Mid-Century Italian Wooden Magazine Rack Attributed to Ico Parisi, 1950s

About This Piece

Vintage Design

Lovely mid-century wood magazine rack. This fantastic item was produced in Italy during the 1950s and it is attributed to Ico Parisi. This piece is fantastic because of its luxurious materials: made of lacquered wood with glass side panels and visible brass screws finishes. A must-have for mid-century lovers in order to smarten a studio or an entrance hall. Ico Parisi was an Italian architect and designer. Born Domenico Parisi in 1916 in Palermo, Italy, he was involved in building construction and architecture in Como during his early adulthood. By the 1940s, Parisi took up filmmaking and began designing furniture in 1945, for which he would become most renowned. His designs are characterized by their Italian Mid-Century Modern aesthetic, constructed using softwoods often cut into boomerang-like shapes, augmented by metal slats and boldly colored upholstery. His most prolific period was the two decades that preceded 1965, when he married and formed a design team with his wife, Luisa Aiani, in 1948. He studied architecture between 1949–1952 under Alberto Sartoris at the Institute Atheneum in Lausanne, Switzerland, and became a member of the Associazione per il Disegno Industriale in 1956. Parisi died in 1996.

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Creator	Ico & Luisa Parisi
Production Period	1950 to 1959
Country of Manufacture	Italy
Style	Vintage, Mid-Century
Detailed Condition	Very Good — This vintage/antique item has no defects, but it may show slight traces of use.
Product Code	JDR-1125860
Restoration and Damage Details	Wear consistent with age and use.
Materials	Brass, Glass, Wood
Color	Brown
Width	45 cm 45 cm
Depth	17 cm 17 cm
Height	45 cm 45 cm
Weight Range	Standard — Between 40kg and 80kg

Shipping & Delivery

Ships from	Italy
Returns	Returns accepted within fourteen days of delivery, except for Made-to-order items

Sustainability

Carbon Neutral	For every purchase made, Pamono offsets 100% of estimated carbon emissions from global shipping.
Vintage	Choosing vintage and antique furniture reduces your carbon footprint by cutting down on waste and reduces demand for new materials and extends the life of the products we use.

Delivery Details

Delivery will be completed by a parcel service such as UPS, DHL, or FedEx.
You will receive a tracking number to monitor the status of your shipment.
Delivery will take place between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday.
A wooden crate may be used for intercontinental shipments for maximum protection.
Item will be left in its packaging after delivery.
A signature will be required upon delivery.

*Important Note

Please examine the packaging upon delivery. In the event that there are visible signs of damaged packaging, please indicate the problem on the Delivery Note, take pictures, and—if the item inside shows damages—contact us within 48 hours of delivery. A signed delivery receipt without notations regarding damaged packaging represents your acceptance of the completed order in perfect condition.

About the Creator

Ico & Luisa Parisi

Italian Husband-and-wife team Ico and Luisa Parisi designed together and alongside each other in their studio La Ruota in Como, Italy. With a look that epitomized the modern Italian style of the 1950s, the pair created many classic pieces of design together, the most famous perhaps being the Model 813 Uovo (Egg) Chair for Cassina (1951).

Born in 1916 in Palermo, architect-designer Domenico “Ico” Parisi trained in building construction in Como between 1931 and 1935. The following year, he worked in rationalist architect Giuseppe Terragni’s office in Como, which marked the beginning of his professional career—which briefly turned to filmmaking in the late 1930s. Returning to his original vocation in design, Ico was a founding member of both the Alta Quota and Gruppo Como architecture groups.

In 1947, he married fellow designer Luisa Aiani, the talented former protegée of Gio Ponti. Also a member of Alta Quota, the pair founded their studio La Ruota in Como, in April 1948. Between 1949 and 1952, Parisi studied architecture under Alberto Sartoris at the Institute Atheneum in Lausanne, Switzerland. In 1952, he became a member of the Art Club of Milan. In 1956, he became a member of the Associazione per il Disegno Industriale (ADI).

Parisi designed numerous interiors, furniture (primarily in wood and metal), glass, jewelry, and architecture projects, both independently and with Luisa. Their studio was a meeting place for collaborations between established artists and designers of the day. Clients included Singer & Sons, Altamira , M.I.M. , Longhi , and Cassina. Ico, in collaboration with architects Silvio Longhi and Luigi Antonietti, designed the Living Room Pavilion (Padiglione per il Soggiorno) for the tenth Triennale di Milano. Resembling the form of a circus tent, the reinforced concrete and glass walls formed a spiral shaped living room. Parisi and his team dedicated the space to a large communal lounge with library and bar.

Featured in the prestigious Domus magazine, the Parisis were celebrated for their organic designs and interiors. The Parisis’ friend Gio Ponti famously wrote to Ico Parisi to say: “My dear, your egg chair is a marvel. You are a master, and all that is left for me is to retire and live in Civate [near Como] in oblivion.” The duo’s collaboration with Cassina was a fruitful one, resulting many other famous designs including the Model 691 Chair (1955) and the Model 839, which were both short-listed for the Compasso d’Oro award in 1955.

Luisa Parisi passed away in 1990; Ico six years later in Como.