Skip to main content

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.

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.

4
to
4
4
4
4
3
4
3
1
3
1
3
1
1
1
4
4
411
25
20
18
12
Place of Origin: European
Creator: Ettore Sottsass
Dealer: SG GALLERY MILANO
Ettore Sottsass Olivetti Synthesis Ashtray, Italy 1970s
By Olivetti, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Milan, IT
Ettore Sottsass Dark Red Olivetti Synthesis Ashtray, circa 1970
Category

1970s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Plastic

Ettore Sottsass Single Bedside Table for Poltronova, Italy, 1963
By Ettore Sottsass, Poltronova
Located in Milan, IT
Ettore Sottsass single bedside table for Poltronova Original Label Italy, 1963.
Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Wood

Rare Ettore Sottsass Plant Holder for Poltronova, Italy, 1962
By Poltronova, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Milan, IT
Ettore Sottsass Plant holder for Poltronova, Italy, 1962 Rare extra-large Ettore Sottsass plant holder.
Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Wood

Ettore Sottsass Jr. "TOTEM" Console with Mirror for Poltronova, Italy, 1962
By Ettore Sottsass, Poltronova
Located in Milan, IT
Rare Arch. Ettore Sottsass Jr. "TOTEM" console with mirror for Poltronova A rarely seen piece by Architect Ettore Sottsass Jr. Reference: E. Paoli, "Quaderni Vitrum, n°8, Specc...
Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Mirror, Wood

Related Items
Ultrafragola Mirror/Lamp by Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova, Italy
By Ettore Sottsass, Poltronova
Located in Milan, Italy
This is Ultrafragola a nice mirror designed by Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova in the 1970. It is a translucent white plastic frame of undulating outline, concealing pink internal flu...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Glass, Plastic

Pink ‘Ultrafragola’ Mirror Designed by Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova, Italy
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in London, GB
The curvaceous pink ‘Ultrafragola’ mirror designed by Ettore Sottsass is probably the most iconic of all his many designs. Originally produced in the 1970s by Poltronova, the ‘Ultrafragola’ formed part of a series of Sottsass designs named Mobili Grigi. When illuminated, the lights within the mirror transform the white opaline acrylic shell into a stunning multi-pink display. This unique, individually numbered, re-edition piece is still produced by the same Florentine company today and is sold with a “Certificate of Authenticity”. The perfectly pink ‘selfie’ mirror...
Category

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

Materials

Glass, Acrylic

Pink ‘Ultrafragola’ Mirror Designed by Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova, Italy
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in London, GB
The curvaceous pink ‘Ultrafragola’ mirror designed by Ettore Sottsass is probably the most iconic of all his many designs. Originally produced in the 1970s by Poltronova, the ‘Ultrafragola’ formed part of a series of Sottsass designs named Mobili Grigi. When illuminated, the lights within the mirror transform the white opaline acrylic shell into a stunning multi-pink display. This unique, individually numbered, re-edition piece is still produced by the same Florentine company today and is sold with a “Certificate of Authenticity”. The perfectly pink ‘selfie’ mirror!
Category

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

Materials

Glass, Acrylic

Pink ‘Ultrafragola’ Mirror Designed by Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova, Italy
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in London, GB
The curvaceous pink ‘Ultrafragola’ mirror designed by Ettore Sottsass is probably the most iconic of all his many designs. Originally produced in the 1970s by Poltronova, the ‘Ultrafragola’ formed part of a series of Sottsass designs named Mobili Grigi. When illuminated, the tubular lights within the mirror transform the white opaline acrylic shell into a stunning multi-pink display. This unique, individually numbered, re-edition piece is still produced by the same Florentine company today and is sold with a “Certificate of Authenticity”. The perfectly pink ‘selfie’ mirror!
Category

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

Materials

Glass, Acrylic

Pink ‘Ultrafragola’ Mirror Designed by Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova, Italy
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in London, GB
The curvaceous pink ‘Ultrafragola’ mirror designed by Ettore Sottsass is probably the most iconic of all his many designs. Originally produced in the 1970s by Poltronova, the ‘Ultrafragola’ formed part of a series of Sottsass designs named Mobili Grigi. When illuminated, the neon tubes within the mirror transform the white opaline acrylic shell into a stunning multi-pink display. This unique, individually numbered, re-edition piece is still produced by the same Florentine company today and is sold with a “Certificate of Authenticity”. The perfectly pink ‘selfie’ mirror!
Category

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

Materials

Glass, Acrylic

Plant Pot Holder, glazed Terracotta, Green color, France 1930
Located in Auribeau sur Siagne, FR
This is a plant pot holder. It has been made in France circa 1930. It is made in Terracotta Glazed, with Green Color.
Category

1930s French French Provincial Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Terracotta

Ultrafragola Mirror/Lamp by Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova, Italy
By Poltronova, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Milan, Italy
The Ultrafragola mirror / lamp with its sinuous shape, evocative of a wavy female hair, belongs to the Gray Furniture series, a complete bedroom and liv...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Glass, Plastic

Ultrafragola Mirror/Lamp by Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova, Italy
Ultrafragola Mirror/Lamp by Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova, Italy
Free Shipping
H 76.78 in W 39.38 in D 5.12 in
Ettore Sottsass Perplex and Pink Neon Lamp "Ultrafragola" Italian Mirror
By Poltronova, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Madrid, ES
Available for immediate delivery. A colorful iconic mirror model "Ultrafragola" designed by Ettore Sottsass and edited by Poltronova. Made of white perp...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Steel

Ettore Sottsass Rectangular Wooden Coffee Table by Poltronova 1960s Italy
By Poltronova, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Montecatini Terme, IT
A rectangular low coffee table or sofa table entirely made in wood, designed by Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova, Agliana 1960s. The son of an architect, Ettore Sottsass Jr. (1917-...
Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Wood

Ettore Sottsass Post-Modernism Colored Geometric Mirror for Glas Italia 2007
By Glas Italia, Ettore Sottsass
Located in New York, NY
A modern polychromatic Memphis-style mirror designed by Ettore Sottsass, of the post-modernism movement, part of the series Gli Specchi di Dioniso produced by the Italian Company Gla...
Category

Early 2000s Italian Post-Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Art Glass, Mirror, Cut Glass, Wood

Hyatt Metal and Wood Table, by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano Collection
By Memphis Milano, Ettore Sottsass, Memphis Group
Located in La Morra, Cuneo
Hyatt table designed by Ettore Sottsass in 1984 for Memphis, in metal and laminated wood. Ettore Sottsass was born in Innsbruck in 1917. In 1939 he gradu...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Metal

Rare Antiqu Art Deco Umbrella Holder / Plant Stand by Demeyere 1930 Chrome Rack
By Demeyere
Located in Ijzendijke, NL
Stylish & rare! This exquisite streamlined Art Deco umbrella holder / plant stand designed by luxurious Belgian company ''Demeyere'' in 1930. (it can also be used as a Champagne bucket stand...
Category

1930s Belgian Art Deco Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Chrome

Previously Available Items
Ettore Sottsass Vienna dining table for Poltronova, Italy 1974
By Ettore Sottsass, Poltronova
Located in Milan, IT
Ettore Sottsass "Vienna" dining table for Poltronova, Italy 1974
Category

1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Ash

Ettore Sottsass Loto Rosso Dining Table for Poltronova, Italy 1965
By Ettore Sottsass, Poltronova
Located in Milan, IT
Ettore Sottsass Loto Rosso dining table for Poltronova, Italy 1965 Rosso Verona Marble Top and base.  
Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Marble, Metal

Ettore Sottsass Rectangular Coffee Table for Poltronova, Italy, 1958
By Ettore Sottsass, Poltronova
Located in Milan, IT
Ettore Sottsass rectangular coffee table for Poltronova, Italy, 1958 Splendid original patina and conservation.
Category

1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Brass

Ettore Sottsass Orange Stained Wood Planter for Poltronova, Italy, 1961
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Milan, IT
Ettore Sottsass orange stained wood planter for Poltronova, Italy, 1961.
Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Wood

Ettore Sottsass Jr. Pair of Rocchettone Side Tables for Poltronova, Italy, 1964
By Ettore Sottsass, Poltronova
Located in Milan, IT
Ettore Sottsass Jr. pair of Rocchettone side tables for Poltronova, Agliana, Italy, 1964. These are the lower version Model No. T.44.
Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Wood

Ettore Sottsass Bitossi Bowl
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Milan, IT
Ettore Sottsass Bitossi bowl.
Category

1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Ceramic

Ettore Sottsass Bitossi Bowl
Ettore Sottsass Bitossi Bowl
H 3.55 in Dm 11.62 in
Ettore Sottsass wall mirror for Sant'Ambrogio & De Berti
By Ettore Sottsass
Located in Milan, IT
A spectacular wall mirror by Ettore Sottsass Manufactured by Sant'ambrogio & Berti
Category

1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ettore Sottsass Furniture

Materials

Brass

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 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 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 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.

Recently Viewed

View All