One of the most enigmatic and polarizing figures to emerge in Italian design, Aldo Tura is an outlier in the world of mid-century furniture. The designer’s glamorous bar carts, coffee tables, cabinets and more resist categorization and draw inspiration from Art Deco, Art Nouveau, Baroque, Surrealist and modernist styles.
Tura moved through distinct phases in his career in terms of aesthetics, influences and finishes, rendering his life’s work exciting and diverse. Despite these phases, he held a singular devotion to one material: lacquered goatskin. Tura established a furniture production house in 1939 in Lombardy, and some of his early work focused on tables, decorative lamps and more. He later expanded to bar furnishings like rolling carts, cabinets and complementary barware accessories like ice buckets and cocktail shakers. The eccentric, gleaming and luxe surface of lacquered goatskin was a constant, along with eggshell, parchment and leather.
By the 1950s, Tura had begun to use hand-painted figural panels on the surface of cabinets, serveware (such as carafes) and other pieces. He even replicated famous works by artists like Monet and Bruegel the Elder and art from the Middle Ages, sometimes playfully embedding the paintings on cabinets shaped like oversize books. Even though he had a favored color palette of rich chocolate browns and deep emeralds, his style remained consistently hard to define.
Tura was unlike most of his Italian contemporaries but held a similar reverence for the nation’s traditional craftsmanship and artisanal techniques. He never followed the growing trend of mass-produced, industrial furniture and stuck to creating small, meticulously handcrafted collections. This principled choice means that today, a Tura piece is a rare and highly coveted collectible. The Tura firm continues to operate in Brianza, promoting Italian craftsmanship and the eclectic materials embraced by their namesake designer.
Find authentic vintage Aldo Tura furniture today on 1stDibs.
Aldo Tura Round Ashtray, Parchment & Brass, Mid-Century Modern
By Aldo Tura
Located in bari, IT
Round ashtray made in the first half of the 1970s in hand-applied parchment, with brass parts. Made by Aldo Tura TuRa made in Italy Tura Aldo (1909-1963) Biography Aldo Tura is an I...
Brass
Midcentury Floor Ashtray Goatskin and Metal by Aldo Tura, Italy 1950s
By Aldo Tura
Located in Rome, IT
Amazing standing ashtray in goatskin and metal details made by the Italian designer Aldo Tura. Made in Italy in the 1950s. One of the most enigmatic and polarizing figures to e...
Metal
Aldo Tura Vintage Push Down Ashtray in Chromed Brass and Goatskin, Italy 50s
By Aldo Tura
Located in Roma, IT
We are pleased to offer for sale an elegant mid-20th century Push Down Ashtray, a design certainly attributable to Aldo Tura. Made in Italy between the 1950s and 1960s, this vintage ...
Brass
floor ashtray design aldo tura for macabo italy 1950
By Aldo Tura
Located in taranto, IT
rare floor ashtray designed by aldo tura for macabo Cusano Milanino, about 1952. made in goat skin , parchment, with brass top ashtray. measurements: height cm 53, diameter cm 13 ve...
Parchment Paper
Hand Carved Wood Ashtray by Aldo Tura for Macabo, Italy, 1950s
By Aldo Tura, Macabo
Located in Rome, IT
Ashtray in hand carved wood by Aldo Tura for Macabo, Italy, 1950s. On the bottom the original stamp is still visible, as shown in photos.
Metal
$1,392
H 1.19 in W 4.53 in D 3.55 in
Solid Brass Ashtray by Werkstätte Carl Auböck, 1960s Mid-Century Modern
By Werkstätte Carl Auböck
Located in Berlin, DE
Carl Auböck ashtray in solid brass, executed in an organic, pebble-like form with a small integrated rest, characteristic of Auböck’s sculptural yet fun...
Brass
Red Ice Bucket in Goatskin and Brass by Aldo Tura, Italy, 1960s
By Aldo Tura
Located in Rome, IT
Ice bucket by the Italian designer Aldo Tura (original label still attached - Tura Creazioni) in red goatskin and brass details, 1960s.
Metal, Brass
$928 / set
H 11.03 in W 9.06 in D 6.3 in
Aldo Tura Decorative Bar Set in Carved Wood and Brass, Macabo, Italy 1950s
By Macabo, Aldo Tura
Located in Roma, IT
Beautiful bar set in carved wood and brass. This lovely set was designed by Aldo Tura and produced by Macabo in Milano, Italy during the 1950s. The set consist of a pitcher, 6 glass...
Metal, Brass
$294
H 0.39 in W 4.33 in D 4.33 in
Mid-Century Modern Brass Ashtray, Gold Finish, Vintage Design, 1950s
Located in Hamburg, DE
Mid-Century Brass Ashtray, 1950s, in Very Good conditions. Designed 1950 to 1959. Additional information: Materials: Brass Color: Gold Styles: Mid-Century Modern Item Type: Vintage,...
Brass
Vintage Fly Ashtray in Brass, 1950s
Located in Mexico City, CDMX
We offer this rare and decorative ashtray in solid brass, circa 1950.
Brass
$266
H 2.45 in W 5.12 in D 5.12 in
Ercole Barovier Murano Glass Ashtray Italy 50s Mid-Century Barovier & Toso
By Barovier&Toso, Ercole Barovier
Located in Palermo, IT
ERCOLE BAROVIER . Barovier & Toso production, Italian design from the 50s. Star-shaped ashtray in clear, bubbling glass, semi-spherical body with reliefs, flat circular mouth. Also e...
Murano Glass
Italian Mid-Century Hand-Carved Alabaster Ashtray, 1950s Brutalist
Located in Barntrup, DE
An adorable Italian genuine alabaster hand-carved ashtray with irregular shapes and beautiful colors from light beige to gray. Italy, circa the 1950s...
Alabaster
Mid-Century Modern Ashtray
Located in San Pedro Garza Garcia, Nuevo Leon
Mid-Century Modern ashtray, It has some chips, for more photos or video upon request
Ceramic
$1,450
H 5.12 in Dm 5.52 in
Tommaso Barbi Signed “Egg” Ashtrays / Catchall in Brass & Chrome, Italy 1970s
By Tommaso Barbi
Located in Roma, IT
Fantastic and iconic sculptural “egg” stacking ashtray in an elegant combination of brass and chrome-plated metal. This iconic piece was designed by Tommaso Barbi and produced in Ita...
Brass, Chrome
Vintage Blue Ceramic Ashtray Handcrafted in Italy by Aldo Londi 1950
By Bitossi, Aldo Londi
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Vintage Blue Ceramic Ashtray Handcrafted in Italy by Aldo Londi 1950 Round "Rimini Blu" enameled terra cotta cigar ashtray by Aldo Londi for Bitossi. Handcrafted in Italy with hand c...
Stoneware
Mid Century Modern Italian Ceramic Ashtray
Located in San Diego, CA
A really nice mid-century modern Italian ceramic ashtray circa 1960s. The piece is in very good vintage condition with no chips, cracks or crazin...
Ceramic
Aldo Tura Ice Bucket -- Red Goatskin & Brass -- Mid-Century Italian
By Aldo Tura
Located in Minneapolis, MN
Here is an attractive ice bucket by the Italian designer, Aldo Tura, This example is in a beautiful, rich, lacquered red parchment with brass trim, handle and lid. This piece is in g...
Brass
Aldo Tura, rare cream parchment floor ashtray, Italy 1950s
By Aldo Tura
Located in Firenze, IT
Rare parchment floor ashtray Designed and executed by Aldo Tura. Italy 1950s Wood covered with aniline-dyed parchment. Brass details. Along with artists like Piero Fornasetti and...
Brass
Aldo Tura Square Resin Ashtray with Brass Well
By Aldo Tura
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Square resin ashtray with a deep round brass well by Aldo Tura, c.1960s, Italy. The ashtray features a bluish marbled resin body with center brass well. This piece can be used for it...
Brass
Aldo Tura, green goatskin parchment large floor ashtray, Italy 1960s
By Aldo Tura
Located in Firenze, IT
Green parchment large floor bowl / ashtray. Designed and executed by Aldo Tura. Italy 1960s. Along with artists like Piero Fornasetti and Carlo Bugatti, ...
Metal
Aldo Tura Lacquered Goatskin Ashtray on Brass Tripod
By Aldo Tura
Located in Hanover, MA
Aldo Tura 1960s standing ashtray or vide poche made of wood applied with lacquered goatskin in green pigment dye with dark speckles mounted in a solid brass tripod Stand. Brass finis...
Brass
Aldo Tura Standing Ashtray Red Goatskin
By Aldo Tura
Located in Munich, DE
Aldo Tura tripod standing ashtray Red Goatskin Measures: H 48 D 22.
Brass, Metal
Sold
H 25.6 in Dm 5.52 in
Mid-Century Modern Goatskin Standing Ashtray or Smoke Stand by Aldo Tura 1960s
By Aldo Tura
Located in München, BY
Extremely rare, elegant and highly decorative Mid-Century Modern standing ashtray or smoke stand. Designed & manufactured by Italian designer Aldo Tura, Italy, 1960s. Executed in ...
Brass
Vintage Italian Goatskin and Brass Ashtray by Aldo Tura, 1960s
By Aldo Tura
Located in View Park, CA
A Mid-Century Modern goatskin ashtray with brass inlay by Aldo Tura, circa 1960s. Made in Italy. Base is a marble-like coated stone in French lapis blue. Glorious patina to the metal...
Brass
Aldo Tura Goatskin Ashtray Milan, Italy
By Aldo Tura
Located in Munster, NRW
Extraordinary goatskin ashtray from Aldo Tura in beautiful green. We have many more objects from Aldo Tura in our program. Please have a look at our other matching objects.
Brass
Aldo Tura Pair of 20th Century '1960s' Italian Standing Floor Ashtrays
By Aldo Tura
Located in North Miami, FL
A pair of 20th century (1960s) Italian standing floor ashtrays in goatskin and metal brass details made by Aldo Tura. They are modeled as a King and a Queen. Both have small doors to...
Metal, Brass
Mid-Century Modern Ashtray by Aldo Tura Milan, 1950s
By Aldo Tura
Located in Amsterdam, NL
Stunning and rare Mid-Century Modern ashtray. Design by Aldo Tura. Striking Italian design from the 1950s. Lacquered goatskin with gilt brass. Marked with original label. In ver...
Brass
Aldo Tura Brown Goatskin Smoke Stand Ashtray, Italy, 1960s
By Aldo Tura
Located in Rome, IT
Standing ashtray in brown goatskin and metal nickel details and handle made by the Italian designer Aldo Tura in Italy in the 1960s.
Metal
A 1960s Aldo Tura Mid-Century Modern Beige Goatskin and Brass Ashtray
By Aldo Tura
Located in Aci Castello, IT
A rare mid-century modern ashtray handcrafted in Italy in the Sixties, designed by Aldo Tura for Tura creazioni. It's in very good conditions, labeled on the bottom. Aldo Tura was an...
Brass