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Very Rare Walnut Working Table / Desk by Ignazio Gardella, Milano - Italy, 1950

About the Item

An exceptionally rare and museum-level working table designed by architect Ignazio Gardella in Milan, dating to 1950. This desk stands as a remarkable testament to Gardella’s refined synthesis of architectural rigor, material research and functional innovation, translated into furniture design at the highest level. Executed in solid walnut, the desk is defined by a rigorous yet elegant structural composition. The sculptural trestle legs, subtly splayed and joined by a central stretcher, support a sophisticated framework that elevates the tabletop with remarkable lightness. The top is realized in thick plate glass, resting on the wooden structure and allowing full visibility of the internal construction — a deliberate architectural gesture that reveals the desk’s functional intelligence rather than concealing it. One of the most striking elements is the integrated drawer system, conceived as a suspended storage module beneath the glass surface. The drawers slide smoothly on finely engineered brass runners, an advanced technical solution for the period. The brass elements, including the distinctive hexagonal brass structural components visible in the details, demonstrate Gardella’s deep attention to precision engineering and material dialogue. These metal elements are not decorative but structural, reinforcing the desk while contributing to its refined aesthetic language. The construction system is highly innovative for its time, reflecting Gardella’s architectural mindset: modular, rational, and expressive of function. Every junction, proportion and material choice speaks to a level of design thinking that places this piece firmly within the canon of Italian modernism. This desk is documented and published in the seminal volume “ALOI – Esempi di arredamento moderno di tutto il mondo”, Hoepli, 1950, in the section “Tavoli, Tavolini, Carrelli”, page 82. Its appearance in this authoritative publication confirms both its historical relevance and its exceptional rarity. Only a very limited number of examples were produced, making this an extraordinarily scarce opportunity for collectors, institutions and museums. The desk remains in very good vintage condition, with visible signs of age consistent with its history and use. These include a warm patina to the brass components, minor wear to the walnut surfaces, and traces of original paint residue inside the drawers — all authentic marks that speak to the object’s life and originality without compromising its structure or functionality. This is not merely a desk, but a fully resolved architectural object: a rare surviving example of Ignazio Gardella’s furniture design, embodying post-war Italian modernism at its most rigorous and poetic.

Creator:
Ignazio Gardella (Designer)
Dimensions:
Height: 29.14 in (74 cm)Width: 70.87 in (180 cm)Depth: 35.44 in (90 cm)
Style:
Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Brass,Glass,Walnut,Hand-Crafted
Place of Origin:
Italy
Period:
1950-1959
Date of Manufacture:
1950s
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use.
Seller Location:
Brescia, IT
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU8256248191652

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