Bvlgari 1982 By Ettore Sottsass Memphis Desk Paper Weight In Sterling And Agates
Paper Weight designed by Ettore Sottsass (1917-2007) for Bvlgari.
Gorgeous sculptural paperweight designed by Ettore Sottsass in Milan Italy, for the luxury house of Bulgari, back in the 1982. This piece has been made following the parameters design of the Memphis art movement, with a geometric pyramidal shape crafted with translucents blue agates and solid .925/.999 sterling. It is a very versatile piece to be used in the desk or just to enjoy as a little sculpture.
Weight: 164.65 grams (105.54 Dwt).
Measurements: 57 mm by 57 mm by 67 mm (2.24 x 2.24 x 2.64 Inches).
Hallmarks: Stamped with the maker's mark, the Italian control mark for the warranty and assay of the silver, the serial numbers and signed in full, "BVLGARI STERLING .925 MADE IN ITALY *157FI BA12895".
Ettore Sottsass born in Innsbruck, Austria in 14 September 1917. He was a 20th century Italian architect, noted for also designing furniture, jewellery, glass, lighting, home and office wares, as well as numerous buildings and interiors, often defined by bold colours. With the rise of new groups (Global tools, Archizoom, Superstudio, UFO, Zigurat, 9999...) the handmade appeared suddenly as the new game for experimentation, a lot of these new groups playing in this new/old path to renew creation. In October 1980, Sottsass was confronted with two proposals, one from Renzo Brugola, a dear old friend and carpenter, telling him his will "to make something together like in the good old times,” and the other one from Mario and Brunella Godani, owners of the Design Gallery Milano, who asked him to create "new furniture" for their gallery. Ettore Sottsass founded the Memphis Group in Milan on 11 December 1980, after the Bob Dylan song "Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again" played during the group's inaugural meeting. The group was active from 1981 to 1988. The Memphis group was created in a reaction against the status quo. Sottsass centered the group's thinking around “radical, funny, and outrageous”—essentially, disregarding what was considered in “good taste” at that time. Art deco, the color palette of Pop Art and Kitsch theme from the 1950's inspired their work. Colorful laminate and terrazzo were commonly found in their work and incorporated in floors, tables and lamps.
The Memphis Group was a postmodern, collaborative, architecture and design group founded by Sottsass in Milan Italy. The group focused heavily on furniture design with an emphasis on unconventional types. The designers became well known for their bright and bold pieces with clashing colors. At the time, furniture was solely meant to be functional. However, the Memphis Group sought to prove otherwise with their highly decorative pieces. They poked fun at everyday pieces and turned them into works of art. Many criticized and said it was just a trend that wouldn’t last. Their unconventional ideas were controversial but have now become widely recognized and appreciated. The work continues to be influential throughout the world and can be seen in the Art Institute of Chicago, the Design Museum in London, The Museum of Modern Art in New York and many others.
Bvlgari, was founded in the late 19th century by Sotirio Bulgari, who was born in 1857 in Greece and was descended from a talented family of silversmiths. In 1884 he opened his first shop in Rome on the Via Sistina, and then in 1905 he moved to the actual flag's store in Via dei Condotti. Upon Sotirio’s death in 1932 his sons, Giorgio and Costantino, took over the business. They are credited with creating the highly distinctive ‘Bvlgari’ style, inspired by Greek and Roman classicism revival, the Italian Renaissance, and the 19th century Roman school of goldsmiths. The 1970s marked the beginning of Bulgari’s international expansion with the opening of stores in New York (the first overseas), Paris, Geneva and Monte Carlo.
The Memphis style
Was emerged in 1981, when the Italian designer and architect Ettore Sottsass founded a group of artists and designers called Memphis. Bob Dylan’s song 'Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again' was playing on repeat during the group’s first meeting, which led to the group being named 'Memphis'. After the inaugural meeting, the group decided that they would meet again in February 1981. The members brought over 100 drawings with them, picturing a variety of bold, colorful designs with multiple stylistic influences. The Memphis Group went on to create furniture, fabrics, patterns, ceramics and other products in a distinctly Postmodern style that blended stylistic traits of 1950s kitsch, Art Deco, and Pop Art. If you love unashamedly brash and bold colors and patterns, you’ll be very happy to hear that the Memphis Style, the design style pioneered by the 1980s Memphis Group, is very much back in vogue.
Collateral: It is accompanied by a presentation jewelry pouch.
Condition: The overall condition of this paperweight is good. Beside the little normal wear, with only a little bump in the silver. This piece has been carefully inspected to guarantee the condition and authenticity.
INVENTORY REF: D012923SNML/4.881
