Of his mid-century modern furniture designs, which marry minimalist simplicity with elegance and symmetry, Italian designer Giovanni Offredi once said: “Beauty should not be confused with appearance, since the latter is the superficial part of the form.”
Born in Milan, in 1927, Offredi did not pursue formal education as an architect, unlike many of his contemporaries in the first half of the 20th century. He also did not begin designing furniture until later in his career. His earliest known furnishings were commissioned by wealthy Milanese families in 1960.
It wasn’t until the late 1960s — when Offredi met Sergio Saporiti, owner of Italian furniture manufacturer and design shop Saporiti — that his furniture designs would become more prominent. In 1970, Offredi entered into a partnership with Saporiti, producing several innovative and modernistic furniture lines.
Among Offredi’s most notable pieces are the gently curving Wave chair, sofa and lounge chair, the Onda coffee table and the Paracarro dining room table, with its cylindrical concrete base, glass top and metal cross section. He also designed a series of credenzas and sideboards in lacquered wood, featuring a high gloss finish and bold colors.
Offredi enjoyed a successful collaboration with Saporiti throughout the 1970s. In 1984, he began a partnership with Italian cabinet and kitchen manufacturer Snaidero, designing modern kitchens. His final kitchen design, Kube, in 2006, featured streamlined forms, contrasting materials and colors and a recessed aluminum toe kick with a reflective mirror finish, which made the kitchen appear suspended above the ground. The kitchen won a Good Design Award from the Chicago Design Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design, in 2008. Offredi never had the opportunity to accept that prize — he died in 2007.
Although Offredi’s works are relatively obscure, they are sought out by in-the-know furniture collectors and enthusiasts worldwide.
On 1stDibs, discover a range of vintage Giovanni Offredi chairs, tables, case pieces and storage cabinets.
Giovanni Offredi, Credenza / Bar cabinet, prod. Saporiti Italia, anni '70
By Giovanni Offredi, Saporiti
Located in Rivoli, IT
Rare sideboard / bar cabinet Struttura in legno laccato, particolari in acciaio, impiallacciatura in radica. Manufacturer's label Prod. Saporiti, Italia, anni '70
Wood
Rare Italian Geometric Dry Totem Bar by Giovanni Offredi for Saporiti, c. 1990's
By Giovanni Offredi
Located in Deland, FL
Rare Italian Geometric Dry Totem Bar by Giovanni Offredi for Saporiti, Italy, c. 1990's About: Introducing a true Italian Modern masterpiece: a rare totem dry bar, designed by the i...
Steel
Rolling Dry Bar Designed by Gio Tirotto for Mingardo
By Mingardo, Gio Tirotto
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Rolling is a cart for serving spirits. The project researches the best combination between simply primordially being and high quality handmade. “The same way how I would describe the best gin tonic...
Iron
$1,596Sale Price|20% Off
H 49.5 in W 27.75 in D 17 in
Rare Italian Marquetry Dry Martini Liquor Bar Cabinet Circa 1960
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
This rare Italian marquetry bar cabinet from circa 1960 is a stunning piece of mid-20th-century craftsmanship, blending neoclassical inspiration with timeless elegance. Beautifully veneered in fine walnut and satinwood, the cabinet features intricate floral and urn marquetry designs throughout, displaying the artistry and precision typical of Italian decorative furniture. The front panel is adorned with a central urn filled with flowers, surrounded by delicate geometric and scrolling inlays, while the sides and legs echo these refined motifs. The cabinet opens to reveal a fitted dry bar interior, perfectly designed for housing martini glasses, cocktail essentials, and liquor bottles. Its compact yet practical size makes it an ideal piece for a sophisticated home bar, adding both storage and style to your living room, study, or lounge. The elegant tapered legs, inlaid with floral detailing, give the piece a light, graceful presence. This Italian dry martini liquor bar...
Mahogany, Rosewood, Satinwood, Tulipwood
Vintage Italian World Globe Dry Bar, 1960s
Located in Miami, FL
This vintage 1960s Italian dry bar is perfect for adding a touch of classic European flair to your home. The globe design is made of wood, giving it an authentic and timeless look. T...
Wood
$10,235 / set
H 79.53 in W 55.12 in D 22.84 in
Rare Italian Mid-Century Walnut Dry Bar Cabinet with Hammered Copper Top
Located in Antwerp, BE
This exceptional Italian bar cabinet, originating from Rome, is a striking example of sophisticated mid-century Italian craftsmanship. Designed as a two-piece ensemble, the mobile lower bar seamlessly rolls into the wall unit, creating an elegant and highly functional composition. The cabinet is distinguished by its beautifully sculpted geometric doors, each inset with faceted smoked glass panels that catch and reflect the light, giving the piece a refined architectural presence. The rich walnut veneer, combined with the dramatic hammered copper countertop...
Brass, Copper, Metal
Danish Viking Bar Cabinet
Located in St.Petersburg, FL
A very unusual, hand painted bar cabinet, as a Danish Viking, made in Italy. Striking naive/modern style, humorous and direct. The back is finished and ...
Wood
$2,090Sale Price|25% Off
H 65 in W 85.5 in D 16.5 in
Vintage Italian Mid-Century Modern Cabinet / Bar Credenza with Drop-Down Door
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This vintage cabinet, likely Italian and dating to the 1960s–1970s, features a clean Mid-Century Modern design with a functional, multi-purpose layout ideal for use as a bar cabinet,...
Glass, Formica, Wood
$1,176Sale Price|25% Off
H 30 in W 66 in D 16 in
Credenza Dry Bar Cabinet Tessellated Stone & Faux Travertine
By Maitland Smith
Located in Lake Worth, FL
For FULL item description click on More Details below. Shipping Quote Information The shipping quote stated in the listing was from 1st Dibs and they normally set all the costs and handle all the shipping details. However, if you let us know what 1st Dibs is quoting you and give us your zip code, we can sometimes ship it for less and get it to you faster. For a shipping quote, click on "ASK THE SELLER" under the purchase button and provide your zip code. Offering one of our recent Palm Beach estate fine furniture acquisitions of a Two-Tone Tessellated stone with brass inlay and faux travertine Credenza dry bar...
Stone, Brass
Rustic Two Door Dry Bar by Habersham Furniture c. 1990's
By Habersham
Located in New York, NY
Chic dry bar made by the noted furniture maker, Habersham, circa 1990's. The cabinet features two doors each having leaded glass doors, which open to reveal a glass shelf, a lighted ...
Brass
$2,303 / set
H 15.75 in W 27.56 in D 27.56 in
Set of Two "Inlay" Night Stands by Giovanni Offredi for Saporiti, Italy, 1980s
By Saporiti, Giovanni Offredi
Located in Milan, IT
Set of two "Inlay" nightstands - chest of drawers by Giovanni Offredi for Saporiti. Extremely capable deep drawers, burnished brass details and iridescent wood surfaces. Also availab...
Wood
$2,558
H 27.96 in W 37.8 in D 18.9 in
Italian Dry Bar by Angelo Mangiarotti for Molteni in Wood and Marble, 1960s
By Angelo Mangiarotti, Molteni & C
Located in Argelato, BO
Angelo Mangiarotti, rare and refined Dry Bar / Sideboard in wood and marble made for Molteni. It is a functional piece of furniture, capable of holding large quantities of bottles, b...
Marble
Mid Century Oak Bar / Credenza
Located in Esperance, NY
For sale is this very unique large bar or credenza. The piece is made out of Oak and the front is laminate.
Oak
$3,328Sale Price|48% Off
H 60 in W 80 in D 20 in
Mid-Century Modern Danish Teak Credenza, Sideboard, Bar or Cocktail Cabinet
Located in Plainview, NY
A stylish large Mid-Century Modern Danish teak sideboard, credenza, bar or cocktail cabinet featuring fine craftsmanship with plenty of storage room. The cabinet has two sections. The bottom section has a large two door cabinet with a record player attached to a shelf as well as two side door cabinets in a lattice design on each side. The upper section features a drop down cocktail/ bar mirrored cabinet with white glass holders and installed light and a two door cabinet with multiple storing compartments and shelves also in a lattice pattern as well as two open shelves. The very useful and stylish MCM teak cabinet...
Mirror, Wood, Teak