Italy, c. 1950s
Solid mahogany, brass and glass, 81.5 × 85 × 46.5 cm
Very good, original condition with age-related patina.
Designed by Ico Parisi for Angelo De Baggis, this elegant serving trolley combines a finely worked mahogany frame with inset glass shelves, brass detailing and original castors. An unusually open and light — almost skeletal — construction gives the trolley a distinctly sculptural presence, emphasising line, proportion and negative space.
The defining gesture is the handle: slender rear uprights sweep upwards and inwards to meet cast brass elbows and a gently bowed mahogany grip, creating a continuous, almost calligraphic profile. Small knurled brass fittings articulate the frame, while softened junctions and subtle tapering of the timber reveal the precision of its construction.
Characteristic of Parisi’s work of the period, structure and expression are closely intertwined. The transparency of the glass leaves the architecture of the frame exposed, giving the trolley a graphic clarity that extends well beyond its original domestic function.
An example of the design with virtually identical dimensions (81.3 × 85 × 46.5 cm) is documented in Roberta Lietti, Ico Parisi Design. Catalogo ragionato 1936–1960.
The trolley retains its original finish, with gentle wear to the mahogany and naturally oxidised brass contributing to a particularly attractive period patina.
Italy, c. 1950s
Solid mahogany, brass and glass, 81.5 × 85 × 46.5 cm
Very good, original condition with age-related patina.
Designed by Ico Parisi for Angelo De Baggis, this elegant serving trolley combines a finely worked mahogany frame with inset glass shelves, brass detailing and original castors. An unusually open and light — almost skeletal — construction gives the trolley a distinctly sculptural presence, emphasising line, proportion and negative space.
The defining gesture is the handle: slender rear uprights sweep upwards and inwards to meet cast brass elbows and a gently bowed mahogany grip, creating a continuous, almost calligraphic profile. Small knurled brass fittings articulate the frame, while softened junctions and subtle tapering of the timber reveal the precision of its construction.
Characteristic of Parisi’s work of the period, structure and expression are closely intertwined. The transparency of the glass leaves the architecture of the frame exposed, giving the trolley a graphic clarity that extends well beyond its original domestic function.
An example of the design with virtually identical dimensions (81.3 × 85 × 46.5 cm) is documented in Roberta Lietti, Ico Parisi Design. Catalogo ragionato 1936–1960.
The trolley retains its original finish, with gentle wear to the mahogany and naturally oxidised brass contributing to a particularly attractive period patina.
