Alessandro Mendini - Design London Wednesday, November 2, 2022 | Phillips
  • The present coffee table is a prototype created by Alessandro Mendini that embodies a key moment in the history of Italian 20th century design. It reveals the working process of Studio Alchymia, who were the radical predecessors of the Memphis group. Alessandro Guerriero, co-founder of Studio Alchymia who personally followed the creation of the present lot clearly recalls its execution. He explained that having a 1:1 model in front of them was used to understand its measurements, materials and everything that concerned its construction. The ‘Ondoso’ model table was later developed as part of the Studio Alchymia’s ‘Bauhaus’ series from 1979 which evolved from this prototype to include bright green, orange, blue and yellow legs, and a central red dot on the tabletop.

    • Literature

      Andrea Branzi, The Hot House: Italian New Wave Design, Cambridge, 1984, p. 126 for a similar example
      Albrecht Bangert, Italienisches Möbeldesign: Klassiker von 1945 bis 1985, Munich, 1985, pp. 63, 139 for a similar example

    • Catalogue Essay

      Phillips wishes to thank Beatrice Felis at the Atelier Mendini and Alessandro Guerriero, co-founder of Studio Alchymia, for their assistance cataloguing the present lot.

37

Prototype 'Ondoso' coffee table

circa 1978
Plastic-laminated wood, steel.
32.6 x 116.5 x 98 cm (12 7/8 x 45 7/8 x 38 5/8 in.)
Produced by Studio Alchymia, Milan, Italy. Underside with label printed STUDIO/ALCHYMIA/MILANO.

Full Cataloguing

Estimate
£8,000 - 12,000 

Sold for £15,120

Contact Specialist

Antonia King
Head of Sale, Design
+44 20 7901 7944
Antonia.King@phillips.com

Design

London Auction 2 November 2022