Memphis Milano Vintage Furniture and Design

Memphis Milano (or simply Memphis) was founded in Milan in December 1980 by Ettore Sottsass (1917-2007) together with a group of young designers; the name comes from a Bob Dylan song playing during the founding evening (Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again). The first Memphis collection was presented in September 1981 at the Salone del Mobile in Milan and triggered an international design controversy. Memphis was a deliberate break with functionalist Bauhaus orthodoxy and the Italian modernist tradition: loud colours, decorative plastic laminates, geometric patterns, ironically shifted proportions and deliberately banal-looking materials.

Memphis's central founding members were Ettore Sottsass, Andrea Branzi, Michele De Lucchi, Aldo Cibic, Nathalie Du Pasquier, George Sowden, Martine Bedin, Marco Zanini, Matteo Thun, Shiro Kuramata and Peter Shire. Well-known classics include the Carlton room divider shelf (Sottsass 1981, an anthropomorphic plastic laminate object), the Tahiti table lamp (Sottsass 1981), the Casablanca sideboard (Sottsass 1981), the Super lamp (De Lucchi), the First chair (De Lucchi 1983) and the Bel Air armchair (Peter Shire). The group disbanded in 1988; the Memphis Milano brand lives on as a manufactory and produces selected original designs under licence.

On the vintage market, original Memphis editions from the first production phase 1981-1988 are especially sought after and fetch collector prices in the five-figure euro range for iconic pieces. When you examine a piece, look for the stamped or affixed Memphis Milano logo on the underside of the body, the designer's signature and dating, and original papers or proof of provenance. Later licensed editions are valued separately by collectors.

  • curation, selection and active search

    Every product you find on 2nd home comes from our curation & quality process . This includes our vintage Memphis Milano Möbel und Design

    Our team is constantly looking for trends and new items to offer you high-quality vintage and second-hand goods and lots of inspiration.

    And if you are looking for something specific, you can contact us at any time.

  • Delivery

    At 2nd home you don't have to wait long for delivery, our furniture , carpets ,

    Lights and decorative objects are available for immediate delivery. Another advantage when you buy vintage and second hand.

    For more information about shipping and delivery , see Returns & Refunds .

  • service

    At 2nd home we place great importance on quality and customer satisfaction. Although we offer vintage and second-hand furniture, we carefully inspect each piece.

    If you have any questions, our customer service will help you You can find further information about our buyer protection, guarantee and right of return in our cancellation policy .

  • sustainability

    By selling second-hand furniture, we promote reuse and reduce the consumption of resources. At the same time, we reduce CO2 emissions.

    You can find out more on our sustainability page.

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