In Aldo Bakker’s sculptural console tables, seating and decorative objects, the Dutch designer prioritizes form over function and increasingly blurs the lines between art and furniture.
Bakker began to craft jewelry and models for his parents in 1987. His father is Gijs Bakker, the designer and cofounder of Droog, and his mother is Emmy van Leersum, the avant-garde jewelry maker who collaborated with her husband on monumental collars, bracelets and headpieces that set the fashion world atwitter in the 1960s and ’70s. With no formal training — he dropped out of design school after mere months — Aldo evolved quickly as a designer, exploring sculpture and creating furniture, utensils and other home goods.
Bakker secured commissions for legendary Danish silverware firm Georg Jensen and took to studying artists of all mediums. He found inspiration in the work of composer Luigi Nono, painter Giorgio Morani and architect-designer Carlo Scarpa. He has spent months or even years producing drawings and models in his studio, refining ideas for a particular shape before deciding what sort of object it should be. Then, he usually partners with a craftsperson capable of making it in a specified material, like silver, glass, ceramic, wood or lacquer.
In addition to the work he’s done for Georg Jensen, Bakker has created pieces for Austrian jewelry company Swarovski, Danish design brand Karakter, French silversmiths Puiforcat and more. He has commanded attention at the Looiersgracht 60 and has had solo exhibitions at Atelier Courbet in New York, the Libby Sellers Gallery in London and the Villa Noailles in France and the Vivid Gallery in Rotterdam, among others.
Bakker’s work is held in the permanent collections of the Museum of Modern Art, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Centre Pompidou, the Rijksmuseum and other institutions.
On 1stDibs, find Aldo Bakker tables, case pieces and storage cabinets.
Achille Castiglioni and Giancarlo Pozzi 'Trio' Corner Furniture by Karakter
By Aldo Bakker
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Corner Furniture designed by Achille Castiglioni and Giancarlo Pozzi in 1988. Castiglioni is said to ponder a lot on lost space. Empty inches and square meters that could be filled...
Wood
Achille Castiglioni and Giancarlo Pozzi 'Trio' Corner Furniture by Karakter
By Aldo Bakker
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Corner Furniture designed by Achille Castiglioni and Giancarlo Pozzi in 1988. Castiglioni is said to ponder a lot on lost space. Empty inches and square meters that could be fill...
Wood
Set of Two 'Trio' Corner Furniture by Achille C. and Giancarlo P. for Karakter
By Aldo Bakker
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Corner Furniture designed by Achille Castiglioni and Giancarlo Pozzi in 1988. Castiglioni is said to ponder a lot on lost space. Empty inches and square meters that could be fill...
Wood
Achille Castiglioni and Giancarlo Pozzi 'Trio' Corner Furniture by Karakter
By Aldo Bakker
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Corner Furniture designed by Achille Castiglioni and Giancarlo Pozzi in 1988. Castiglioni is said to ponder a lot on lost space. Empty inches and square meters that could be fill...
Wood
$2,963Sale Price|24% Off
H 52.5 in W 25.5 in D 12 in
Vintage Open Neoclassical Maple Built in Corner Shelving Cabinet Salvage
Located in Vancouver, British Columbia
High end vintage corner cabinet built along the neoclassical style with fluted edges. Excellent for a built in project. Ideal for books and disp...
Maple
Sold|$2,217
H 81.11 in W 44.49 in D 26.78 in
19th Century antique Biedermeier Corner Cupboard Cuba Mahogany Veneer
Located in Berlin, DE
Cuba mahogany on pinewood. Straight casted two-door body on profile-framed base. Slightly protruding top plate. Recessed, one-Lane grille-glazed top, flanked by adjusted columns with fine ornament-carved base and capitals. Stepped profile gable with cantilevered so-called Schinkeldach. Internal shelving. The corner cabinet is in an unrestored condition with a warm patina grown over decades. This corner display case...
Mahogany
Fine Bamboo & Black Lacquer Corner Stands
Located in Greenwich, CT
A refined and elegant bamboo corner stand, four black lacquer shelves with rounded front, lattice fret work railing. First two photos shown two st...
Bamboo, Lacquer
$25,400Sale Price|27% Off
H 56.5 in W 47.25 in D 33.25 in
'Pompeiana' Corner Cabinet by Piero Fornasetti, Italy, 2 of 2 in 1988, Signed
By Piero Fornasetti
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This 'much larger than it looks' collectors item is the 'Pompeiana' corner cabinet by Piero Fornasetti, completed in 1988, signed, dated and numbered 2 of 2. Fornasetti cabinets, es...
Brass
$2,334
H 68.51 in W 39.38 in D 21.66 in
Mid Century Modern danish corner cabinet teak By Dyrlund , 1960s
By Dyrlund
Located in Gaggenau, DE
Mid Century Modern danish corner cabinet teak By Dyrlund , 1960s Design year: 1960s Danish Design Dimensions: 55 D x 100 W x 174 H cm with re...
Teak
$2,746
H 64 in W 30 in D 21 in
Heals, Attributed an Anglo-Japanese Aesthetic Movement Butterfly Corner Cabinet
By Ambrose Heal
Located in London, GB
Heals, attributed. An Anglo-Japanese aesthetic movement corner cabinet with shaped uprights and open fretwork with butterfly motifs, an open mirror bac...
Wood
Rosewood Corner Cabinet
Located in Puslinch, ON
Condition: Great Vintage Condition Dimensions: 33.75" x 21.25" D x 54.75" H Description: A vintage rosewood corner cabinet. Freshly imported from Denmark. In great condition. Comes...
Rosewood
$616Sale Price|51% Off
H 37.41 in W 22.05 in D 15.36 in
Decorative Corner Dresser/Corner Shelf, England, 20th Century
Located in Berlin, DE
Decorative corner dresser/corner shelf, England 20th century. Solid wood corner shelf on three floors/shelves. High curved legs. Cover plate with inl...
Wood
$1,176Sale Price|30% Off
H 53.15 in W 18.12 in D 12.21 in
Late 19th Century Dutch Hand Carved Corner Shelf with Inlaid Decorations
Located in Sofia, BG
Corner shelf with four shelves of two sizes inlaid with vase and plant scrolls, the uprights turned and moulded. In Dutch taste, late 19th century. Measures: Top. 135 cm - Widt...
Wood
$1,197Sale Price|20% Off
H 41 in W 33 in D 18.5 in
English 18th Century Oak Corner Wall Cabinet with Small Inlay and Two Shelves
Located in Santa Monica, CA
English 18th Century Oak Corner Wall Cabinet with Small Inlay and Two Shelves
Oak
Mahogany Corner Cabinet
Located in Annville, PA
The Mahogany Corner Cabinet. A two part Corner China Closet which can be shipped and installed easily is made from kiln dried, plantation grown...
Glass, Mahogany
$4,942
H 50 in W 25 in D 15 in
Aesthetic Movement ebonised hanging corner cabinet by Bruce Talbert for Gillows
By Gillows of Lancaster & London
Located in Tunbridge Wells, GB
Fine quality English Aesthetic Movement ebonised and gilt hanging corner cabinet with painted floral decoration. The cabinet was designed by Bruce J Talbert and is attributed to Gil...
Mahogany