Pair of 1930s Art Deco Cream Ceramic Vases With Wind Motif & Craqueleur Finish by Manufacture Imperiale Royale Nimy

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This stunning pair of post modernist candlesticks were realized by the iconoclastic and inimitable Ettore Sottsass for Swid Powell. These … Read more This stunning pair of post modernist candlesticks were realized by the iconoclastic and inimitable Ettore Sottsass for Swid Powell. These pieces feature a volumetric square silverplated base stacked with a brass rectangular panel at a biased angle with another silverplated (and smaller) piece on top at an askew irregular angle. This kind of whimsical asymmetricality represented an integral part of Sottsass aesthetic- proving that playfulness can also equate to high design. The bodies of the candlesticks consist of two rectangular legs that adjoin a volumetric brass rectilinear embellishment skewered in the center of each piece. From this brass detail, a single rectangular arm ascends where it meets a silver sconce detail crowned with a conical candleholder. With its avant garde silhouette and striking mixture of metallic tones, this piece is not only a functonal candleholder but an objet d'art in its own right that promises to beautify any surface that it graces. The pair is in excellent vintage condition. Signed "Made in Italy Swid Powell Sottsass" on the underside of each sconce detail.

Sottsass cofounded the Memphis movement in Milan in 1981 as an effort to be the last word on modernist movements of the past, and as a reaction against the status quo. 1960s and 70s mid-century modern design were interested in reduction of form, traditionally "good" taste and a pursuit of minimalism. To counter that, Sottsass centered the group's thinking around “radical, funny, and outrageous” design that wasn't afraid to be maximalist and outre. Memphis has been collected by design cognoscenti as well those with confident (and discerning taste) since its inception but has had a major resurgence (and been all the rage) for at least the past decade with major museum shows celebrating the work of Sottsass and others.

Italy, circa 1980

Dimensions:

Height: 13.75 in (34.93 cm) x Diameter: 2.75 in (6.99 cm) See less