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Early 'Diesis' Loveseat Sofas by Paolo Nava for B&B Italia, c 1979 Italy, Signed

About the Item

This pair of 'Diesis' loveseat sofas were designed by Paolo Nava along with Antonio Citterio for B&B Italia in 1979, and these examples are early production 'originals', likely produced between 1979 and 1983. Signed on one sofa under the cushions with the original B&B Italia label. We have a pair available, priced individually. This pair with amazing provenance, from the estate of Jerome and Evelyn Ackerman. Thick padded cushions make this incredible classic modern design a comfortable choice. The distressed leather and patinated aluminum frames make these an excellent choice for those who love modern design but want something laid-back and relaxed. Perfect for those who wish to show a style of refined-casual, visually demonstrating that they are connoisseurs of fine design without the need to wear it on their sleeves. Or for those who wish to have a like-new look, the leather panels and cushions can be reupholstered and the aluminum frames can be polished. ABOUT THE DESIGN, FROM B&B: Technology, elegance, ergonomics and comfort. An absolute icon of the modern furniture tradition, combining innovative technology and sophisticated craftsmanship, the Diesis sofa has become an essential element in the history of design. The precisely defined metal load-bearing structure combines with the seat, back and armrests in the shape of soft padded cushions covered in fabric or leather. Other details, such as the comb-shaped back in harmonic steel covered in thick leather, the cast brass parts and the leather, which is micro-perforated for aeration, have all become characteristic decorative elements denoting the careful attention dedicated to this product and its strong personality. Its utmost elegance even when seen from the back, with its thick leather upholstered backrest, means it can be placed at the centre of the room. Distinctive features and technological materials make Diesis a long-lasting product that meets the most sophisticated international taste. Comfort is guaranteed by soft padding. ABOUT THE DESIGNER: (From B&B Italia) Paolo Nava was born in Seregno (Milan) in 1943, graduated from the Faculty of Architecture of the Politecnico di Milano and attended the Advanced Course of Industrial Design in Florence. He completed his training in England by collaborating with industrial design studios. In 1972 he founded the Citterio-Nava studio with Antonio Citterio. Together they designed some of the iconic products of Italian design. Since 1982 he has continued his activity as a designer independently, focusing on the design of furniture products for many prestigious Italian and international brands. His projects highlight the continuous search for a possible dialogue between his own poetic vision and the concrete industrial and production needs. Through a personal conceptual approach to the living space, he generates a profound transformation of use, building new relationships between materials and technologies, where the shape of his objects is often only the natural consequence of a precise design path. Paolo Nava is the creator of some of the design concepts that have most revolutionized domestic design from the 1970s to today, creating timeless formal and functional archetypes. A fundamental aspect of his work is the direct experimentation on materials and the three dimensional verification through the laboratory model. Over 40 years of professional activity, the Paolo Nava studio has received numerous prestigious international awards for design. LITERATURE: Repertorio del Design Italiano, page 260. PROVENANCE: Estate of Jerome and Evelyn Ackerman. MEASUREMENTS: H 29.25" x W 75" x D 35.5" Seat Height: 14.25" Seat Depth: 23.5" Arm Height: 17" CONDITION: Overall good vintage condition. Aluminum frame has light to moderate patina but is structurally sturdy and sound. The aluminum can be polished to remove most of the patina if desired. The leather elements have moderate wear and distressing and the stitching is loose in many areas. This can be repaired if desired or reupholstered to new leather, or can be used as-is for a casual look. The fabric cushions are in good vintage condition, are comfortable and presents well. One sofa is missing the padded fabric and B&B label which normally sits on top of the webbing / straps. The design normally incorporates two matching cushions for the arms which these examples are missing. If you are reupholstering, then it is easy to have new arm cushions made. Or can be used in its current condition for a laid-back vintage vibe.

Creator:

Paolo Nava (Designer),B&B Italia (Manufacturer),Antonio Citterio (Designer)

Dimensions:

Height: 29.25 in (74.3 cm)Width: 75 in (190.5 cm)Depth: 35.5 in (90.17 cm)Seat Height: 14.25 in (36.2 cm)

Style:

Modern (Of the Period)

Materials and Techniques:

Aluminum,Fabric,Leather

Place of Origin:

Italy

Period:

1970-1979

Date of Manufacture:

circa 1979

Condition:

Wear consistent with age and use. Overall good vintage condition. See description for more details.

Seller Location:

Los Angeles, CA

Reference Number:

1stDibs: LU1330225253492

Shop All B&B Italia

B&B Italia

In 1966, Piero Ambrogio Busnelli cofounded C&B Italia, a modern Italian furniture manufacturer, with Cesare Cassina in northern Milan. From the outset, Busnelli and Cassina set about recruiting the most talented modernists in Italy to conceive of creative furnishings manufactured in modern ways. In the early 1970s, the company split, with Cassina founding his own eponymous firm and Busnelli taking leadership of what became B&B Italia.

For decades, Busnelli cultivated relationships with the world’s best design talent, resulting in furniture pieces that remain iconic today — be they Gaetano Pesce’s outwardly curvaceous Up seating (made for C&B, reintroduced by B&B) or tables from industrial designer Paolo Piva, each more sophisticated than the next in their geometrically complex steel-tube bases. B&B Italia earned four prestigious Compasso d’Oro design awards: in 1979 for Mario Bellini’s Le Bambole, in 1984 for the Sisamo wardrobe system by Studio Kairos, in 1987 for Antonio Citterio’s modular Sity sofa and, in 1989, the first award given to a manufacturing company itself.

Other notable names who designed for B&B Italia over the course of its 54-year history include Patricia Urquiola, Naoto Fukasawa, Zaha Hadid, Ettore Sottsass and Vincent Van Duysen, to name a very few. And while these names bring star power to the B&B brand, in many cases, it was B&B Italia who helped usher in their celebrity, fostering a wave of design talent on the world stage.

The company’s forward-thinking vision manifested in its own headquarters, too: In 1972, B&B Italia tapped architects Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers to design a steel-framed, postmodern-style home for the brand, whose crisscrossing metal exoskeleton is reminiscent of the pair’s Centre Pompidou in Paris, which was built at roughly the same time. Now, B&B Italia manages a contract division and outdoor section as well as its residential arm, and it also controls production for Maxalto, a brand spun out with furniture designs by Antonio Citterio.

At 1stDibs, find a range of vintage B&B Italia furniture — including sofas, cocktail tables and more.