Poltronova Sideboard in Walnut with Fall Orange Fabric Fronts

Poltronova, sideboard, walnut, fabric, Italy, 1960s

This striking 1960s sideboard by Poltronova combines a restrained architectural form with a particularly rich use of colour and material. The long, low cabinet is executed in beautifully figured walnut, its warm grain emphasizing the strong horizontal character of the piece. A central arrangement of drawers is balanced by compartments on either side clad in a fall-orange fabric, while the slender recessed base gives the substantial volume an unexpectedly light appearance.

An intriguing connection can be made with a permanent exhibition on interior design established by Poltronova in 1963. In a small town near Prato in Tuscany, the company’s directors conceived an ambitious exhibition in which furniture from Poltronova’s own production was presented alongside outstanding examples of serially manufactured furniture from around the world. Ettore Sottsass was entrusted with the design of the exhibition and its interiors.

Period photographs of one of the exhibition rooms show a cabinet that bears a notable resemblance to the present sideboard, particularly in its proportions, construction and combination of timber with coloured inset panels. This visual relationship raises the possibility that the design may be connected to Sottsass himself.