Rating and value of Ettore Sottsass furniture, lighting and drawings

If you own a work by the artist Ettore Sotsass or based on his work and would like to know its value, our state-approved experts and auctioneers will guide you. Our specialists will carry out a free appraisal of your work, and provide you with a precise estimate of its value on the current market. Thereafter, if you wish to sell your work, we will direct you to the best possible arrangement to obtain the optimum price.

Artist's rating and value

Ettore Sotsass is a 20th-century Italian designer, whose rating is only evolving positively on the art market. Highly prized by collectors in France, Italy, the UK and the USA, the artist's furniture has become a firm fixture on the international market. A piece of furniture by Sottsass can fetch hundreds of thousands of euros at auction. In 2018, one of his sculptures dating from 1959 sold for €287,300 while it was estimated at between €91,930 and €137,900, more than ten times the low estimate.

Order of value from the most basic to the most prestigious

The artist's works and style

Author of over 1,700 pieces of furniture throughout his career, this figure representing only works that circulated on the auction market, Sotsass's works are considered classics of Italian design. Among his iconic creations are his wooden tables and asymmetrical desks.

Considered functional, minimalist and innovative, Sotsass's work is characterized by a clean aesthetic, geometric shapes and the use of modern materials. The designer's creations are intended to be functional and efficient, responding perfectly to the needs of users.

Ettore Sottsass, Italian design icon

Ettore Sottsass Jr. was born in Milan in 1917.

His father, of the same first and last name, was also an architect. He too trained in architecture at the Turin Polytechnic, graduating in 1939. That same year, he was mobilized by the Italian Army and taken prisoner in Sarajevo, where he remained for most of the war.

After the Liberation, he worked in collaboration with his father on the reconstruction of Savona and Novara, then moved to Milian where he opened his own agency, covering several creative fields : drawing, ceramics, furniture...

In 1956, he worked for George Nelson for a few months, where he became familiar with industrial design. Pop Art was to influence him greatly during this period.

Returning to Italy, he then collaborated with Poltronova and was appointed the company's art director. He creates works with graphic shapes as well as bright colors - there's a lot of red in his work.

He also collaborates with Olivetti, as the designer in charge of the electronics division. His red typewriters are particularly famous. He challenged trends in architecture and design with the anti-design movement. At the end of his career, he joined the Alchimia studio and founded the Memphis group.

 He died in 2007. 

The designer's imprint on his time

Today considered an icon of Italian design and a pioneer of post-war modern architecture, Sotstass leaves a considerable mark on the history of contemporary art and furniture. He is the author of a colossal output, which collectors nevertheless vie for at auction.

In 2017, the Milan Triennale is devoting an exhibition to him, ten years after his death.

Recognizing the designer's signature

Sottsass doesn't always sign his works, but many forgeries exist, which is why expertise is paramount.

Expertise your property

If you own a piece by Ettore Sottsass, feel free to request a free appraisal by filling in our online form. A member of our team of experts and licensed auctioneers will contact you to provide an estimate of the market value of your object.

If you are considering selling your work, our specialists will also guide you through the various alternatives available to obtain the best possible price, taking into account market trends and the specific features of each object.