Mid-Century Italian Art Deco Sideboard attributed to Osvaldo Borsani, 1940s

Elegant sideboard from the 1940s. Attributable to the renowned Italian designer Osvaldo Borsani. Studio Varedo or Arredamento Borsani version.

A rare designer piece where you exactly imagine in which period (1940´s) this was created, because you can still see influences of Art Deco mixed with the new style of mid-century modern.
As characterises all Borsani furniture, this unique sideboard is also made of high-quality materials such as rosewood veneer, maple and bird's eye maple veneer.

Rectangular rosewood veneered body with rounded corners rests on a black lacquered, organically shaped base with a plinth. The maple-framed front has a total of 4 doors and an open compartment in the centre. Below this are 2 concave moulded door fronts veneered in bird's eye maple. All with the original brass drop handles fitted.
The top of the sideboard is formed by a recessed black lacquered top panel, which can be seen as a repetition of the plinth.
Inside, the furniture is fitted with a shelf behind each door.

Dimensions
Heigh: 95.5 cm / 37.59 inch.
Width: 275 cm / 108.26 inch.
Depth: 48.5 cm / 19.09 inch.

Shelf depth: 38 cm or 39 cm / 14.96 inch or 15.35 inch.


In good restored condition with slight signs of age-related wear. The centre open panel was originally covered by a missing door.


Osvaldo Borsani (born 1911 in Varedo, died 1985 in Milan) first studied fine arts and then architecture in Milan. As the son of an established furniture manufacturer in a northern Italian community, he had already received his first training at the age of 16 in the family business ‘Atelier di Varedo’.

It was probably there that the young Borsani came into contact with other European influences, as the architect responsible for the furniture designs at the time was strongly orientated towards the city of Vienna, where various craftsmen's guilds and architects together defined the heyday of Art Nouveau.

It is precisely this combination of art and craftsmanship that characterises Borsani's designs, alongside his enduring passion for technology and innovation.

It therefore seems logical that after completing his studies in fine arts at the Accademia di Brera, he switched to architecture at the Politecnico di Milano (graduating in 1937).

Whilst still a student, he won the silver medal at the 5th Milan Triennale for his presentation of the Casa Minimale project.

After the family business changed its name to ‘Arredamento Borsani’ in 1932 and opened its first shop in Milan, Borsani also began to collaborate with Milanese artists such as Gio Pomodoro, Lucio Fontana, Arnaldo and Aggenore Fabbri.

In 1953, Osvaldo and his twin brother founded the company TECNO, which was characterised by technology and a research-based approach to furniture design and brought out numerous design classics such as the P40 armchair and the D70 sofa.