Designer: Ettore Sottsass (1917 – 2007)

Item: Prototype for Picture Frame

Country of origin: Italy

Year made: Ca. 1985

Materials: Marble and glass

Dimensions: 6” x 1 ¾” x 8”

Condition: Very good.

References: Tapert, Annette. SWID POWELL: Objects by Architects, Rizzoli, 1990; page 88.   

Description: Here is another important early prototype for a picture frame Sottsass designed for Swid Powell and in keeping with his classic Memphis designs.  This is one of three such prototypes we are fortunate to have available for sale. It appears that only one marble picture frame was actually realized for production and sale. This prototype has some design similarities to that final product, but is landscape oriented as opposed to portrait, and the final version had a brass knob on the top to remove the top piece for inserting the photo. The Tapert book contains three preliminary drawings for the marble frames that were not produced. One drawing is very closely related in shape to this prototype.

Sottsass’ work for Swid Powell was the first time he designed for an American company.  He designed a variety ob objects for Swid Powell, most famous being his silver pated candlesticks and porcelain table wares. An example of the final marble frame produced for sale is in the Yale University Art Gallery donated by Nan Swid.

Provenance: Marc Hacker, Vice President for Design and Development at Swid Powell.  Hacker is an architect who studied with Michael Graves at Princeton University.  Upon graduating he moved to New York City and was recommended for a job working for architect Richard Meier.  As a result of his work for Meier, Hacker was hired by Swid Powell, because they needed a formally trained architect to work with their stable of architects and designers to achieve the final objects produced for sale.  Hamel20, LLC is honored to represent the Hacker collection of Swid Powell objects, which includes prototypes and designs that were never produced for sale.