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Ettore Sottsass Seating

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.

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. They 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's 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 imaginative and expressive in smaller, secondary furnishings such as lamps and chandeliers, and in table pieces and glassware that have playful and sculptural qualities.

It was as an artist that Ettore 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 Mandarin Dining Set in Carrara Marble, Red & Black, 1986 Italy
By Knoll, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Grand Cayman, KY
Icon of the Memphis Milano Movement. A set of four Ettore Sottsass Mandarin chairs for Knoll. Black Alcantara upholstery. Arms in red lacquer. Additionally, a Carrara marble round pe...
Category

1980s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Seating

Materials

Metal, Steel

Kartell Pilastro Stool in Green by Ettore Sottsass
By Kartell, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The Pilastro stool is part of the Kartell goes Sottsass, a tribute to Memphis collection, launched in 2015 in homage to design guru Ettore Sottsass....
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Seating

Materials

Plastic

Kartell Colonna Stool in Black by Ettore Sottsass
By Ettore Sottsass, Kartell
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The Colonna stool is included in the Kartell goes Sottsass - A Tribute to Memphis collection, launched in 2015 in homage to the movement founded by desig...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Seating

Materials

Plastic

Exposition "S'asseoir", 1974, Musée de Grenoble 12 Posters in DIN A2, De Sede
By De Sede, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Munster, NRW
Exposition "S'asseoir" - 1974, Musée de Grenoble 12 posters in DIN A2 (420 x 594 mm) as high-quality reprints on cardboard Wonderful hand drawings of several design classics, wh...
Category

2010s French Mid-Century Modern Ettore Sottsass Seating

Materials

Paper

Desk Chair Mod.Synthesis 45 Designed by Ettore Sottsass for Olivetti, Italy 197
By Olivetti, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Milano, IT
Desk Chair "Synthesis 45" Designed by Ettore Sottsass for Olivetti, Italy 1970s Since 1970, Sottsass began designing an integrated suite of furniture and office equipment. The famou...
Category

1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Seating

Materials

Metal

Mandarin Chairs by Ettore Sottsass for Knoll (up to 30)
By Knoll, Ettore Sottsass
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 Seating

Materials

Steel

Ettore Sottsass Flying Carper Sofa for Bedding Brevetti
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Padova, IT
Ettore Sottsass designed this sofa after having known the Indian culture. A crucial journey in his formation is that of 1961 in India, undertaken with Fernanda Pivano. On this journe...
Category

1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Seating

Materials

Fabric, Velvet, Wood

Ettore Sottsass for Knoll, Set of 6 Mandarin Chairs in Original Red Fabric
By Kartell, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Toronto, CA
Conceived by Italian architect and designer, Ettore Sottsass and manufactured in 1986 by Knoll, the Mandarin chair is a highly functional design with distinctive one-piece arm-rail t...
Category

1980s American Post-Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Seating

Materials

Metal

Ettore Sottsass, Knoll, Mid-Century Modern, Mandarin Armchairs, Italy, 1990s
By Knoll, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Stamford, CT
Ettore Sottsass, Knoll, Mid-Century Modern, Mandarin Armchairs, Italy, 1990s Set of five mid-century modern arm chairs designed by Ettore Sottsass for Knoll in Italy, 1986. Featurin...
Category

1990s Italian Mid-Century Modern Ettore Sottsass Seating

Materials

Metal

Mandarin Chairs by Ettore Sottsass for Knoll
By Knoll, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Chicago, IL
c. 1980s. Price is for the set. Contact us if you’d like to purchase a single item. Reupholstered and new foam.
Category

1980s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Seating

Materials

Fabric, Wood

Four Ettore Sottsass Mandarin Chairs for Knoll in Red & Black, 1986 Italy
By Ettore Sottsass, Knoll
Located in Grand Cayman, KY
Icon of the Memphis Milano Movement. A set of four Ettore Sottsass Mandarin chairs for Knoll. Black Alcantara upholstery. Arms in red lacquer. A 1986 design by Ettore Sottsass for K...
Category

1980s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Seating

Materials

Metal, Steel

Ettore Sottsass Mandarin Chair with Bamboo Armrests for Knoll Int.
By Knoll, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Untersiggenthal, AG
Ettore Sottsass for Knoll Mandarin chairs, rare bamboo arms. Rare blue leather. Very good condition, near mint condition. Additional two chairs wi...
Category

1980s Vintage Ettore Sottsass Seating

Materials

Leather, Bamboo

Ettore Sottsass Flying Carpet Armchair by Bedding Brevetti 1970s Italy
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Montecatini Terme, IT
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 Seating

Materials

Fabric, Wood, Velvet

Kartell Colonna Stool in Pink by Ettore Sottsass
By Kartell, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The Colonna stool is included in the Kartell goes Sottsass - A Tribute to Memphis collection, launched in 2015 in homage to the movement founded by desig...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Seating

Materials

Plastic

ETTORE SOTTSASS Flying Carpet Armchair for Bedding Brevetti
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in LAGUNA BEACH, CA
ETTORE SOTTSASS "Tappeto Volante" (Flying Carpet) Armchair for Bedding Brevetti The "Flying Carpet" armchair is a testament to Sottsass's avant-garde...
Category

1970s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Seating

Materials

Fabric, Textile, Velvet, Foam, Wood, Fruitwood

Ettore Sottsass East Side Arm Chair
By Knoll, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Dronten, NL
Iconic East Side arm chair in Royal Blue designed by Ettore Sottsass for Knoll International in 1983. Postmodern chair with original upholstery in wonderful vintage condition. The ch...
Category

1980s American Post-Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Seating

Materials

Steel

Pair of 1980s Ettore Sottsass Mandarin Side Chairs for Knoll
By Ettore Sottsass, Knoll
Located in Lafayette, IN
This awesome pair of of Manadarin side chairs is were designed by Ettore Sottsass for Knoll, chairs feature curvaceous tubular steel arms finished in gloss black, matte-black straigh...
Category

1980s American Post-Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Seating

Materials

Steel

Ettore Sottsass, Dado Stool T29, Poltronova completely original example, 1960
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Argelato, BO
Ettore Sottsass, Dado T29 stool, Poltronova production, Italy, 1960s It is one of the most iconic works by the famous Italian architect and designer Ettore Sottsass. The wooden ba...
Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Seating

Materials

Wood

Ettore Sottsass, Dado Stool, model T29, completely original 1960s example
By Ettore Sottsass, Poltronova
Located in Wargrave, Berkshire
Ettore Sottsass, Dado Stool, model T29, designed 1963 and manufactured by Poltronova, Italy during the 1960s. The wooden base is painted in brick red paint with a plain walnut top. ...
Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Seating

Materials

Wood, Walnut

Office chair by Ettore Sottsass and Hans Von Klier for Design Centre, 1960s
By Design Centre, Ettore Sottsass, Hans Von Klier
Located in Quarrata, IT
Swivel office chair by Ettore Sottsass and Hans Von Klier, in aluminum, glass resin and leather, mod. Progress for Design Centre Poltronova 1960s
Category

1960s Italian Vintage Ettore Sottsass Seating

Materials

Aluminum

Progress Swivel Office Chairs by Hans von Klier & Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova
By Poltronova, Hans Von Klier, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Frankfurt am Main, DE
A pair of "Progress" office swivel chairs designed by Hans von Klier and Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova. The white plastic shell is a very good vintage condition, without cracks. U...
Category

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

Materials

Aluminum

Ettore Sottsass model "Califfo" sofa for Poltronova, Italy, 1960s
By Poltronova, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Skokie, IL
Ettore Sottsass model "Califfo" sofa for Poltronova, Italy, 1960s Additional Information: Materials: Lacqured wood, upholstery Dimensions: 22" H x 979" W x 31 1/2" D Condition: Ver...
Category

20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Ettore Sottsass Seating

Materials

Wood

20th Century Ettore Sottsass Pair of Ottomans Mod Dado T29 for Poltronova, 1960s
By Ettore Sottsass, Poltronova
Located in Turin, Turin
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 where he began working in the studio of the designer George Nelson. Back in Italy, he began important collaborations with Poltronova (1957) and Olivetti (1958). From the late 60s to the 70s he collaborated with Superstudio and Archizoom Associati, as part of the Radical Architecture movement, until the founding of the Memphis group in 1981. Ettore Sottsass has been the recipient of numerous international awards and was the winner of the ADI Compasso d'Oro Award in 1959. His works are now exhibited in the permanent collections of many museums around the world. Here we have a pair of wooden ottomans...
Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Seating

Materials

Wood

2008 Eero Saarinen for Knoll Executive Dining Arm Chair Abacus Fabric
By Ettore Sottsass, Knoll
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Listed for sale is a single (The price listed is for one chair, however, four are available) Eero Saarinen for Knoll executive arm chair in Knoll's 5A Peacock color of the Abacus fab...
Category

Early 2000s American Modern Ettore Sottsass Seating

Materials

Metal

1960s Eero Saarinen for Knoll Executive Dining Arm Chair in Black Leather
By Ettore Sottsass, Knoll
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Listed for sale is a 1960s executive armchair No. 71 USB designed by Eero Saarinen and produced by Knoll. This particular example retains part of its original 320 Park Avenue label, ...
Category

1960s American Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Seating

Materials

Chrome

Pair of Ettore Sottsass Knoll Eastside Lounge Chairs Memphis Italy
By Ettore Sottsass, Knoll
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Listed for sale is a pair of gorgeous and original Ettore Sottsass Eastside lounge chairs, produced by Knoll International. These two lounge chairs came from the American Airlines ex...
Category

Early 2000s American Modern Ettore Sottsass Seating

Materials

Metal

Ettore Sottsass for Knoll Eastside Lounge Chairs Memphis Italy Blue
By Knoll, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Listed for sale is a pair of gorgeous and original Ettore Sottsass Eastside lounge chairs, produced by Knoll International. These two lounge chairs came from the American Airlines ex...
Category

Early 2000s American Modern Ettore Sottsass Seating

Materials

Leather, Fabric

Sedia Da Collezione Desk Chair Olivetti Synthesis Design Ettore Sottsass 1975
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in taranto, IT
Sedia da collezione "desk chair", produzione Olivetti synthesis , design Ettore Sottsass, italia, 1975. Realizzata su struttura in metallo di colore marrone, seduta e schienale in...
Category

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

Materials

Metal

Kartell Pilastro Stool in Black by Ettore Sottsass
By Kartell, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The Pilastro stool is part of the Kartell goes Sottsass, a tribute to Memphis collection, launched in 2015 in homage to design guru Ettore Sottsass....
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Seating

Materials

Plastic

Nine-0 Chairs by Ettore Sottsass for Emeco
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Chicago, IL
Aluminum construction with seat pad in blue. Price is for the set. Contact us if you'd like to purchase a single item.
Category

Early 2000s American Modern Ettore Sottsass Seating

Materials

Aluminum

Mid-Century Modern Pair of Dado Stools by Ettore Sottsass
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Brussels, BE
Mid-Century Modern Pair of Dado Stools by Ettore Sottsass
Category

1970s Vintage Ettore Sottsass Seating

Materials

Wood

Ettore Sottsass Pair of Dado Stools Mod. T29 for Poltronova
By Poltronova, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Rovereta, SM
Eccentric pair of stools designed by the great designer Ettore Sottsass for the Poltronova manufacture in 1963. The sbagelli are model T29 also called Dado. Resenta product label. Th...
Category

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

Materials

Wood

Kartell Pilastro Stool in Pink by Ettore Sottsass
By Ettore Sottsass, Kartell
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The Pilastro stool is part of the Kartell goes Sottsass, a tribute to Memphis collection, launched in 2015 in homage to design guru Ettore Sottsass....
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Seating

Materials

Plastic

Set of 4 "Synthesis" by Ettore Sottsass for Olivetti, 1970s
By Ettore Sottsass, Olivetti
Located in Conversano, IT
Rare set composed by 4 "Synthesis" Chairs designed by Ettore Sottsass for Olivetti. The chairs are in very good conditions, despite their ages. Every chairs has a textile co...
Category

1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Seating

Materials

Plastic

Ettore Sottsass Califfo Sofa in Wood and Multicoloured Velvet Poltronova 1960s
By Poltronova, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Montecatini Terme, IT
Two-seater Califfo sofa with a structure in a orange/red lacquered wood seat and back are structured by cushions upholstered with velvet fabric in a mixed...
Category

1960s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Seating

Materials

Fabric, Wood, Velvet

Postmodern Danube 850 3-Seater Sofa by Ettore Sottsass for Cassina 1992
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Stavenisse, NL
Very rare by one of the greatest Italian designers to date. Ettore Sottsass, known for his outlandish creative designs, is a very strong name in the design space. Many iconic designs...
Category

1990s Italian Post-Modern Ettore Sottsass Seating

Materials

Metal

Italian Danube sofa by Ettore Sottsass for Cassina
By Ettore Sottsass, Cassina
Located in Milano, IT
Immerse yourself in the captivating world of postmodern design with the legendary "Danube" sofa, a two-seater masterpiece designed by the iconic Ettore Sottsass for Cassina in 1992. ...
Category

1990s Italian Post-Modern Ettore Sottsass Seating

Materials

Iron

Ettore Sottsass “Mandarin” Black Eco Leather Dining Chairs for Knoll, a Pair
By Ettore Sottsass, Knoll
Located in Miami, FL
Memphis Postmodern Mandarin chairs rendered in black lacquered steel frame with black Naugahyde cushioned seats designed by Ettore Sottsass for Knoll.
Category

Late 20th Century Italian Post-Modern Ettore Sottsass Seating

Materials

Steel

Ettore Sottsass Model "Lodge" Italian 1986 Set of Six Chairs
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Madrid, ES
Set of 6 chairs mod. "Lodge" designed by Ettore Sottass and produced by Bieffeplast. Structure made of black lacquered metal and reupholstered in boucle fabric. Italy, 1986. Our mai...
Category

1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Seating

Materials

Steel

Postmodern Ettore Sottsass Pink Dining Chairs for Leitner, 1980s
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Antwerp, BE
Postmodern; Ettore Sottsass; Pink; Burgundy; Lacquer; Burl Veneer; dining chairs; Leitner; 1980s; Memphis Group; Leitner; Postmodern dining chairs with an expressive burl veneer ...
Category

1980s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Seating

Materials

Burl, Lacquer

Westside Armchairs by Ettore Sottsass for Knoll, 1983 Post Modern Original
By Knoll, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Vienna, AT
Rare pair of vintage 'Westside' armchairs by Ettore Sottsass for Knoll, 1983 in great condition Iconic west side designed by Ettore Sottsass in 1983. Stylish and very comfortable oversized chairs in 3 different shades of red and violet on heavy enameled steel feet. The lounge chairs still have their original upholstery which is astonishingly well preserved. Overall they are in good to very good original condition with no major flaws and ready to use. Labelled Knoll at the bottom. Dimensions are H.30.7" x W.38.2 x D.29.52". Seating height is 14.17 cm. Provenance: it derives from a Villa in Vienna. These will sell as a pair only and will ship crated and internationally. We do offer white glove service in NYC and LA. In 1983, two years after the founding of Memphis, Sottsass splintered off from his collective to partner with Knoll Studio, creating the Eastside and Westside collections. Inspired by his lifelong love of Viennese Biedermeier chairs, characterized by plush seats with clean lines and minimal adornment, the collection consisted of geometric sofas and lounge chairs in color-blocked upholsteries. In spite of his iconoclasm, Sottsass had a deep appreciation of ancient art and architecture—particularly Sumerian, Assyrian and Chinese—resulting in the decision to shoot the collection against the backdrop of the Great Pyramids of Giza.
Category

1980s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Seating

Materials

Steel

Kartell Pilastro Stool in Red by Ettore Sottsass
By Kartell, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The Pilastro stool is part of the Kartell goes Sottsass, a tribute to Memphis collection, launched in 2015 in homage to design guru Ettore Sottsass....
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Seating

Materials

Plastic

Pair of Office Chairs by Ettore Sottsass & Hans Von Klier, 1969
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Berlin, Berlin
Pair of office chairs designed by Ettore Sottsass and Hans von Klier. Italy, Design Centre (Poltronova), 1969. An original set of the 'PROGRESS...
Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Seating

Materials

Aluminum

Armchair "Eastside Lounge", by Ettore Sottsass for Knoll
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Sao Paulo, SP
We work with artisans who masterfully restore typical pieces from each period of our history, valuing their different preservation techniques. Teamwork has built this pioneering comp...
Category

Late 20th Century Unknown Ettore Sottsass Seating

Materials

Velvet

Mid-Century Orange "Califfo" Sofa by Ettore Sottsass, Poltronova, Italy, 1960s
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Brussels, BE
Mid-Century Modern orange "Califfo" sofa by Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova, Italy, 1960s.
Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Seating

Materials

Fabric, Wood

Kartell Calice Stool in Violet by Ettore Sottsass
By Kartell, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The Calice vase is included in the "Kartell goes Sottsass - A Tribute to Memphis" collection, launched in homage to the movement founded by design guru Ettore...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Seating

Materials

Plastic

Kartell Calice Stool in Black by Ettore Sottsass
By Kartell, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The Calice vase is included in the "Kartell goes Sottsass - A Tribute to Memphis" collection, launched in homage to the movement founded by design guru Ettore...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Seating

Materials

Plastic

Kartell Calice Stool in Pink by Ettore Sottsass
By Kartell, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The Calice vase is included in the "Kartell goes Sottsass - A Tribute to Memphis" collection, launched in homage to the movement founded by design guru Ettore...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Seating

Materials

Plastic

Kartell Colonna Stool in Violet by Ettore Sottsass
By Ettore Sottsass, Kartell
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The Colonna stool is included in the Kartell goes Sottsass - A Tribute to Memphis collection, launched in 2015 in homage to the movement founded by desig...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Seating

Materials

Plastic

Kartell Colonna Stool in Green by Ettore Sottsass
By Kartell, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The Colonna stool is included in the Kartell goes Sottsass - A Tribute to Memphis collection, launched in 2015 in homage to the movement founded by desig...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Seating

Materials

Plastic

Kartell Colonna Stool in Red by Ettore Sottsass
By Ettore Sottsass, Kartell
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The Colonna stool is included in the Kartell goes Sottsass, a tribute to Memphis collection, launched in 2015 in homage to the movement founded by design...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Seating

Materials

Plastic

Kartell Calice Stool in Red by Ettore Sottsass
By Kartell, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The Calice vase is included in the "Kartell goes Sottsass - A Tribute to Memphis" collection, launched in homage to the movement founded by design guru Ettore...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Seating

Materials

Plastic

Kartell Calice Stool in Green by Ettore Sottsass
By Kartell, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The Calice vase is included in the "Kartell goes Sottsass - A Tribute to Memphis" collection, launched in homage to the movement founded by design guru Ettore...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Seating

Materials

Plastic

Eastside Sofa by Ettore Sottsass for Knoll, 1980s, All Original, Ready to Use
By Knoll, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Kansas City, MO
Eastside Sofa by Ettore Sottsass and manufactured by Knoll, 1980s. Original black leather and gray and black patterned fabric. Aluminum and steel base co...
Category

1980s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Seating

Materials

Leather, Upholstery

Ettore Sottsass Daybed, Red Lacquered Wood, Chartreuse Upholstery, Italy c. 1962
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in New York, NY
Ettore Sottsass (1917-2007) A lively and playful modernist daybed or sofa by Memphis Milano founder Ettore Sottsass, in red lacquered walnut with a black-upholstered cushion and two bolster pillows in chartreuse. An early work by the revolutionary designer and eventual gray eminence of postmodernism, the piece marks an important transitional period as Sottsass moved away from strict functionalism to incorporate ideas from contemporary art, art history, and religion. The sofa eschews the man-made materials of his later Memphis Group works, but anticipates them in its vivid palette. “Every color has a history,” Sottsass said. “Red is the color of the Communist flag, the color that makes a surgeon move faster, and the color of passion.” Indeed, the sensuality of the sofa's hues whimsically counterbalances its minimalist forms. The staggered repetition of the frame's vertical slats, alternating between wide and narrow, forecast the stripes of Sottsass's Nefertiti desk...
Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Seating

Materials

Upholstery, Wood

Ettore Sottsass Canada Armchair in Blue Velvet and Wood Poltronova 1960s
By Poltronova, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Montecatini Terme, IT
Canada settee armchair with a structure in wood, seat and back in padded blue-green velvet. It was designed by Ettore Sottsass Jr in 1959 and produced by the Italian company Poltro...
Category

1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Seating

Materials

Velvet, Wood

Pair of Ettore Sottsass for Knoll Mandarin Chairs Bamboo Arms
By Ettore Sottsass, Knoll
Located in Chicago, IL
Ettore Sottsass for Knoll Mandarin chairs, rare bamboo arms 5 available Listing is for a pair.   
Category

Late 20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Ettore Sottsass Seating

Materials

Bamboo

Flying Carpet Sofa
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Saint Ouen, FR
Rare, if not unique Flying carpet sofa Ettore Sottsass, circa 1974. Measures: 217 x 107 x 65 cms Published by bedding patentti Italy Wood / fabrics ...
Category

1970s Vintage Ettore Sottsass Seating

Materials

Fabric

Ettore Sottsass seating for sale on 1stDibs.

Ettore Sottsass seating 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 seating, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. We have 58 vintage editions of these items in-stock, while there is 20 modern edition to choose from as well. Many of the original seating by Ettore Sottsass were created in the mid-century modern style in europe during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider seating by Gastone Rinaldi, Giandomenico Belotti, and Tobia Scarpa. Prices for Ettore Sottsass seating can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $194 and can go as high as $37,737, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $4,277.
Questions About Ettore Sottsass Seating
  • 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 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 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 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 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 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 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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