GIo Ponti walnut occasional table for the Cavalieri Hotel in Milan, Italy, 1950s
About the Item
- Creator:Gio Ponti (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 30.91 in (78.5 cm)Width: 27.17 in (69 cm)Depth: 25.6 in (65 cm)
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1950s
- Condition:Refinished. Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:Chiavari, IT
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU6764238268522
Gio Ponti
An architect, furniture and industrial designer and editor, Gio Ponti was arguably the most influential figure in 20th-century Italian modernism.
Ponti designed thousands of furnishings and products — from cabinets, mirrors and chairs to ceramics and coffeemakers — and his buildings, including the brawny Pirelli Tower (1956) in his native Milan, and the castle-like Denver Art Museum (1971), were erected in 14 countries. Through Domus, the magazine he founded in 1928, Ponti brought attention to virtually every significant movement and creator in the spheres of modern art and design.
The questing intelligence Ponti brought to Domus is reflected in his work: as protean as he was prolific, Ponti’s style can’t be pegged to a specific genre.
In the 1920s, as artistic director for the Tuscan porcelain maker Richard Ginori, he fused old and new; his ceramic forms were modern, but decorated with motifs from Roman antiquity. In pre-war Italy, modernist design was encouraged, and after the conflict, Ponti — along with designers such as Carlo Mollino, Franco Albini, Marco Zanuso — found a receptive audience for their novel, idiosyncratic work. Ponti’s typical furniture forms from the period, such as the wedge-shaped Distex chair, are simple, gently angular, and colorful; equally elegant and functional. In the 1960s and ’70s, Ponti’s style evolved again as he explored biomorphic shapes, and embraced the expressive, experimental designs of Ettore Sottsass Jr., Joe Colombo and others.
Ponti's signature furniture piece — the one by which he is represented in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art in New York, Germany’s Vitra Design Museum and elsewhere — is the sleek Superleggera chair, produced by Cassina starting in 1957. (The name translates as “superlightweight” — advertisements featured a model lifting it with one finger.)
Ponti had a playful side, best shown in a collaboration he began in the late 1940s with the graphic artist Piero Fornasetti. Ponti furnishings were decorated with bright finishes and Fornasetti's whimsical lithographic transfer prints of things such as butterflies, birds or flowers; the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts possesses a 1950 secretary from their Architetturra series, which feature case pieces covered in images of building interiors and facades. The grandest project Ponti and Fornasetti undertook, however, lies on the floor of the Atlantic Ocean: the interiors of the luxury liner Andrea Doria, which sank in 1956.
Widely praised retrospectives at the Queens Museum of Art in 2001 and at the Design Museum London in 2002 sparked a renewed interest in Ponti among modern design aficionados. (Marco Romanelli’s monograph, which was written for the London show, offers a fine overview of Ponti’s work.) Today, a wide array of Ponti’s designs are snapped up by savvy collectors who want to give their homes a touch of Italian panache and effortless chic.
Find a range of vintage Gio Ponti desks, dining chairs, coffee tables and other furniture on 1stDibs.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: Chiavari, Italy
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 2 days of delivery.
- Gio Ponti occasional table with drawers for BNL offices, Genoa, Italy, 1950sBy Gio PontiLocated in Chiavari, LiguriaA rare office furniture piece in wood, linoleum, and brass with compact dimensions, an original design by Gio Ponti for the Banca Nazionale del Lavoro (BNL), Italian production from ...Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Side Tables
MaterialsBrass
- Two Beechwood Side Tables in the Manner of Gio Ponti, Italy, 1950sBy Gio PontiLocated in Chiavari, LiguriaThis pair of side tables is a remarkable exemplar of Italian design and craftsmanship from the 1950s. Their sleek and minimalistic design evokes the timeless aesthetic of Gio Ponti, ...Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Side Tables
MaterialsBeech
- Gio Ponti pair of walnut and blue formica occasional tables, Italy, circa 1950By Gio PontiLocated in Chiavari, LiguriaA pair of rare wooden and blue formica side tables, of Italian craftsmanship, designed by Gio Ponti. This pair of occasional tables bears the signature of the great Italian designer...Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Side Tables
MaterialsFormica, Walnut
- Gio Ponti wooden and glass occasional table, Italy, 1930sBy Gio PontiLocated in Chiavari, LiguriaAn occasional table with a black lacquered wood base and ground glass tops, designed by Gio Ponti in 1932 and produced by the Italian company Luigi Fontana & C. This side table, tho...Category
Vintage 1930s Italian Bauhaus Side Tables
MaterialsMetal
- Gio Ponti Desk for RIMA Made in Walnut, Chromed Steel and Plastic. Italy, 1950sBy RIMA, Gio PontiLocated in Chiavari, LiguriaThis writing desk, designed by renowned architect Gio Ponti in 1956, was specifically created for the Pirelli tower offices. The desk's dimensions are H. 75.5 x 170 x 75.5 cm, offering a spacious and functional work surface. Manufactured by Rima, Padova during the 1960s, this desk boasts a sturdy construction. Its frame is meticulously crafted from tubular chromed steel, providing excellent stability and structural integrity. The desk features drawers made from painted grey plastic, offering storage for essential office supplies and documents. The use of plastic ensures durability and ease of maintenance. The table top is elegantly crafted from walnut, showcasing the natural beauty of the wood while providing a smooth and comfortable writing surface. Notably, the desk is marked with "Rima Padova Italy" on its feet, signifying its authentic origin and manufacturer. Having undergone a comprehensive restoration process, including refinishing with oil, the desk is in excellent vintage condition, retaining its original charm while showcasing a refreshed appearance. Gio Ponti's writing desk stands as a testament to his design prowess, combining practicality, quality materials, and timeless aesthetics to create a truly remarkable piece of mid-century furniture. About the designer: Gio Ponti, born in Milan, Italy in 1891, was a prolific architect, designer, and writer who became one of the most influential figures of the mid-century modern movement. With a career spanning over six decades, Ponti's contributions to the fields of architecture and design are profound and enduring. In the 1920s, Ponti co-founded the influential design magazine Domus, through which he championed modernist principles and advocated for the integration of architecture, design, and art. His architectural projects ranged from residential and commercial buildings to cultural and religious institutions, each showcasing his signature blend of rationalism, craftsmanship, and elegance. Ponti's furniture designs reflect his belief in creating harmonious living environments. He collaborated with renowned manufacturers such as Cassina, producing iconic pieces like the Superleggera chair and the Distex armchair...Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
MaterialsSteel
- Gio Ponti Writing Desk in Walnut and Brass for the BNL Offices, Italy 1940sBy Schirolli, Gio PontiLocated in Chiavari, LiguriaA rare and collectable walnut desk with brass ferrules designed by Gio Ponti and produced by Schirolli (Mantova - Italy) in the 1940s for the Banca Nazionale del Lavoro (BNL - Nation...Category
Vintage 1940s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
MaterialsBrass
- Midcentury Organic Shaped Coffee Table in the Manner of Gio Ponti, circa 1950sBy Gio PontiLocated in London, GBa beautifully shaped wooden coffee or side table on black painted metal legs ending on hammered brass feet. The red half sphere linking the top to the legs is very unusual and avant ...Category
20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
MaterialsMetal, Brass
- Two-Tiered Occasional Table by Gio Ponti for Singer & Sons.By Gio PontiLocated in New York, NYOccasional Two-Tiered table by Gio Ponti for Singer & Sons, made in Italy, 1950's. Beautifully refinished in a rich medium brown walnut.Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Side Tables
MaterialsMahogany
- Gio Ponti Round Coffee Table in Walnut Wood Italian Manifacture 1940sBy Gio PontiLocated in Montecatini Terme, ITRound shaped coffee table with three legs, in walnut wood and brass details. Attribuited to Gio Ponti, Italian manufacture from the late 1940s to the early 1950s Gio Ponti was an icon of the modernist movement: the Italian designer, architect, artist and publisher contributed significantly to the worlds of architecture and design with his extensive work in fine furniture and ceramics, education, office and residential buildings, and everything in between. Giovanni, known as Gio Ponti was born in 1891 in Milan. It was there that he spent his childhood, and in 1921 he began to study architecture at the Politecnico di Milano. From 1923 to 1930 he served as the artistic director of the Richard-Ginori porcelain factory. In 1927, Ponti started his first architectural office, together with Emilio Lancia, and in 1928 he started the magazine Domus, which is still regarded as one of the most influential European magazines for architecture and design. He was also very influential during the period as a curator of the Milan Triennale. After his collaboration with Emilio Lancia had come to an end, upon completion of the Torre Rasini, he began to work as an architect together with the engineers Antonio Fornaroli and Eugenio Soncini...Category
Vintage 1940s Italian Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
MaterialsBrass
- Suitcase Holders by Gio Ponti in Oak and Brass, 1950sBy Gio PontiLocated in Antwerp, BEConsole tables designed by the renowned Gio Ponti, a fusion of oak and brass, originally created for the Hotel Parco in Sorrento. This particular set doubles as suitcase holders, a u...Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Console Tables
MaterialsBrass
- Pair of Italian Nightstands in the Style of Gio Ponti, circa 1950By Gio PontiLocated in London, GBA fantastic pair of midcentury Italian designed side chests in exotic wood with amazing marquetry double doors black glass top, sculptural black lac...Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Side Tables
MaterialsBrass
- Occasional Table from Italy in Walnut and Brass, 1950sLocated in Phoenix, AZTapered solid walnut and polished brass cocktail or occasional table from Italy, circa late 1950s. This lovely example has sculptural newly oiled walnut inserts with mirror polished ...Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Tables
MaterialsBrass
Recently Viewed
View AllRead More
Barnaba Fornasetti’s Hallucinatory House Has His Father’s Spirit
Behind a nondescript facade in northeastern Milan is the magical residence of Barnaba Fornasetti. It's a shrine to the style developed by his design-legend father, which still defies categorization.
Billy Cotton Layers His Interiors with Lived-In Comfort
The Brooklyn-based designer is adept at styles ranging from austere to over-the-top, espousing an architectural, detail-oriented approach also evident in his line of furniture and lighting.