Designer: Ettore Sottsass (1917 – 2007)

Item: Silvershade and Moonlight Candlesticks

Manufactured by: Cleto Munari for Swid Powell

Country of origin: Italy

Year made: Ca. 1985

Materials: Silverplate over brass and polished brass

Dimensions: Silvershade is 12 ½” x 3 ¾” x 3”, Moonlight is 13” x 2 ¾” x 2 ¼”

Description: We are fortunate to have been able to acquire a pair of Sottsass candlesticks for Swid Powell to make available for sale. This Silvershade example is in considerably better condition than the example that we previously sold (see our Sold page).

These are important and classic Memphis inspired designs by the founder of the Memphis design group collective. Sottsass’ work for Swid Powell was the first time he designed for an American company. He designed three different model candlesticks for Swid Powell, these being two of them. These were expensive when they were new, and they have held and then increased considerably in value. Examples can be found in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, the Yale University Art Gallery where they are on permanent display, and other public collections.

Condition: Excellent.

References: Tapert, Annette. SWID POWELL: Objects by Architects, Rizzoli, 1990