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Rare 'Kono' Dining Table / Desk by Lella & Massimo Vignelli for Casigliani, 1984

About the Item

This exceptionally rare and large 'Kono' table, which works excellent as either a dining table or a desk, by Lella Vignelli and Massimo Vignelli was designed in 1984 and this example created in the mid-to-late 1980s by Casigliani in Pisa, Italy. This rare example of the 'Kono' design features a monumental Black Granite slab for the top, two thick slabs of Imperial Red Granite which connect together to form one of the bases, and the Vignellis signature Patinated Copper cone which forms the other base. The 'Kono' design was normally made as coffee tables so it is quite rare to find examples made scaled up in dining table size. In addition, typical Kono tables were made with glass tops and a single slab granite base. This example however, the Vignellis selected Black Granite instead of the typical glass tops. Also, rather than using a rectangular single-slab base, this example features an L-shaped base constructed with two slabs that connect together along one angled edge. It still employs the cone-shaped patinated copper base typical of Kono tables, however this example is much larger of course than cocktail table versions. The Vignelli Center for Design Studies, which houses the artists’ archive, confirmed this table to be one of two known drawings by the Vignellis (a copy of the Vignelli sketch, which they provided, is included in the photo gallery) though it is unknown if the other table was ever produced, making this table potentially an important one-of-a-kind. The Black Granite top in lower light settings is dark, deep and mysterious. With direct sunlight its luminosity is intense - see the photo gallery for images of the table in direct sunlight from our skylight above. It glows, shines and shimmers with incredible vibrancy, similar to diamonds - to see it in person is quite exquisite and remarkable. While we only had it set up under our skylight for a couple hours, I would describe the experience as recharging - I felt like I had just spent a couple hours meditating, this would be incredible to wake up to every day before leaving to work. The Vignellis described the 'Kono' table as: “This design exploits the relationship between geometrical figures and material finishes." Over the course of their four-decade-long design practice, Lella and Massimo Vignelli collaborated on projects that ranged from product design and brand identity to interior and furniture design. Whether designing New York City’s subway map or a coffee table, they created bold and inviting designs that reduced form to its most essential elements. This unique and important work of art by Massimo and Lella Vignelli would work well as a dining table, a desk, a center table or just as a stand-alone Post-Modern sculpture. The L-shaped Imperial Red Granite slabs can be positioned in a number of different ways which can also enhance its use. Ideal for art and design collectors, investors and interior designers. This is an important work of 20th Century modern art, confirmed by the designers archival group, and incredibly rare in this particular form. PROVENANCE Private collection in California, acquired directly from the designers in 1984 Thence by Descent to Phillips Auction, December 2021 LITERATURE Germano Celant, Mildred Constantine, David Revere McFadden, et al., design: Vignelli, New York, 1990, p. 250 for a similar example. Massimo Vignelli, Designed by: Lella Vignelli, New York, 2013, n.p. for a similar example. MEASUREMENTS: H 28.5" x W 86.5" x D 39.5" Thickness of the Black Granite top: 1.25" Thickness of Imperial Red Granite base: 2.5" Diameter of Cone at base: 26.5" CONDITION: Overall excellent vintage condition. Extremely presentable and attractive, ready for immediate use. Copper cone has intentional patina which is part of the design. Some light wear including a few minor scratches and minor scuffs, only noticeable upon close inspection. Black granite top is in near mint condition with only a few very minor and hardly visible signs of use and wear including a couple very small minor chips to edge, only visible with close inspection. One faint ring mark on top which most likely can be polished out but is very hard to see unless with close inspection. The Imperial Red Granite slab base, which are two separate pieces that connect together, are in very good vintage condition. One piece has a repaired break to a small section at the top that connects together to the other piece along with a chip along the inner edge. This is not visible once assembled as it is directly under the Black Granite slab top. Otherwise has barely any noticeable wear. Granite is a very hard stone, and unlike marble or travertine, is very hard to scratch, chip or crack. Therefore this table presents like-new in many ways and the only wear is very minor are hardly noticeable to regular view.

Creator:
Massimo and Lella Vignelli (Designer),Casigliani (Maker)
Dimensions:
Height: 28.5 in (72.39 cm)Width: 86.5 in (219.71 cm)Depth: 39.5 in (100.33 cm)
Style:
Post-Modern (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Copper,Granite,Patinated
Place of Origin:
Italy
Period:
1980-1989
Date of Manufacture:
c. 1984
Condition:
Overall excellent vintage condition, presents very well. Only very minor wear, ready for immediate use. See description for more details.
Seller Location:
Los Angeles, CA
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU1330228132312
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Shop All Massimo and Lella Vignelli

Massimo and Lella Vignelli

Massimo Vignelli and Lella Vignelli’s legacy can be seen everywhere in the logos of Bloomingdale’s, Ford and American Airlines, among others. In addition to their work in branding, they were prolific creators of modernist home furnishings, products and interiors, and the duo’s collaborations, which span 50 years, have left a profound mark on design and wider visual culture.

After meeting in Italy, Lella (1934–2016) and Massimo (1931–2014) began working together in 1961 and a decade later formed Vignelli Associates in New York. A self-described “information architect,” Massimo was committed to streamlining complex ideas into clear, visually arresting forms. (Witness the graphic identity that he cocreated with Bob Noorda for the New York City Transit Authority as well as his influential 1972 subway map.) The Vignellis’ most recognizable piece, for example, may be the Handkerchief chair, a stackable office chair made of compression-molded plastic that has the look of a cloth floating in air. It was created for Knoll in 1983 after they designed the brand’s logo.

Evidence of the couple’s influence can also be found in their Saratoga line (1964), the first collection of lacquered furniture, which helped herald in the trendy “glossy” look of the decade (and beyond). When the Vignellis created the Poltrona Frau Interview chair in 1988 for an Italian television station, it became widely sought after, “which goes to show you the power of the TV media,” the couple once said. Much like their elemental graphic designs, the Kono (1984) and Pisa tables (1985) — both created for Casigliani — cull the form of the table down to geometric shapes.

Vignelli furniture is often labeled as Massimo Vignelli’s alone, though he fought to have Lella recognized for her work, even throwing away magazines that neglected to give her due credit. As he wrote of their lifelong collaboration in his book Designed By: Lella Vignelli: “It is not holding a pencil with four hands that makes a partnership; it is sharing the creative act and exercising creative criticism which is reflected in the end result.”

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About the Seller

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Located in Los Angeles, CA

Automaton is the premier source for early-production originals of hard-to-find 20th-century designs and functional art, serving a range of clients, from celebrities and interior designers to aficionados with modest budgets. Its 20,000-square-foot Los Angeles space is packed with rare examples of designs from a large repertoire of such designers as Philip and Kelvin LaVerne, Vladimir Kagan, Eero Saarinen, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Jorge Zalszupin, Sergio Rodrigues and Giuseppe Scapinelli.

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