my husband, bob, and i arrived in milan on the final day of the osvaldo borsani retrospective at la triennale di milano design museum.
the retrospective was designed and curated by the norman foster foundation and l’archivio osvaldo borsani (the osvaldo borsani archive), in partnership with the museum.
the design of the exhibition was exceptional. over 300 objects were organized chronologically from 1925-1985, and installed along opposite walls of the U-shaped gallery. archival materials, including drawings, documents, and photographs, hung opposite furniture and objects displayed on a cubic grid system inspired by american artist, sol lewitt.
the exhibition was also exceptionally well curated. the documents corresponded with the objects. so, it was easy to understand the creative context.
osvaldo borsani | 16 may-15 september | la triennale di milano | milan, italy
osvaldo borsani (1911-1985) was not only a visionary twentieth century architect, designer, and industrial designer, but also the co-founder of the contract furniture brand, tecno. however, as a residential interior designer, i was most interested in the furniture that he designed during the 1930’s, 1940’s, and 1950’s for arredamenti borsani varedo (borsani varedo furnishings) (abv), his family’s furniture business.
osvaldo borsani (1911-1985)
bar | travertine, walnut wood, parchment, glass, brass | abv | 1940’s | dimore gallery collection
sofa | wood, mahogany wood, velvet fabric | abv | 1935 | private collection
l’archivio di varedo / interni / casa m | photographs 4 and 8, rendering 9
table | maple wood, glass | abv | 1939 | private collection
table | black lacquered wood, gilding, glass | abv | 1939 | nicolas kilner gallery collection
osvaldo borsani (1911-1985)
bar | maple wood, mirror, lighting | abv | 1939 | private collection
l’archivio di varedo / anni ’40 | rendering 2
desk | walnut wood | abv | 1947 | atelier automobili amos collection
armchairs | wood, fabric | abv | 1948 | private collection
l’archivio di varedo / collaborazioni | photograph 31
table | walnut wood, glass | abv | 1939 | jochum rodgers collection, berlin
osvaldo borsani (1911-1985)
wardrobe | maple wood | abv | 1940 | private collection
dresser | maple wood, mirror, brass | abv | private collection
table | walnut wood, silvered glass, lighting | abv | 1940 ) galleria michela cattai collection
l’archivio di varedo / prodotti atelier | photograph 79
side chairs | walnut wood, fabric | abv | 1940 | galleria michela cattai collection
l’archivio di varedo / anni ’40 | drawing 15
osvaldo borsani (1911-1985)
bed | wood | abv | 1938 | private collection
cabinet | wood, glass, lighting | abv | 1941 | private collection
l’archivio di varedo / prodotti atelier | photograph 99
armchairs | wood, velvet fabric | 1944 | private collection
osvaldo borsani (1911-1985)
bar | white lacquered wood | abv | 1939 | jochum rodgers collection, berlin
mirror with shelf | wood, glass, lighting | abv | 1948 | fragile collection
card table | wood, inlay | abv | 1942 | private collection
desk | wood, | abv, later tecno | 1953 | private collection
side chairs | wood, fabric | abv | 1938 | britt moran and emiliano salci collection
l’archivio di varedo / anni ’30 | renderings 23 and 27
l’archivio di varedo / interni / casa m | photograph 3
bar | wood, leather, velvet, murano glass | abv | 1940 | private collection
osvaldo borsani (1911-1985)
mirror and shelf | gilded wood, marble, optional lighting | abv | 1950 | private collection
l’archivio di varedo / prodotti atelier | photograph 118
console | white lacquered wood, brass | abv | 1940’s | private collection, turin
armchair | wood, fabric | abv | 1941 | private collection
l’archivio di varedo / prodotti atelier | photographs 73 and 82
table | brass, wood or glass top | abv | 1948 | private collection
l’archivio di varedo / prodotti atelier | photographs 124 and 125
l’archivio di varedo / collaborazioni | photograph 26
osvaldo borsani (1911-1985)
sideboard | rosewood, bronze | abv | 1945 | private collection
table | brass, wood | abv | 1949 | private collection
l’archivio di varedo / anni ’50 | rendering 21
console | gilded wood, marble | abv | 1947 | private collection
l’archivio di varedo / prodotti atelier | photograph 143
table | brass, marble | abv | 1941 | private collection
l’archivio di varedo / anni ’50 | rendering 16
table | brass, wood or glass top | 1950 | abv | private collection
armchair | wood, velvet fabric | 1945 | private collection
osvaldo borsani (1911-1985)
sideboard | walnut wood, inlay | abv | 1943 | private collection
console | maple wood | abv | 1945 | private collection
table | wood, marble or glass top | abv | 1947 | private collection
l’archivio di varedo / prodotti atelier | photograph 121
floor lamp | coated metal | abv | 1945 | private collection
table | wood, glass | abv | 1947 | private collection
armchair | walnut wood, fabric | abv | 1946 | private collection
osvaldo borsani (1911-1985)
console | mahogany wood, glass | abv | 1949 | private collection
l’archivio di varedo / prodotti atelier | photograph 138
l’archivio di varedo / collaborazioni | photograph 39
sideboard | rosewood, bronze | abv | 1945 | private collection
armchairs | wood, wood or bakelite armrests, fabric | abv, later tecno | 1946-1953 | private collection, and prada collection
l’archivio di varedo / anni ’40 | rendering 36
l’archivio di varedo / prodotti atelier | photographs 115, 116, 135, and 142
table | rosewood, glass | abv | 1947 | private collection
table | maple wood, engraved glass | abv | 1946 | private collection
l’archivio di varedo / prodotti atelier | photograph 119
l’archivio di varedo / collaborazioni | photograph 5
osvaldo borsani (1911-1985)
console | mahogany wood, white granite | abv | presented at the IX trienniale | 1951 | private collection
l’archivio di varedo / prodotti atelier | photograph 137
sofa | abv, later tecno | 1952 | private collection
armchairs | wood, wood or bakelite armrests, fabric | abv, later tecno | 1953 | private collection
l’archivio di varedo / anni ’50 | drawing 24
l’archivio di varedo / prodotti atelier | photograph 144
l’archivio di varedo / collaborazioni | photographs 25 and 38
l’archivio di varedo | interni | casa n | photograph 3
table | wood, onyx | abv, later tecno | 1953 | private collection
osvaldo borsani (1911-1985)
bar | mahogany wood, bronze | handles designed by lucio fontana | abv | 1949 | dimore gallery collection
console | wood, marble | abv | 1944 | private collection
triennale side chairs | wood, fabric | abv | presented at the IX triennale | 1951 | dimore gallery collection
l’archivio di varedo / prodotti atelier | photograph 136
are you inspired to begin collecting borsani furniture from the 1930’s, 1940’s, or 1950’s?
if so, you could consider bidding on the triennale table and chairs offered in the italian design auction at christie’s in london on 17 october 2018.
osvaldo borsani (1911-1985) | a ‘triennale’ dining suite, designed 1951 | estimate GBP 12,000.00-18,000.00
thinking italian design | sale 16017 | lot 17 | christie’s london | 17 october 2018
or, maybe on the tables offered in the important design auction at phillips in london on 18 october 2018.
osvaldo borsani (1911-1985) | pair of side tables | circa 1948 | estimate GBP 5000.00-7000.00
important design | sale uk050318 | lot 30 | phillips london | 18 october 2018
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