco dei Principi in Rome;stamped with logo PDP;produced By Calderoni Ar...Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Tableware
$13,184 / set - rare Gio Ponti leggera chair, n.646 by Cassina, from Hotel Royal Naples, 1955By Gio PontiLocated in Rome, ITvery rare Gio Ponti iconic chair, n. 646 by Cassina ash and re-upholstery in ivory cotton this model was manufactured by Cassina, Meda as a variation on Ponti's legendary "leggera" c...Category
Vintage 1950s European Modern Chairs
MaterialsVelvet, Ash
- Gio Ponti Set Coffe ServiceBy Gio PontiLocated in Rome, ITA Gio Ponti set of coffe and tea service from the Hotel Parco dei Principi In Roma ; six pieces; in alpacca by Calderoni Argenteria stamped logo PDP. Sold with a letter of authenti...Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Sheffield and Silverplate
$3,076 / set
- Gio Ponti Desk for RIMA Made in Walnut, Chromed Steel and Plastic. Italy, 1950sBy Gio Ponti, RIMALocated in Chiavari, LiguriaThis writing desk, designed by renowned architect Gio Ponti in 1956, was specifically created for the Pirelli tower offices. The desk's dimensions are H. 75.5 x 170 x 75.5 cm, offering a spacious and functional work surface. Manufactured by Rima, Padova during the 1960s, this desk boasts a sturdy construction. Its frame is meticulously crafted from tubular chromed steel, providing excellent stability and structural integrity. The desk features drawers made from painted grey plastic, offering storage for essential office supplies and documents. The use of plastic ensures durability and ease of maintenance. The table top is elegantly crafted from walnut, showcasing the natural beauty of the wood while providing a smooth and comfortable writing surface. Notably, the desk is marked with "Rima Padova Italy" on its feet, signifying its authentic origin and manufacturer. Having undergone a comprehensive restoration process, including refinishing with oil, the desk is in excellent vintage condition, retaining its original charm while showcasing a refreshed appearance. Gio Ponti's writing desk stands as a testament to his design prowess, combining practicality, quality materials, and timeless aesthetics to create a truly remarkable piece of mid-century furniture. About the designer: Gio Ponti, born in Milan, Italy in 1891, was a prolific architect, designer, and writer who became one of the most influential figures of the mid-century modern movement. With a career spanning over six decades, Ponti's contributions to the fields of architecture and design are profound and enduring. In the 1920s, Ponti co-founded the influential design magazine Domus, through which he championed modernist principles and advocated for the integration of architecture, design, and art. His architectural projects ranged from residential and commercial buildings to cultural and religious institutions, each showcasing his signature blend of rationalism, craftsmanship, and elegance. Ponti's furniture designs reflect his belief in creating harmonious living environments. He collaborated with renowned manufacturers such as Cassina, producing iconic pieces like the Superleggera chair and the Distex armchair...Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
MaterialsSteel
- Rare Gio Ponti DeskBy Gio PontiLocated in West Palm Beach, FLA Gio Ponti desk manufactured in Italy by Giordano Chiesa. An early example with 2 tone drawer fronts. Purchased at the Singer Showroom in NYC. Purchased from the original family ...Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Desks and Writing Tables
MaterialsWalnut
$29,500 - Rare Gio Ponti Administrative DeskBy Gio PontiLocated in Los Angeles, CAGio Ponti desk designed in limited edition for city offices of Forlì, Italy. Original red Formica writing surface on European beechwood with 8 floating drawers. Brass base on legs. ...Category
Vintage 1940s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
MaterialsFormica, Beech
- Desk by Gio Ponti and Alberto Rosselli, Rima Padova, Italy, circa 1955By Alberto Rosselli Saporiti, Gio PontiLocated in Berlin, DEDesk by Gio Ponti & Alberto Rosselli, Rima Padova, Italy, circa 1955 Originally designed for the Pirelli Tower in Milano. In 1950, Alberto Pirelli, president and owner of the giant...Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
MaterialsMetal
- Italian Walnut Executive Desk in the Style of Gio PontiBy Gio PontiLocated in New York, NYA uniquely designed Italian walnut executive desk having a beautifully grained floating top over a central structure of curved design with drawers and open storage throughout, the wh...Category
Mid-20th Century Desks and Writing Tables
MaterialsBrass
- Gio Ponti DeskBy Gio PontiLocated in New York, NYGio Ponti custom eight-drawer desk. From a small edition created for administrative offices in Forli, Italy. Blonde wood desk with red linoleum top,...Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
MaterialsWood
$26,000
Recently Viewed
View AllRead More
Barnaba Fornasetti’s Hallucinatory House Has His Father’s Spirit
Behind a nondescript facade in northeastern Milan is the magical residence of Barnaba Fornasetti. It's a shrine to the style developed by his design-legend father, which still defies categorization.
Billy Cotton Layers His Interiors with Lived-In Comfort
The Brooklyn-based designer is adept at styles ranging from austere to over-the-top, espousing an architectural, detail-oriented approach also evident in his line of furniture and lighting.