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Ettore Sottsass Furniture

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. He was a wild man of the Radical Design movement that swept Italy in the late 1960s and ’70s, rejecting rationalism and modernism in favor of ever-more outrageous imaginings in lighting and furniture such as mirrors, lamps, chairs and tables.

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. 

The Memphis Group 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 created innovative furnishings for the likes of Artemide, Knoll, Zanotta and Poltronova, where he reigned as artistic director for nearly two decades beginning in 1958. His 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 inspired and expressive in smaller, secondary furnishings such as lamps and chandeliers, and in table pieces and glassware that have playful and sculptural qualities.

Sottsass left the Memphis Group in 1985 in order to concentrate on the growth of Sottsass Associati, a design and architecture consultancy he cofounded in 1980. 

It was as an artist that 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
Ettore Sottsass for Design Centre/Poltronova ‘Bruco’ Wall Lights
Ettore Sottsass for Design Centre/Poltronova ‘Bruco’ Wall Lights

Ettore Sottsass for Design Centre/Poltronova ‘Bruco’ Wall Lights

By Poltronova, Ettore Sottsass

Located in Waalwijk, NL

Ettore Sottsass for Design Centre/Poltronova, ‘Bruco’ wall light from the Mobili Grigi series, chrome-plated brass, methacrylate (translucent Perspex), enameled aluminum, Italy, 1970...

Category

1970s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Aluminum, Brass, Chrome

Memphis Red Rolling "Synthesis" Olivetti Chair by Ettore Sottsass, 1970s
Memphis Red Rolling "Synthesis" Olivetti Chair by Ettore Sottsass, 1970s

Memphis Red Rolling "Synthesis" Olivetti Chair by Ettore Sottsass, 1970s

By Olivetti, Ettore Sottsass

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Italian Post-Modern, Memphis cherry red "Synthesis" office chair. Designed by internationally acclaimed designer Ettore Sottsass for Olivetti, the company where Sottsass began his de...

Category

1970s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Plastic

Rare Ettore Sottsass Artist Proof Limited Edition Piccoli Libri Cabinet, 1992
Rare Ettore Sottsass Artist Proof Limited Edition Piccoli Libri Cabinet, 1992

Rare Ettore Sottsass Artist Proof Limited Edition Piccoli Libri Cabinet, 1992

By Design Gallery Milano, Ettore Sottsass

Located in Barcelona, Barcelona

Piccoli Libri cabinet designed by Ettore Sottsass in 1992 edited by Design Gallery Milano. P.A from a Limited edition of 9 + 3 P.A. Plastic laminate-covered, maple-veneered woo...

Category

1990s Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Plastic, Wood

Set of 2 Ettore Sottsass Mandarin Chairs by Knoll - Black + Red Post Modern
Set of 2 Ettore Sottsass Mandarin Chairs by Knoll - Black + Red Post Modern

Set of 2 Ettore Sottsass Mandarin Chairs by Knoll - Black + Red Post Modern

By Knoll, Ettore Sottsass

Located in Decatur, GA

Set of two (2) Knoll International "Mandarin" chairs by Ettore Sottsass. Exemplifying Sottsass’s bold postmodern sensibility, these sculptural chairs feature vivid red enameled arms ...

Category

1980s American Post-Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Metal

Ettore Sottsass Memphis Milano Diva Vintage Wall Mirror, Italy, 1984
Ettore Sottsass Memphis Milano Diva Vintage Wall Mirror, Italy, 1984

Ettore Sottsass Memphis Milano Diva Vintage Wall Mirror, Italy, 1984

By Memphis Group, Ettore Sottsass, Memphis Milano

Located in Vienna, AT

A post-modern wall-mounted mirror, Model „Diva" designed in 1984 by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano, Italy. This mirror is a vintage original from the 1980s, made from wood and mi...

Category

1980s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Glass, Mirror, Laminate, Wood

13x Ettore Sottsass Postmodern Brass Wall Coat Hooks, 1985, Valli & Valli Italy
13x Ettore Sottsass Postmodern Brass Wall Coat Hooks, 1985, Valli & Valli Italy

13x Ettore Sottsass Postmodern Brass Wall Coat Hooks, 1985, Valli & Valli Italy

By Ettore Sottsass

Located in Vienna, AT

Up to 13 identical postmodern wall-mounted brass hooks from the 1980s, model SE 314, designed by Ettore Sottsass in 1985 and crafted by Valli & Valli, Italy. These hooks are sold ind...

Category

1980s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Brass

Vase Yemen by Ettore Sottsass for Venini Murano ca. 1994
Vase Yemen by Ettore Sottsass for Venini Murano ca. 1994

Vase Yemen by Ettore Sottsass for Venini Murano ca. 1994

By Venini, Ettore Sottsass

Located in Berghuelen, DE

Vase Yemen by Ettore Sottsass for Venini Murano ca. 1994 A vintage vase from the 'Yemen' series, designed by Ettore Sottsass in 1994. Manufactured by Venini Murano Venice in 2002. T...

Category

1990s Italian Mid-Century Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Art Glass

Vintage Olivetti Red Typewriter & Case Model "Valentine" by Ettore Sottsass
Vintage Olivetti Red Typewriter & Case Model "Valentine" by Ettore Sottsass

Vintage Olivetti Red Typewriter & Case Model "Valentine" by Ettore Sottsass

By Perry King, Olivetti, Ettore Sottsass

Located in St. Louis, MO

Very collectible Mid-Century Modern “Valentine” portable typewriter, with durable plastic storage case both in red. The Olivetti Valentine portable typewriter was designed by Perry K...

Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Metal

20th Century, Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova Daybed mod. Califfo
20th Century, Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova Daybed mod. Califfo

20th Century, Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova Daybed mod. Califfo

By Poltronova, Ettore Sottsass

Located in Torino, Piemonte

Ettore Sottsass grew up in Turin, and graduated in architecture from the Turin Polytechnic in 1939. In 1947, he founded his own studio in Milan. In 1956, Sottsass moved to New York w...

Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Fabric, Wood

Carlton Wood Miniature Bookcase by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano Collection
Carlton Wood Miniature Bookcase by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano Collection

Carlton Wood Miniature Bookcase by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano Collection

By Memphis Milano, Ettore Sottsass, Memphis Group

Located in La Morra, Cuneo

Here you are shown an authentic and perfect reproduction of the Carlton bookcase, originally designed in 1981 by Ettore Sottsass. The vivid colors and...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Wood, Plastic

20th Century Ettore Sottsass Mirror Ultrafragola for Poltronova
20th Century Ettore Sottsass Mirror Ultrafragola for Poltronova

20th Century Ettore Sottsass Mirror Ultrafragola for Poltronova

By Poltronova, Ettore Sottsass

Located in Torino, Piemonte

Ettore Sottsass was a 20th-century Italian architect, noted for also designing furniture, jewellery, glass, lighting, home and office wares, as well as numerous buildings and interio...

Category

1970s Italian Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Opal

2 Modern White & aqua Murano Table Lamps by Sottsass for Venini, Signed ca.1994
2 Modern White & aqua Murano Table Lamps by Sottsass for Venini, Signed ca.1994

2 Modern White & aqua Murano Table Lamps by Sottsass for Venini, Signed ca.1994

By Venini, Ettore Sottsass

Located in Merida, Yucatan

Two Beautiful table lamps in white and aqua swirl hand-blown Murano glass. Designed by Ettore Sottsass for Venini and manufactured in 1994. The glass shade is signed "Venini " and da...

Category

1990s Italian Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Murano Glass

Ettore Sottsass / Valentine Typewriter Italy
Ettore Sottsass / Valentine Typewriter Italy

Ettore Sottsass / Valentine Typewriter Italy

By Ettore Sottsass

Located in Cincinnati, OH

A design icon, the Valentine bright red typewriter turned the mundane office object into a work of art, made in Italy by machine manufacturer Olivetti. With a storage case and build ...

Category

1960s Italian Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Metal

Ettore Sottsass Memphis Knoll 80s Eastside Two Sofas +1 Lounge Chair, SET 3 PCS
Ettore Sottsass Memphis Knoll 80s Eastside Two Sofas +1 Lounge Chair, SET 3 PCS

Ettore Sottsass Memphis Knoll 80s Eastside Two Sofas +1 Lounge Chair, SET 3 PCS

By Ettore Sottsass, Knoll

Located in Basel, BS

The Eastside sofa and chair are quintessential pieces of 1980s postmodern design from Ettore Sottsass, the founder of Memphis. The Eastside collection takes cues from Biedermeier st...

Category

1980s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Metal, Aluminum

Ettore Sottsas Ospite Table Zanotta Postmodern, 1980s
Ettore Sottsas Ospite Table Zanotta Postmodern, 1980s

Ettore Sottsas Ospite Table Zanotta Postmodern, 1980s

By Zanotta, Ettore Sottsass

Located in Shibuya-ku, Tokyo

Ettore Sottsass's Ospite dining table. Designed in 1984 and produced by Zanotta. Painted brier veneer top and three brass silver legs.    

Category

1980s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Brass

Ettore Sottsass Callimaco Floor Lamp for Artemide
Ettore Sottsass Callimaco Floor Lamp for Artemide

Ettore Sottsass Callimaco Floor Lamp for Artemide

By Artemide, Ettore Sottsass

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Ettore Sottsass 'Callimaco' floor lamp for Artemide. Originally created in 1982, Ettore Sottsass’ “horn” of light creates the remarkable illusion of an oversized musical instrument...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Aluminum

Mandarin Chairs by Ettore Sottsass for Knoll
Mandarin Chairs by Ettore Sottsass for Knoll

Mandarin Chairs by Ettore Sottsass for Knoll

By Ettore Sottsass, Knoll

Located in BROOKLYN, NY

Iconic Postmodern Mandarin chairs designed by Ettore Sottsass for Knoll in amazing period Uphostery original and in good condition. Black enamel steel legs and sculptural undulating ...

Category

1980s American Post-Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Steel

20th Century, Ettore Sottsass "Tower Furniture" Series Wall Cabinet
20th Century, Ettore Sottsass "Tower Furniture" Series Wall Cabinet

20th Century, Ettore Sottsass "Tower Furniture" Series Wall Cabinet

By Ettore Sottsass

Located in Torino, Piemonte

Ettore Sottsass grew up in Turin, and graduated in architecture from the Turin Polytechnic in 1939. In 1947, he founded his own studio in Milan. In 1956, Sottsass moved to New York w...

Category

1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Metal

Memphis Milano Carlton Miniature, Limited Edition by Ettore Sottsass
Memphis Milano Carlton Miniature, Limited Edition by Ettore Sottsass

Memphis Milano Carlton Miniature, Limited Edition by Ettore Sottsass

By Memphis Milano, Ettore Sottsass

Located in Toronto, ON

Perfect 1:4 scale reproduction of the Carlton bookcase in a limited edition of 1000 pieces. About Carlton: An absolute icon of Memphis designed by Ettore Sottsass in 1981, Carlton ...

Category

2010s Italian Post-Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Laminate, Wood

White Ettore Sottsass Moonlight Floor Lamp no. 14104, Italy 1970's
White Ettore Sottsass Moonlight Floor Lamp no. 14104, Italy 1970's

White Ettore Sottsass Moonlight Floor Lamp no. 14104, Italy 1970's

By Ettore Sottsass

Located in Den Haag, NL

White Ettore Sottsass JR 'Moonlight' floor lamp, model no. 14104, 1970s Originl white painted metal. 163 x 22 x 22 cm Manufactured by Arredoluce, Monza, Italy. Footnotes Literature ...

Category

1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Metal

Ettore Sottsass Tahiti Table Lamp, Metal & Laminate, Post-Modern
Ettore Sottsass Tahiti Table Lamp, Metal & Laminate, Post-Modern

Ettore Sottsass Tahiti Table Lamp, Metal & Laminate, Post-Modern

By Memphis Milano, Ettore Sottsass

Located in Toronto, ON

Tahiti, a masterpiece by Ettore Sottsass, is an ironic lamp with a zoomorphic shape that recalls childhood games: a lamp is hidden in the head, ideal for lighting a table. The base w...

Category

2010s Italian Post-Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Metal

Hyatt Side Table by Ettore Sottsass, Chrome & Wood, Post-Modern Italy
Hyatt Side Table by Ettore Sottsass, Chrome & Wood, Post-Modern Italy

Hyatt Side Table by Ettore Sottsass, Chrome & Wood, Post-Modern Italy

By Memphis Milano, Ettore Sottsass

Located in Toronto, ON

Imposing and superb, Hyatt by Ettore Sottsass evokes the structure of the classical column with the “capital” equal to the base. A side table that certainly does not go unnoticed for...

Category

2010s Italian Post-Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Metal, Chrome

“Murmansk” Coffee Table by Ettore Sottsass for Rossi e Arcandi, Italy 1980's
“Murmansk” Coffee Table by Ettore Sottsass for Rossi e Arcandi, Italy 1980's

“Murmansk” Coffee Table by Ettore Sottsass for Rossi e Arcandi, Italy 1980's

By Ettore Sottsass

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Striking and sculptural “Murmansk” coffee table designed by Ettore Sottsass and produced by Rossi e Arcandi, Vicenza, Italy. This impressive piece captures Sottsass’s postmodern mast...

Category

1980s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Steel, Nickel

Ettore Sottsass Rose Gold "Apple" Large Ice Bucket, Italy 1950s
Ettore Sottsass Rose Gold "Apple" Large Ice Bucket, Italy 1950s

Ettore Sottsass Rose Gold "Apple" Large Ice Bucket, Italy 1950s

By Rinnovel, Ettore Sottsass

Located in Roma, IT

Spectacular and fully complete "Apple" large ice bucket in rose gold metal and brass designed by Ettore Sotsass and produced by Rinnovel in Italy during the 1950s. In fabulous condi...

Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Metal, Brass

BLOQUE 7, Pedestal with Ettore Sottsass Veneer by Bonne Choice
BLOQUE 7, Pedestal with Ettore Sottsass Veneer by Bonne Choice

BLOQUE 7, Pedestal with Ettore Sottsass Veneer by Bonne Choice

By Ettore Sottsass

Located in Toronto, ON

Designed By Bonne Choice Using Ettore Sottsass Veneer. The veneer created by Ettore Sottsass in the 1980s – utilized for the first time in the Memphis collection – now becomes part ...

Category

2010s Canadian Post-Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Wood, Plywood

Ettore Sottsass for Olivetti Valentine Typewriter, Italy 1960s
Ettore Sottsass for Olivetti Valentine Typewriter, Italy 1960s

Ettore Sottsass for Olivetti Valentine Typewriter, Italy 1960s

By Ettore Sottsass, Olivetti

Located in Naples, IT

Famous and Iconic Portable Typewriter Mod. Valentine designed by Ettore Sottsass and Peter King, for the company Olivetti in 1960, the typewriter is in very good condition with case ...

Category

1960s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Metal

Shiva Flower Vase, Pink, Ettore Sottsass, Glazed Ceramic, XXe, Spanish
Shiva Flower Vase, Pink, Ettore Sottsass, Glazed Ceramic, XXe, Spanish

Shiva Flower Vase, Pink, Ettore Sottsass, Glazed Ceramic, XXe, Spanish

By Ettore Sottsass

Located in Barcelona, ES

The Shiva vase is sculpture and vase. It is a symbol of Ettore Sottsass and an icon. Sottsass designed the Shiva Vase when travelling to Barcelona for love in 1973. He encountered m...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Ceramic

Italian burgundy metal sideboard Synthesis 45 Ettore Sottsass Olivetti, 1970s
Italian burgundy metal sideboard Synthesis 45 Ettore Sottsass Olivetti, 1970s

Italian burgundy metal sideboard Synthesis 45 Ettore Sottsass Olivetti, 1970s

By Olivetti, Ettore Sottsass

Located in MIlano, IT

Italian burgundy metal sideboard Synthesis 45 by Ettore Sottsass for Olivetti, 1970s Sideboard from the Synthesis 45 series in laminate and metal. The rectangular white laminate top ...

Category

1970s Italian Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Metal

Ettore Sottsass Rare Limited Edition Wooden Vase F for Plastic Flowers
Ettore Sottsass Rare Limited Edition Wooden Vase F for Plastic Flowers

Ettore Sottsass Rare Limited Edition Wooden Vase F for Plastic Flowers

By Ettore Sottsass, Design Gallery Milano

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 Furniture

Materials

Brass

Venini Firenze Pendant Light in Brown and Yellow by Ettore Sottsass
Venini Firenze Pendant Light in Brown and Yellow by Ettore Sottsass

Venini Firenze Pendant Light in Brown and Yellow by Ettore Sottsass

By Venini, Ettore Sottsass

Located in Brooklyn, NY

Firenze suspension lamp, designed by Ettore Sottsass and manufactured by Venini, features handmade blown glass colored elements and crystal color discs. Numbered edition. Indoor use ...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Blown Glass

Italian modern laminate bookcase Carlton by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis, 1981
Italian modern laminate bookcase Carlton by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis, 1981

Italian modern laminate bookcase Carlton by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis, 1981

By Ettore Sottsass, Memphis Milano

Located in MIlano, IT

Italian modern laminate bookcase Carlton by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis, 1981 Carlton bookcase made entirely of wood, covered in colorful Formica: yellow, green, black, pink, red, or...

Category

1980s Italian Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Formica, Wood

Ettore Sottsass Wood Vase, Limited Edition, 1995, Italy
Ettore Sottsass Wood Vase, Limited Edition, 1995, Italy

Ettore Sottsass Wood Vase, Limited Edition, 1995, Italy

By Design Gallery Milano, Ettore Sottsass

Located in Barcelona, Barcelona

Twenty-seven Woods for a Chinese Artificial Flower Vase S by Ettore Sottsass, edited by Design Gallery Milano, 1995, is a limited edition of 12 signed and numbered pieces; this examp...

Category

1990s European Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Wood

Asteroid Lamp by Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova Italy 1968 , Memphis
Asteroid Lamp by Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova Italy 1968 , Memphis

Asteroid Lamp by Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova Italy 1968 , Memphis

By Poltronova, Ettore Sottsass

Located in Antwerpen, Antwerp

Ettore Sottsass was a pioneering designer, artist and architect known for his bold approach to midcentury design. He opened his own design and architecture studio in 1947 and became ...

Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Metal

20th Century, Ettore Sottsass for Mirabili EAD Totem
20th Century, Ettore Sottsass for Mirabili EAD Totem

20th Century, Ettore Sottsass for Mirabili EAD Totem

By Ettore Sottsass, Mirabili

Located in Torino, Piemonte

Ettore Sottsass grew up in Turin, and graduated in architecture from the Turin Polytechnic in 1939. In 1947, he founded his own studio in Milan. In 1956, Sottsass moved to New York w...

Category

1990s Italian Mid-Century Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Ceramic

Ettore Sottsass 1st Series Ultrafragola Mirror Object 1970 for Poltronova Milano
Ettore Sottsass 1st Series Ultrafragola Mirror Object 1970 for Poltronova Milano

Ettore Sottsass 1st Series Ultrafragola Mirror Object 1970 for Poltronova Milano

By Ettore Sottsass, Poltronova

Located in Munster, NRW

Original 1st edition model of the Ultrafragola Mirror designed by Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova. Light up mirror with acrylic shell made of layered waves around the central mirror...

Category

1970s Italian Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Plastic

Rare Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova Dining Table in Teak
Rare Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova Dining Table in Teak

Rare Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova Dining Table in Teak

By Poltronova, Ettore Sottsass

Located in Waalwijk, NL

Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova, dining table, teak, lacquered steel, bronze, Tuscany, Italy, 1959 Designed by Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova, this table was part of a limited-editio...

Category

1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Bronze, Steel

1968 Ettore Sottsass Olivetti Valentine Typewriter & Case, Red ABS
1968 Ettore Sottsass Olivetti Valentine Typewriter & Case, Red ABS

1968 Ettore Sottsass Olivetti Valentine Typewriter & Case, Red ABS

By Ettore Sottsass, Olivetti

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Italian Mid-Century, Ettore Sottsass designed, 1968, Olivetti "Valentine" portable typewriter. This groundbreaking piece by the Italian design great Sottsass for the equally illustri...

Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Metal

Suvretta Bookcase, by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano
Suvretta Bookcase, by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano

Suvretta Bookcase, by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano

By Ettore Sottsass

Located in Radomsko, Województwo łódzkie

“Suvretta” is a Romansh word (language spoken in Engadine) that means: “above the small forest”. Like rows of overlapping trees, the books placed on the green shelves of Suvretta tak...

Category

1980s Italian Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Laminate, Wood, Plywood, Scrap Wood

Olivetti "Valentine" Typewriter by Ettore Sottsass
Olivetti "Valentine" Typewriter by Ettore Sottsass

Olivetti "Valentine" Typewriter by Ettore Sottsass

By Olivetti, Ettore Sottsass

Located in Vienna, AT

Famous portable typewriter by Sottsass for Olivetti, Italy from the 1960s. Totally functional with some wear. 3 pieces available.  

Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Steel

Memphis Milano Freemont Cabinet by Ettore Sottsass, Italy
Memphis Milano Freemont Cabinet by Ettore Sottsass, Italy

Memphis Milano Freemont Cabinet by Ettore Sottsass, Italy

By Memphis Milano, Ettore Sottsass

Located in Toronto, ON

Resting on a base with five cylindrical legs, Freemont by Ettore Sottsass appears to grow strongly from the bottom to the top. With its fractured shapes, it branches out into the spa...

Category

2010s Italian Post-Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Gold Leaf

Sol Glass Fruit Bowl, by Ettore Sottsass from Memphis Milano

Sol Glass Fruit Bowl, by Ettore Sottsass from Memphis Milano

By Memphis Group, Memphis Milano, Ettore Sottsass

Located in La Morra, Cuneo

The Sol glass fruit bowl was originally designed by Ettore Sottsass in 1982. Signed on the base, for further information please see authenticity info below. Ettore Sottsass was bo...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Glass

Ettore Sottsass 'Ivory' Pedestal for Memphis Milano
Ettore Sottsass 'Ivory' Pedestal for Memphis Milano

Ettore Sottsass 'Ivory' Pedestal for Memphis Milano

By Ettore Sottsass

Located in Dallas, TX

Ettore Sottsass 'Ivory' Pedestal for Memphis Milano, 1985.

Category

1980s Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Laminate

Ultrafragola Mirror, Ettore Sottsass, Poltronova, 1970
Ultrafragola Mirror, Ettore Sottsass, Poltronova, 1970

Ultrafragola Mirror, Ettore Sottsass, Poltronova, 1970

By Poltronova, Ettore Sottsass

Located in Milano, Lombardia

The Ultrafragola light mirror was designed by Ettore Sottsass, with its sinuous silhouette, evocative of a wavy feminine hair, belongs to the series of Mobili Grigi, a complete bedro...

Category

1970s Post-Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Mirror, Plastic

Ettore Sottsass Ultrafragola Neon Mirror, Poltronova, 1970 Design
Ettore Sottsass Ultrafragola Neon Mirror, Poltronova, 1970 Design

Ettore Sottsass Ultrafragola Neon Mirror, Poltronova, 1970 Design

By Ettore Sottsass

Located in Tinton Falls, NJ

Ultrafragola mirror/lamp, with its sinuous profile that suggests long wavy hair, belongs to the Mobili Grigi series of complete bedroom and living room furnishings designed by Ettore...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Mirror, Plastic

Ettore Sottsass Table Lamps for Bitossi
Ettore Sottsass Table Lamps for Bitossi

Ettore Sottsass Table Lamps for Bitossi

By Bitossi, Ettore Sottsass

Located in San Francisco, CA

Ettore Sottsass design ceramic table lamps for Bitossi, Italy. Originally designed for an Amersterdam department store De Bijenkorf, produced circa 1958. The ovoid lamp form and str...

Category

1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Ceramic

Ettore Sottsass Flying Carpet Armchair by Bedding Brevetti 1970s Italy
Ettore Sottsass Flying Carpet Armchair by Bedding Brevetti 1970s Italy

Ettore Sottsass Flying Carpet Armchair by Bedding Brevetti 1970s Italy

By Ettore Sottsass

Located in Cascina, Pisa

The Flying Carpet or Tappeto Volante armchair is an iconic seat with a base and an armrest in beech wood, the seat, and the back are made with polyuret...

Category

1970s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Fabric, Wood, Velvet

Shiva Penis Vase, Ceramic Decorative Object, Unique Design, Sottsass Design
Shiva Penis Vase, Ceramic Decorative Object, Unique Design, Sottsass Design

Shiva Penis Vase, Ceramic Decorative Object, Unique Design, Sottsass Design

By BD Barcelona Design, Ettore Sottsass

Located in Philadelphia, PA

Ettore Sottsass Shiva Ceramic Flower Vase. Original design dates to the early 70's. This one is probably 10-15 years old?!

Category

Early 2000s Spanish Post-Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Ceramic

Ettore Sottsass 'Ospite' Dining Table
Ettore Sottsass 'Ospite' Dining Table

Ettore Sottsass 'Ospite' Dining Table

By Zanotta, Ettore Sottsass

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Ettore Sottsass 'Ospite' dining table for Zanotta, 1980s.

Category

1980s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Silver Plate, Brass

Ettore Sottsass Lotto Rosso / Super Loto Dining Table, Poltronova, Italy, 1970s
Ettore Sottsass Lotto Rosso / Super Loto Dining Table, Poltronova, Italy, 1970s

Ettore Sottsass Lotto Rosso / Super Loto Dining Table, Poltronova, Italy, 1970s

By Ettore Sottsass

Located in Lewes, East Sussex

A Lotto Rosso / Super Loto dining table designed by Ettore Sottsass and produced by Poltronova, Italy, 1970s. In very good original condition. Fast ship...

Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Granite, Metal

Memphis Milano Carlton Shelf by Ettore Sottsass, Wood & Laminate
Memphis Milano Carlton Shelf by Ettore Sottsass, Wood & Laminate

Memphis Milano Carlton Shelf by Ettore Sottsass, Wood & Laminate

By Ettore Sottsass, Memphis Milano

Located in Toronto, ON

An absolute icon of Memphis designed by Ettore Sottsass in 1981, Carlton fully represents the programmatic intention of the group: the desire to transgress with an irreverent, unorth...

Category

2010s Italian Post-Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Laminate, Wood

Ettore Sottsass Dark Olive Green Olivetti Synthesis Ashtray, Italy 1970s
Ettore Sottsass Dark Olive Green Olivetti Synthesis Ashtray, Italy 1970s

Ettore Sottsass Dark Olive Green Olivetti Synthesis Ashtray, Italy 1970s

By Olivetti, Ettore Sottsass

Located in Milan, IT

Splendid Ettore Sottsass Dark Olive Green Olivetti Synthesis Ashtray with Its Original Box. Circa 1970 New Old Stock

Category

1970s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Plastic

Quadrotto Accademia Lagostina Memphis design ETTORE SOTTSASS 1980
Quadrotto Accademia Lagostina Memphis design ETTORE SOTTSASS 1980

Quadrotto Accademia Lagostina Memphis design ETTORE SOTTSASS 1980

By Memphis Milano, Ettore Sottsass

Located in Palermo, IT

Accademia Lagostina Quadrotto Tray (1980) - Memphis Design by Ettore Sottsass This rare "Quadrotto" tray is an iconic expression of 1980s postmodern design, conceived by visionary E...

Category

1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Metal

BLOQUE 4, Pedestal with Ettore Sottsass Veneer by Bonne Choice
BLOQUE 4, Pedestal with Ettore Sottsass Veneer by Bonne Choice

BLOQUE 4, Pedestal with Ettore Sottsass Veneer by Bonne Choice

By Ettore Sottsass

Located in Toronto, ON

Designed By Bonne Choice Using Ettore Sottsass Veneer. The veneer created by Ettore Sottsass in the 1980s – utilized for the first time in the Memphis collection – now becomes part ...

Category

2010s Canadian Post-Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Wood, Plywood

Ettore Sottsass ‘Harlow’ Dining Table for Poltronova in Dark Blue Lacquer
Ettore Sottsass ‘Harlow’ Dining Table for Poltronova in Dark Blue Lacquer

Ettore Sottsass ‘Harlow’ Dining Table for Poltronova in Dark Blue Lacquer

By Ettore Sottsass, Poltronova

Located in Hellouw, NL

Few designers have had as profound an influence on post-war Italian design as Ettore Sottsass. Created during his prolific years with Poltronova, the ‘Harlow’ TPA 240 dining table em...

Category

1970s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Steel

Ettore Sottsass Y29 Vase in Black Enameled Ceramic Yantra Series Poltronova 70s
Ettore Sottsass Y29 Vase in Black Enameled Ceramic Yantra Series Poltronova 70s

Ettore Sottsass Y29 Vase in Black Enameled Ceramic Yantra Series Poltronova 70s

By Poltronova, Ettore Sottsass

Located in Cascina, Pisa

This ceramic piece is part of the Yantra series by Ettore Sottsass, a collection of thirty-nine forms including containers, ashtrays, vases and bowls, created between 1969 and 1973 a...

Category

1970s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Ceramic

Ettore Sottsass furniture for sale on 1stDibs.

Ettore Sottsass furniture are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of metal and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Ettore Sottsass furniture, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. We have 389 vintage editions of these items in-stock, while there is 188 modern edition to choose from as well. Many of the original furniture by Ettore Sottsass were created in the modern style in europe during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider furniture by Gaetano Pesce, Alessandro Mendini, and VG-VGnewtrend. Prices for Ettore Sottsass furniture can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $104 and can go as high as $88,999, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $4,267.

Questions About Ettore Sottsass Furniture

  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    Ettore 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.
  • 1stDibs ExpertNovember 13, 2024
    The Italian design group led by Italian architectural and product designer Ettore Sottsass is called the Memphis Group. To many people, postmodern design is synonymous with the Memphis Group. This Italian collaborative created the most radical and attention-getting designs of the period, upending most of the accepted standards of how furniture should look. The group decided to design, produce and market its own collection, one that wouldn’t be restricted by concerns like functionality and so-called good taste. Its debut at Milan’s 1981 Salone del Mobile drew thousands of viewers and caused a major stir in design circles. In addition to Sottsass, the members of the group included Andrea Branzi, Aldo Cibic, Michele de Lucchi, Nathalie du Pasquier, Kuramata, Paola Navone, Peter Shire, George Sowden and Barbara Radice, who was Sottsass's wife. Find a collection of Memphis Group furniture on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertFebruary 13, 2024
    Ettore 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 ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    Ettore 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.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    Ettore 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.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    To 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.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    Ettore 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.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    Ettore 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 ExpertFebruary 1, 2024
    Ettore 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, 2022
    Ettore 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, 2022
    Ettore 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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