One of the most enigmatic and polarizing figures to emerge in Italian design, Aldo Tura is an outlier in the world of mid-century furniture. The designer’s glamorous bar carts, coffee tables, cabinets and more resist categorization and draw inspiration from Art Deco, Art Nouveau, Baroque, Surrealist and modernist styles.
Tura moved through distinct phases in his career in terms of aesthetics, influences and finishes, rendering his life’s work exciting and diverse. Despite these phases, he held a singular devotion to one material: lacquered goatskin. Tura established a furniture production house in 1939 in Lombardy, and some of his early work focused on tables, decorative lamps and more. He later expanded to bar furnishings like rolling carts, cabinets and complementary barware accessories like ice buckets and cocktail shakers. The eccentric, gleaming and luxe surface of lacquered goatskin was a constant, along with eggshell, parchment and leather.
By the 1950s, Tura had begun to use hand-painted figural panels on the surface of cabinets, serveware (such as carafes) and other pieces. He even replicated famous works by artists like Monet and Bruegel the Elder and art from the Middle Ages, sometimes playfully embedding the paintings on cabinets shaped like oversize books. Even though he had a favored color palette of rich chocolate browns and deep emeralds, his style remained consistently hard to define.
Tura was unlike most of his Italian contemporaries but held a similar reverence for the nation’s traditional craftsmanship and artisanal techniques. He never followed the growing trend of mass-produced, industrial furniture and stuck to creating small, meticulously handcrafted collections. This principled choice means that today, a Tura piece is a rare and highly coveted collectible. The Tura firm continues to operate in Brianza, promoting Italian craftsmanship and the eclectic materials embraced by their namesake designer.
Find authentic vintage Aldo Tura furniture today on 1stDibs.
Pair Vintage Aldo Tura Swan Lacquer Wood and Brass Lamps, 1950s, Italy
By Aldo Tura
Located in Buffalo, NY
Vintage Aldo Tura lacquerd wood and brass lamp. 1950s Made in Italy, in need or restoration.
Brass
$1,520Sale Price|20% Off
Table lamp set, bird holding lantern, ashtray, Design, Aldo Tura, 1940s, Italy
By Aldo Tura
Located in Wien, AT
Wonderful table lamp, smoker set, designed by Aldo Tura, made in the 1940s in Italy. The base is an oval plate, carrying a spectacularly hand carved heron bird of beech wood which ...
Brass
Large Italian Mid Century table lamp by Aldo Tura designed like a lantern
By Aldo Tura
Located in München, DE
Beautiful large Italian Mid Century Modern table lamp by Aldo Tura. Typical Aldo Tura design. Resembles a lantern. Made in Italy. Made from wood and brown parchment goat leather and ...
Brass
A pair of table lamps by Aldo Tura, Italy, c. 1960s.
By Aldo Tura
Located in BARCELONA, ES
Wrapped in lacquered goatskin parchment, the rectangular bases display a rich range of tones from honeyed amber to deep bronze. The subtle variation of the material gives each lamp a...
Metal
Midcentury Goatskin Table Lamp by Aldo Tura
By Aldo Tura
Located in Vienna, AT
Brass base covered with goatskin fitted with two E27 sockets. Made in the early 1960 in Italy by Aldo Tura. Age and signs of use. Screens with minor damage or stains. Vintage orig...
Brass
ALDO TURA - Parchment table lamp - ITALY 1950
By Aldo Tura
Located in Milano, IT
ALDO TURA - Original 1950s lamp made of wood covered in parchment. In good condition and in working order. Made in Italy, 1950.
Brass
Mid Century Modern Vintage Brown Goatskin Brass Table Lamp Aldo Tura 1960s Italy
By Aldo Tura
Located in Vienna, AT
Mid Century Modern vintage table lamp from goatskin and brass by Aldo Tura, 1960s Italy. A fantastic table lamp in chocolate brown color tone from lacquered goatskin and nice brass d...
Brass
Wood Orphan Child Lantern Table Lamp by Aldo Tura for Macabo, Italy, 1950s
By Aldo Tura, Macabo
Located in Rome, IT
This particular and sophisticated lamp made by Aldo Tura is most likely a unique prototype lamp. Aldo Tura lamps were done in small editions, thus the d...
Brass
1960s Aldo Tura Lacquered Parchment Bronze Table Lamp Italy
By Aldo Tura
Located in Chula Vista, CA
1960s Aldo Tura Lacquered Parchment Bronze Table Lamp Italy Elegant Brass Rings on each side. Designer Aldo Tura, known as the master of parch...
Brass, Bronze
Amazing Aldo Tura Swan Table Lamp
By Aldo Tura
Located in Munich, DE
A very graceful and modern table lamp made by Aldo Tura. The body of the swan is done in goatskin. Brass accents. Wonderful color and nice condition.
Goatskin
Huge Aldo Tura Red Goatskin Lantern Table Lamp
By Aldo Tura
Located in Mexico City, CDMX
Big size lantern table lamp made by Aldo Tura, Italy in the 1950s. The lamp are made in lacquered red goatskin with brass rings working in very good condition.
Goatskin
Vintage Aldo Tura Swan Goatskin Wood and Brass Lamp, 1950s, Italy
By Aldo Tura
Located in Vis, NL
Vintage Aldo Tura goatskin, wood and brass lamp. 1950s Made in Italy. This piece is in good vintage condition with porous grains on the brass ...
Brass
Huge Aldo Tura Red Goatskin Lantern Table Lamp
By Aldo Tura
Located in Munich, DE
Superb lantern table lamp made by Aldo Tura, Italy in the 1960s. The lamp was executed in lacquered red goatskin with brass rings and includes a little bowl and it is in very good...
Goatskin
Signed Red Velum and Lacquered Wood Table Lantern Lamp, Aldo Tura, Italy, 1970s
By Aldo Tura
Located in New York, NY
Rare signed table lamp by Aldo Tura with red velum veneer over lacquered wood. Faceted glass claustra with brass accents. Good vintage condition. Wired for use in the USA.
Wood, Parchment Paper
Aldo Tura Brown Goatskin Parchment and Brass Table Lamp, Italy 1960s
By Aldo Tura
Located in Milan, IT
Aldo Tura Brown Goatskin Parchment and Brass Table Lamp, Italy 1960s Lamp shade not included. Measurements are for the lamp base, including bulb holder.
Brass
Aldo Tura Heron Lamp in Carved Wood, Gilt Bronze, Mother-of-Pearl, Italy 1950s
By Macabo, Aldo Tura
Located in Roma, IT
Incredibly rare and elegant heron-shaped table lamp in hand-carved walnut wood, gilt bronze and mother of pearl. This wonderful lamp was designed by Aldo Tura and produced by Macabo ...
Metal, Brass, Bronze
Aldo Tura Red Parchment & Nickel Table Lamp, Italy, 1950's, signed
By Aldo Tura
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Aldo Tura Red Parchment & Nickel Table Lamp, Italy, 1950's, signed
Goatskin, Parchment Paper
Hand Carved Wood Monk Table Lamp by Aldo Tura for Macabo, Italy, 1950s
By Aldo Tura, Macabo
Located in Rome, IT
Not many Aldo Tura pieces can be compared to this unique lamp, hand carved from a single piece of wood. Aldo Tura lamps were done in small editions and the detail and level of sophis...
Metal
1950s Mid-Century Modern Wood Table Lamp and Smoking Set By Aldo Tura for Macabo
By Macabo, Aldo Tura
Located in Aci Castello, IT
A wood and brass table lamp designed by Aldo Tura and manufactured by Macabo in the Fifties, the base of the lamp is also a smoking set. The wood sculpture depict an heron. the lamp ...
Brass
$295Sale Price|75% Off
Aldo Tura Goatskin Parchment Surrealist Pipe Ashtray Lamp
By Aldo Tura
Located in Jensen Beach, FL
“Ceci n'est pas une pipe” is the caption that adorns Magritte’s painting “The Treachery of Images,” and this pipe form lamp inspires a similar surrealist setting. It’s a pipe, but it...
Gold Plate
Elephant Table Lamp Hand Carved Wood and Copper Aldo Tura for Macabo Italy 1950s
By Aldo Tura, Macabo
Located in Rome, IT
Not many Aldo Tura pieces can be compared to this unique table lamp, hand carved from a single piece of wood. Aldo Tura lamps were done in small editions and the detail and level of ...
Copper
Midcentury Wood Monk Table Lamp Attibuted to Aldo Tura for Macabo, Italy 1950s
By Macabo, Aldo Tura
Located in Rome, IT
Midcentury amazing sculpture table lamp in wood and metal attributed to Aldo Tura for Macabo. Made in Italy in the 1950s. It depicts a bearded monk holding a stick (removable) in ...
Metal
Vintage Aldo Tura Swan Goatskin Wood and Brass Lamp, 1950s, Italy
By Aldo Tura
Located in Vis, NL
Vintage Aldo Tura goatskin, wood and brass lamp. 1950s Made in Italy. This piece is in good vintage condition with porous grains on the brass ...
Brass
Aldo Tura, Table Lamp, Wood, Metal, Acrylic, Italy, 1960s
By Aldo Tura
Located in High Point, NC
A wood, acrylic and metal table lamp attributed to Aldo Tura, Italy, c. 1960s. Overall Dimensions (inches): 19.25” H x 5.75" W x 4.62" D Bulb Specifications: E-14 Bulb Number of ...
Metal
Hand Carved Wood Mill Table Lamp Ashtray by Aldo Tura Macabo, Italy, 1960s
By Aldo Tura, Macabo
Located in Rome, IT
Table lamp with ashtray by Aldo Tura for Macabo (signed on the bottom) in the shape of a mill in hand carved wood. Milan, Italy, circa 1960.
Metal
Stylized Dolphin Lamp in Opaline Grass and Wood, Aldo Tura Macabo, Italy, 1950s
By Macabo, Aldo Tura
Located in Rome, IT
This particular and sophisticated dolphin lamp made by Aldo Tura is most likely a unique protoype lamp. Aldo Tura lamps were done in small editions, thus the details and level of sop...
Brass
Table lamp, Aldo Tura Macabo Cusano Milanino Italy 1950′.
By Aldo Tura
Located in Milan, IT
Desk lamp, made out of carved hazel nut wood, depicting an octopus holding a lantern with a tentacle. The lampshade is made of parchment encased by three tridents, made out of copper...
Brass
Table Lamp by Aldo Tura "ceci n'est pas une pipe"
By Aldo Tura
Located in Brussels, BE
This table lamp was designed in by Aldo Tura and was produced in Milan, circa 1960. It is made from brown lacquered with the handle and cage in gilt brass. The lampshade is made from...
Metal
Nice Aldo Tura Table Lamp
By Aldo Tura
Located in Munich, DE
Rare color and a nice shape.
Goatskin
Aldo Tura Parchment Snail Table Lamp Mid Century 1940s
By Aldo Tura
Located in Conversano, IT
An exceptional and extremely rare luminous object designed by Aldo Tura in the 1940s, this sculptural table lamp in the shape of a snail fully embodies the experimental and visionary...
Parchment Paper
$1,209Sale Price|20% Off
Monk wooden table lamp from 1950 by Aldo Tura.
By Aldo Tura
Located in Palermo, IT
Hand-carved wooden "Monk" table lamp, designer Aldo Tura, ca. 1950.The lamp depicts a bearded monk holding a staff in his left hand and a lantern in his right hand made of gilded met...
Metal