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Aldo Tura Illuminated Bar Cabinet in Cherry Brass and Mirrored Glass

Name: Aldo Tura Illuminated Bar Cabinet in Cherry Brass and Mirrored Glass
Brand: Aldo Tura
Rating: 4.9 (178 reviews)

$36,500List Price

About the Item

Aldo Tura, bar cabinet, braided straw, mirrored glass, brass, glass, cherry, Italy, 1940s This exceptional piece is designed by Aldo Tura and perfectly illustrates his commitment to material excellence, whimsical surfaces, and streamlined contours. This bar cabinet is a compelling study in sculptural geometry and surface tension. The shape challenges traditional cabinet forms; eschewing the rectilinear in favor of a chunkier, almost totemic block resting atop a curved, sled-like base. The two monolithic compartments, that are separated by a darker-toned central divide, are deeply textured, with a rippling surface that resembles hammered metal or even inflated, organic forms. The overall silhouette is squat and dense, but the arched base gently lifts it from the ground, preventing it from feeling heavy. The woven straw ropes slice horizontally across the facade, visually dividing the piece in equally sized blocks, while providing a striking material contrast. Once openend, the contrast is deliberate and sharp: the outside is sculptural; the inside is all about light, reflection, radiation, and order. The integrated lighting casts a refined glow on the displayed objects. Mirrored glass serves as a backdrop, while glass shelves and brass racks articulate the compartments with structured elegance. In short, the cabinet’s form is more expressive than it is restrained, and that is where its charm lies: in turning a utilitarian object into something muscular, unexpected, and oddly animate. Biography Aldo Tura’s body of work is defined by bold design, vibrant materials, and his signature use of goatskin to create striking surfaces. Even within his own avant-garde approach—bridging Art Deco and modernism—this piece stands out for its daring form. Tura was renowned for his use of luxurious materials, sculptural silhouettes, and meticulous artisanal techniques. At a time when many furniture makers were shifting toward mass production, Tura remained steadfast in his dedication to traditional craftsmanship and refined detail.

Creator:
Aldo Tura (Designer)
Dimensions:
Height: 42.92 in (109 cm)Width: 31.11 in (79 cm)Depth: 13.47 in (34.2 cm)
Style:
Art Deco (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Brass,Cherry,Glass,Mirror,Straw
Place of Origin:
Italy
Period:
1940-1949
Date of Manufacture:
1940s
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use. Every item Morentz offers is checked by our team of 30 craftspeople in our in-house workshop. Special restoration or reupholstery requests can be done. Check ‘About the item’ or ask our design specialists for detailed information on the condition.
Seller Location:
Waalwijk, NL
Reference Number:
Seller: 501150421stDibs: LU933144270822

Shop All Aldo Tura

Aldo Tura

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.

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