Casati Gallery: Visions of Italian Design 
10 December 2021
Ignazio Gardella, Custom desk and chair for Villa Coggi, Milan - Image 1 of 5
Ignazio Gardella, Custom desk and chair for Villa Coggi, Milan - Image 2 of 5
Ignazio Gardella, Custom desk and chair for Villa Coggi, Milan - Image 3 of 5
Ignazio Gardella, Custom desk and chair for Villa Coggi, Milan - Image 4 of 5
Ignazio Gardella, Custom desk and chair for Villa Coggi, Milan - Image 5 of 5
Casati Gallery: Visions of Italian Design 
Ignazio Gardella, Custom desk and chair for Villa Coggi, Milan - Image 1 of 5
Ignazio Gardella, Custom desk and chair for Villa Coggi, Milan - Image 2 of 5
Ignazio Gardella, Custom desk and chair for Villa Coggi, Milan - Image 3 of 5
Ignazio Gardella, Custom desk and chair for Villa Coggi, Milan - Image 4 of 5
Ignazio Gardella, Custom desk and chair for Villa Coggi, Milan - Image 5 of 5
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Ignazio Gardella

Custom desk and chair for Villa Coggi, Milan

Italy, 1942
oak, lacquered wood, sheepskin desk: 27½ h × 52 w × 34½ d in (70 × 132 × 88 cm) chair: 35¾ h × 20 w × 25 d in (91 × 51 × 63 cm)
estimate: $40,000–60,000
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provenance: Commissioned directly from the artist for Villa Coggi, Milan

This work will ship from Wright in Chicago, Illinois.

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A Beautiful Friendship

Ignazio Gardella and Famiglia Coggi

Villa Coggi designed by Ignazio Gardella (1942–1954). Image courtesy of the Gardella Historical Archive and Casati Gallery.

For more than two decades, Ignazio Gardella maintained a relationship with the Coggi family. The Coggis commissioned the architect to custom-design the furnishings for not one but three of their residences: the Villa Coggi (1942–1954), the Appartamento Coggi (1957–1963), and the Casa Coggi (1952–1962). Their appreciation for his design is not only evident via repeat projects but in the way they brought the furnishings with them to their new homes. Instead of replacing items, they worked with Gardella to reuse pieces they loved and to add new complementary designs to their spaces. With these private projects, Gardella was afforded the opportunity to return to designing furniture and lighting, which he had pursued early in his career. Additionally, he was able to foster further collaborations with other designers through his own production company, Azucena, which he co-founded in 1947 with Luigi Caccia Dominioni and Corrado Corradi Dell'Acqua.

The present lot in situ at Casa Coggi, Milan. Image courtesy of the Gardella Historical Archive and Casati Gallery.

Inside Casa Coggi

Images courtesy of the Gardella Historical Archive and Casati Gallery.

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Visions of Italian Design

For more than 20 years Ugo Alfano Casati has been bringing fresh and interesting modern and contemporary Italian design to market. From rare and custom works by Italy’s most notable architects to classic forms and more recent limited edition works from the most radical and forward thinking minds, Casati’s vision of Italian Design is one of quality, beauty and historical significance. 

An Italian himself, Casati grew up in Milan. He worked for Alessi and Bodum in Paris before relocating to Chicago where he opened Casati Gallery to bring Italian design to the American market. He focused on Italian designs of the post-war era to present day, developing relationships with artists, designers, foundations and archives, adding valuable context and introducing new scholarship in the field alongside his elegant offerings. 

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Image by Ian Ace Photography

In 2007, Casati and Wright teamed together to create a book dedicated to the designs of Angelo Mangiarotti. The award-winning publication, featured full-color images and was published in English and Italian introducing the innovative designer to the broader market. 

Casati’s interest in fine craftsmanship and originality soon grew to include emerging design and he began to produce editions by makers whose aesthetics complimented his Italian sensibility: Jonathan Nesci, Philippe Nigro, among others. 

This special curated auction celebrates Casati Gallery and marks the beginning of Casati Projects, a new phase for Ugo Alfano Casati who endeavors to bring renewed energy and experience to the field of Italian design through curatorial and consulting services for discerning collectors and institutions across the globe.

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