Italian Design

Our auction year will begin with Italian design on 19 March. We will feature 300 rare and well-known objects by renowned Italian designers.

One of the highlights of the auction is Max Ingrand's extremely elegant ceiling light for Fontana Arte. Ingrand designed numerous lights and glass objects during his years as artistic director of the glass factory, and his tasteful style remains modern to this day. The clear and blue glass ceiling light with fine contours was created around 1955 and is estimated to be worth €10,000 to €12,000.

Designs from the 1970s and 1980s, including works by Ettore Sottsass, Alessandro Mendini, and Peter Shire for Memphis and Alchimia, are highly sought after. The 'Peninsula' table from the first Memphis collection, which is rarely seen, is available for €6,000. The table frame is painted in red, green, and purple, showcasing the familiar design language of the Memphis Group. The 'Credenza Persiana' cabinet from the Metamemphis collection, 1991, is less colorful but no less unconventional. The collection, first presented in 1988, focuses on the fusion of art and design, very much in the spirit of the radical design movement. Marco Bagnoli's furniture piece oscillates visually and functionally between a cabinet and a window, once again echoing the demand for ambiguity in design. The piece comes from a limited edition of 25 pieces and is available at an estimated price of €4,000 - €6,000.

Moving on to the 1970s design icons, Mario Bellini's design remains as modern today as it was 50 years ago. The 'La Bambole' sofa is available in two versions. There are two minimalist sofas upholstered in black leather available for €8,000. The 'Eros' table series by Angelo Mangiarotti includes three tables: two side tables and a console table in white and black marble, estimated between €1,800 and €4,000. The laminated table from the 'Quaderna' series by Superstudio, with a length of 180 cm, is valued at €3,500 to €4,000.

Enzo Mari designed plastic, metal, and wood objects for Danese in the 1960s, intended for everyday use. Today, these designs have become highly sought-after collector's items. Our 2021 auctions featured bids on the 'Putrella' bowls, which will be available for purchase starting March 19th with starting prices ranging from €2,200 to €2,700.

The Twergi collection by Italian manufacturer Alessi showcases exceptional craftsmanship. Alberto Alessi collaborated with the Piazza Battista company in Loreglia in the 1980s due to his fascination with woodturning. The company had been producing coffee and pepper mills, bowls, and trays since 1865. Alessi integrated and took over the company in 1989. This collaboration resulted in famous designs by Ettore Sottsass, Riccardo Dalisi, and Andrea Branzi, many of which are available in our auction. The wooden objects can be purchased for starting prices between €50 and 350€.

Several objects in synthetic resin by Gaetano Pesce will be auctioned, including colorful vases (SP 500-600€ each) and a rare 'Contrasti' table from 2006 produced by Zerodisegno. The pink piece with golden marbling is expected to sell for at least 6,000€.

Discover all the lots in the auction during our preview at Theresienstraße 60 from 14 to 18 March, and contact our experts for questions and condition reports.

Iconic designs by important designers and architects such as Gaetano Pesce, Mario Botta, Alessandro Mendini and Mario Bellini, who have made ground-breaking contributions to the development of design history in recent decades, were particularly sought after in our 'Italian Design' auction, with around 300 lots on offer. Gaetano Pesce's 'Contrasti' table for Zerodesigno was able to confirm the estimated price with a hammer price of €6,000. The all-rounder Pesce always designs with the aim of expressing contemporaneity and innovation. This applies to large buildings as well as furniture and objects, which is why Quittenbaum was also able to successfully sell the four children's armchairs from the 'UP 2' series. The two leather sofas 'Le Bambole' by Mario Bellini (1972) achieved the highest hammer price at €8,500.

Architectural and sculptural designs were very popular among our rich selection of floor lamps: Alessandro Mendini's 'Milos' lamp from 1988 doubled its estimated price and climbed to €3,000. Mario Botta's pair of 'Shogun' lamps, designed in 1986, changed hands for €4,000. Exceptional table lamps also met with great interest from collectors. The 'Ashoka' lamp by Ettore Sottsass doubled its lower estimate with a hammer price of €2,100, while the '2656' table lamp by Umberto Riva climbed from an estimated €1,500 to €2,100. The two 'Bambu' vases saw a very nice increase from €600 to €1,600. Overall, it can be summarized that designs from the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s generated the greatest demand among bidders.

All unsold lots are available for post-auction-sale from now until April 19.