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Harry Bertoia Mobiles and Kinetic Sculptures

American, Italian, 1915-1978

Sculptor, furniture and jewelry designer, graphic artist and metalsmith, Harry Bertoia was one of the great cross-disciplinarians of 20th-century art and design and a central figure in American mid-century modernism. Among furniture aficionados, Bertoia is known for his chairs such as the wire-lattice Diamond chair (and its variants such as the tall-backed Bird chair) designed for Knoll Inc. and first released in 1952.

As an artist, he is revered for a style that was his alone. Bertoia’s metal sculptures are by turns expressive and austere, powerful and subtle, intimate in scale and monumental. All embody a tension between the intricacy and precision of Bertoia’s forms and the raw strength of his materials: steel, brass, bronze and copper.

Fortune seemed to guide Bertoia’s artistic development. Born in northeastern Italy, Bertoia immigrated to the United States at age 15, joining an older brother in Detroit. He studied drawing and metalworking in the gifted student program at Cass Technical High School. Recognition led to awards that culminated, in 1937, in a teaching scholarship to attend the Cranbrook Academy of Art in suburban Bloomfield Hills, one of the great crucibles of modernism in America

At Cranbrook, Bertoia made friendships — with architect Eero Saarinen, designers Charles and Ray Eames and Florence Schust Knoll and others — that shaped the course of his life. He taught metalworking at the school, and when materials rationing during World War II limited the availability of metals, Bertoia focused on jewelry design. He also experimented with monotype printmaking, and 19 of his earliest efforts were bought by the Guggenheim Museum.

In 1943, he left Cranbrook to work in California with the Eameses, helping them develop their now-famed plywood furniture. (Bertoia received scant credit.) Late in that decade, Florence and Hans Knoll persuaded him to move east and join Knoll Inc. His chairs became and remain perennial bestsellers. Royalties allowed Bertoia to devote himself full-time to metal sculpture, a medium he began to explore in earnest in 1947.

By the early 1950s Bertoia was receiving commissions for large-scale works from architects — the first came via Saarinen — as he refined his aesthetic vocabulary into two distinct skeins. One comprises his “sounding sculptures” — gongs and “Sonambient” groupings of rods that strike together and chime when touched by hand or by the wind. The other genre encompasses Bertoia’s naturalistic works: abstract sculptures that suggest bushes, flower petals, leaves, dandelions or sprays of grass. 

As you will see on these pages, Harry Bertoia was truly unique; his art and designs manifest a wholly singular combination of delicacy and strength.

Find vintage Harry Bertoia sculptures, armchairs, benches and other furniture and art on 1stDibs.

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Creator: Harry Bertoia
Harry Bertoia Hanging Willow Chandelier, 1968
Harry Bertoia Hanging Willow Chandelier, 1968

Harry Bertoia Hanging Willow Chandelier, 1968

By Harry Bertoia

Located in Chicago, IL

Harry Bertoia Hanging Willow chandelier, 1968. Abundant stainless steel strands reminiscent to a willow tree surround a cylindrical housing with uplighting functions creating a dramatic defusing effect spreading light...

Category

1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Harry Bertoia Mobiles and Kinetic Sculptures

Materials

Stainless Steel

Harry Bertoia Gold Plated Bronze Diagonal Double Tonal Sonambient Sculpture
Harry Bertoia Gold Plated Bronze Diagonal Double Tonal Sonambient Sculpture

Harry Bertoia Gold Plated Bronze Diagonal Double Tonal Sonambient Sculpture

By Harry Bertoia

Located in St. Louis, MO

Sculptor and Artist Harry Bertoia gold plated bronze Sonambient sculpture, diagonal double tonal, circa 1965. Two groupings of thin rods at different angles on poured slab of bronze. Purchased from estate of the original owner. Sold with a “Certificate of Authenticity” from the Harry Bertoia foundation, along with a copy of the Knoll letter...

Category

1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Harry Bertoia Mobiles and Kinetic Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

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Harry Bertoia Kinetic Spray Sculpture, Steel, Mid-Century Modern

Harry Bertoia Kinetic Spray Sculpture, Steel, Mid-Century Modern

By Harry Bertoia

Located in SOTTEVILLE-LÈS-ROUEN, FR

This "Spray" sculpture by Harry Bertoia from the 1970s is a stunning kinetic piece. This rare work, approximately 100 cm (39") in diameter and 73 cm (28.7") in height, is made of fin...

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1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Harry Bertoia Mobiles and Kinetic Sculptures

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Bertoia Sonambient Sculpture Beryllium Rod
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Bertoia Sonambient Sculpture Beryllium Rod

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H 47 in W 11 in D 11 in

Bertoia Sonambient Sculpture Beryllium Rod

By Val Bertoia

Located in Wilmington, DE

Bertoia Sonambient sculpture. Offered is a beautifully unique sculpture by Bertoia studios (Val). Titled "4 Love Clover of Sound". The piece is made of Beryllium Copper...

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2010s North American Mid-Century Modern Harry Bertoia Mobiles and Kinetic Sculptures

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Sonambient Cattails Sound Sculpture in the Manner of Harry Bertoia
Sonambient Cattails Sound Sculpture in the Manner of Harry Bertoia

Sonambient Cattails Sound Sculpture in the Manner of Harry Bertoia

By Harry Bertoia

Located in San Pedro Garza Garcia, Nuevo Leon

Vintage Sonambient cattails sound sculpture in the manner of Harry Bertoia circa 1970. It is in great vintage condition with patina throughout, four rows of four copper colored sound...

Category

1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Harry Bertoia Mobiles and Kinetic Sculptures

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Metal, Brass

Extremely RareHarry Bertoia Necklace Sterling Silver Lapis Coral ca. 1940
Extremely RareHarry Bertoia Necklace Sterling Silver Lapis Coral ca. 1940

Extremely RareHarry Bertoia Necklace Sterling Silver Lapis Coral ca. 1940

By Harry Bertoia

Located in Bloomfield Hills, MI

Extremely rare combination pendant attached to custom-made chain by Harry Bertoia in sterling silver, containing one Lapis Lazuli and one Coral. This piece comes from a private collection. Provenance will accompany the piece. The work has been added to the Harry Bertoia Catalogue Raisonné and assigned the following catalogue raisonné number: D.JE.78. Although associated with Mid-Century Modern furniture, Harry Bertoia was originally a jewelry designer who used both sterling silver, precious stones and gem stones. The pendant measures: 1.25" long x 1" wide. The necklace measures: 11" length with a measurement of 22" overall length. The chain and closure are all handcrafted and in his unique design. Lapis Lazuli measures 20mm round supported by one 6 mm red coral. Total weight is 33 grams. The following is from Beverly H. Twitchell, PhD, author of Bertoia: The Metalworker, London: Phaidon, 2019. She provides a very informative critique of Bertoia and his jewelry. Wearable Art an Important Design for a Necklace “Before Harry Bertoia enrolled at the Cranbrook Academy of Art in 1937 he had already mastered traditional jewelers’ techniques, but his engagement with Modernism led him to invent and use more direct methods. Instead of precious metals and gems, Bertoia made jewelry that appealed through its design, craftsmanship and the nature of its materials. That approach would make Bertoia a direct predecessor of the American Studio Crafts movement. So complex and cumulative are human perception and memory that we often do not know from where our own ideas come and without firm evidence, it is impossible to think we can establish the origins of an artist’s ideas. While his jewelry is entirely modern, chokers with multiple small pendants had come from ancient Mediterranean cultures: Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece and Italy, even from Europe and America at the turn of the last century. Did Bertoia see works in books, journals or at the Detroit Institute of Arts that resonated with him or did he invent this on his own, as he would so many other forms? Bertoia found inspiration in nature from an early age on a small farm in Italy and later in Cranbrook’s woods, on the beaches of southern California and in the fields near his home in eastern Pennsylvania where he lived after 1950. The fluidity and motion of the his jewelry characterize much of his art. In that spirit, too, he made jewelry that suited human anatomy and was animated by its wearer’s movement. Bertoia had the instincts of an engineer, as the intricacy of the present lot’s clasp and overall construction of the jewelry demonstrates. Large jewelry by Bertoia is very rare. A delight to the eye, and like all of Bertoia’s work it is timeless.” Harry Bertoia (1915 – 1978) was an Italian-born American artist, jewelry creator and modern furniture designer. He was born in San Lorenzo d-Arzene, Pordenone, Italy. At age 15 he moved to Detroit, Michigan to live with his older brother, Oreste. He quickly learned English and the bus schedule and enrolled in Cass Tech High School in Detroit (1930-1936) where he studied art and design and learned the skill of handmade jewelry making. At that time, there were three jewelry and metals teachers Louise Green...

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Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Harry Bertoia Mobiles and Kinetic Sculptures

Materials

Coral, Lapis Lazuli, Sterling Silver

Harry Bertoia Kinetic Spray Sculpture, Steel, Mid-Century Modern
Harry Bertoia Kinetic Spray Sculpture, Steel, Mid-Century Modern

Harry Bertoia Kinetic Spray Sculpture, Steel, Mid-Century Modern

By Harry Bertoia

Located in SOTTEVILLE-LÈS-ROUEN, FR

An exceptional kinetic sculpture by Harry Bertoia, created in the 1970s, exemplifying the artist's celebrated exploration of movement, light, and sound. Composed of finely welded st...

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1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Harry Bertoia Mobiles and Kinetic Sculptures

Materials

Steel

Val Bertoia Corner Sound Sculpture, 2008
Val Bertoia Corner Sound Sculpture, 2008

Val Bertoia Corner Sound Sculpture, 2008

$32,500

H 61 in W 15.5 in D 9 in

Val Bertoia Corner Sound Sculpture, 2008

By Val Bertoia, Harry Bertoia

Located in New York, NY

Contemporary artist Val Bertoia's Corner Sound Sculpture made in 2008 is part of the Bertoia Sonambient series. It's made of 11 copper tops silvered to monel rods then silvered to a ...

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21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Harry Bertoia Mobiles and Kinetic Sculptures

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Val Bertoia Double Vertical Spray Sculpture, Steel Wires with Brass Base, 2014
Val Bertoia Double Vertical Spray Sculpture, Steel Wires with Brass Base, 2014

Val Bertoia Double Vertical Spray Sculpture, Steel Wires with Brass Base, 2014

By Harry Bertoia, Val Bertoia

Located in New York, NY

Contemporary artist Val Bertoia's Double Vertical Spray Sculpture made in 2014. This Kinetic sculpture was made by cutting one grouping of stainless-steel wires that were made by Har...

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21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Harry Bertoia Mobiles and Kinetic Sculptures

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Midcentury Harry Bertoia Sonambient Sculpture
Midcentury Harry Bertoia Sonambient Sculpture

Midcentury Harry Bertoia Sonambient Sculpture

By Harry Bertoia

Located in BROOKLYN, NY

Midcentury Harry Bertoia Sonambient sculpture featuring seven black monel "cat-tail" tops silvered to beryllium. Copper rods silvered to brass base. In fin...

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Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Harry Bertoia Mobiles and Kinetic Sculptures

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Harry Bertoia style bronze tree bush sculpture / paperweight green patina.
Harry Bertoia style bronze tree bush sculpture / paperweight green patina.

Harry Bertoia style bronze tree bush sculpture / paperweight green patina.

By Harry Bertoia

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Amazing bronze sculpture in abstract style bush with green patina, Unsigned .

Category

Late 20th Century American Modern Harry Bertoia Mobiles and Kinetic Sculptures

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Contemporary Daffodils hanging sculptural brass light or lamp
Contemporary Daffodils hanging sculptural brass light or lamp

Contemporary Daffodils hanging sculptural brass light or lamp

$14,092 / item

H 21.66 in W 25.2 in D 11.03 in

Contemporary Daffodils hanging sculptural brass light or lamp

By Pietro Russo Design

Located in Agrate Brianza (MB), Lombardy

Neither lamp nor mirror, or maybe both, Daffodils is a mysterious bright object calling to mind the unique daffodil shape, from which it takes the name. The structure is made of a sa...

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Large-Scale Val Bertoia Sonambient 'Sound Screen' Sculpture, Signed and Numbered
Large-Scale Val Bertoia Sonambient 'Sound Screen' Sculpture, Signed and Numbered

Large-Scale Val Bertoia Sonambient 'Sound Screen' Sculpture, Signed and Numbered

By Val Bertoia

Located in Los Angeles, CA

A monumental four foot tall Sonambient sound sculpture titled 'Sound Screen' by Val Bertoia, dated 2013 and signed, stamped, and documented by the artist. This large-scale example, n...

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2010s American Modern Harry Bertoia Mobiles and Kinetic Sculptures

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Harry Bertoia Bush Sculpture
Harry Bertoia Bush Sculpture

Harry Bertoia Bush Sculpture

$190,575

H 17 in Dm 16.5 in

Harry Bertoia Bush Sculpture

By Harry Bertoia

Located in New York, NY

"Untitled" (Bush) Sculpture by Harry Bertoia, circa 1970's made of welded bronze. Harry Bertoia, was an Italian-born American artist, sound art sculptor, and...

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1970s American Brutalist Vintage Harry Bertoia Mobiles and Kinetic Sculptures

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Bronze

Previously Available Items
Sonambient Rods Sculpture by Harry Bertoia
Sonambient Rods Sculpture by Harry Bertoia

Sonambient Rods Sculpture by Harry Bertoia

By Harry Bertoia

Located in New York, NY

A sonambient rods sculpture by Harry Bertoia (1915-1978). A desirable size for display in the home and a typically wonderful sound quality.

Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Harry Bertoia Mobiles and Kinetic Sculptures

Materials

Metal

Large Harry Bertoia Stainless Steel 'Willow' Sculpture
Large Harry Bertoia Stainless Steel 'Willow' Sculpture

Large Harry Bertoia Stainless Steel 'Willow' Sculpture

By Harry Bertoia

Located in Ft. Lauderdale, FL

Harry Bertoia, American (1915-1978). Kinetic stainless steel wires bundled with steel stem, inserted in base on free standing tube and mounted on square base. Gathered wire sculture ...

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1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Harry Bertoia Mobiles and Kinetic Sculptures

Materials

Stainless Steel

Harry Bertoia Monumental Brass Untitled Sonambient Sculpture, USA, 1976
Harry Bertoia Monumental Brass Untitled Sonambient Sculpture, USA, 1976

Harry Bertoia Monumental Brass Untitled Sonambient Sculpture, USA, 1976

By Harry Bertoia

Located in New York, NY

An astounding example of Bertoia's sonambient sculptures. The monumental scale of this piece creates a powerful lasting resonating sound.

Category

1970s American Vintage Harry Bertoia Mobiles and Kinetic Sculptures

Materials

Brass

Harry Bertoia Untitled Sonambient Sculpture, USA, 1971
Harry Bertoia Untitled Sonambient Sculpture, USA, 1971

Harry Bertoia Untitled Sonambient Sculpture, USA, 1971

By Harry Bertoia

Located in New York, NY

One of the finest examples of Bertoia's highly sought after sonambient sounding sculptures. It has all the characteristics that make these sculptures so appealing. The weight of the ...

Category

1970s American Vintage Harry Bertoia Mobiles and Kinetic Sculptures

Materials

Brass, Bronze, Copper

Harry Bertoia Beryllium Copper Singing Bars, USA, 1970s
Harry Bertoia Beryllium Copper Singing Bars, USA, 1970s

Harry Bertoia Beryllium Copper Singing Bars, USA, 1970s

By Harry Bertoia

Located in New York, NY

Bertoia was always experimenting with metals and the sound they would create. One of his preferred metals was beryllium copper. These two rods slowly ...

Category

1970s American Vintage Harry Bertoia Mobiles and Kinetic Sculptures

Materials

Copper

Harry Bertoia Untitled Suspended Gong Sculpture with COA, circa 1975
Harry Bertoia Untitled Suspended Gong Sculpture with COA, circa 1975

Harry Bertoia Untitled Suspended Gong Sculpture with COA, circa 1975

By Harry Bertoia

Located in Brooklyn, NY

A sublime, single slab gong in cut, hammered and drilled brass by Harry Bertoia with slits at either end, suspended by jute cord. Beautiful scale with surface exhibiting original, un...

Category

20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Harry Bertoia Mobiles and Kinetic Sculptures

Materials

Brass

Harry Bertoia Beryllium, Copper & Bronze Untitled Sonambient Sculpture, USA 1977
Harry Bertoia Beryllium, Copper & Bronze Untitled Sonambient Sculpture, USA 1977

Harry Bertoia Beryllium, Copper & Bronze Untitled Sonambient Sculpture, USA 1977

By Harry Bertoia

Located in New York, NY

A striking example of Bertoia's sounding sculptures. He created a variety of forms and this piece stands out because of the thick and heavy cylinders that top off the rods and create...

Category

1970s American Vintage Harry Bertoia Mobiles and Kinetic Sculptures

Materials

Brass, Bronze, Copper

Val Bertoia 20-Rod Sonambient Sound Sculpture
Val Bertoia 20-Rod Sonambient Sound Sculpture

Val Bertoia 20-Rod Sonambient Sound Sculpture

Sold

H 23.5 in W 7.75 in D 7 in

Val Bertoia 20-Rod Sonambient Sound Sculpture

By Val Bertoia, Harry Bertoia

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Val Bertoia 20-Rod Sonambient sound sculpture. A lyrical sculpture with “Certificate of Authenticity” signed by the artist and son of the original designer, Harry Bertoia. Comprised ...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Harry Bertoia Mobiles and Kinetic Sculptures

Materials

Brass, Silver, Copper

Harry Bertoia Beryllium Bronze Kinetic Cattail Sonambient Sculpture, USA 1970s
Harry Bertoia Beryllium Bronze Kinetic Cattail Sonambient Sculpture, USA 1970s

Harry Bertoia Beryllium Bronze Kinetic Cattail Sonambient Sculpture, USA 1970s

By Harry Bertoia

Located in New York, NY

An unusual and wonderful example of Bertoia's sonambient sculptures. It has a very strong sounding quality for it's size due to the relationship between the rods and the cattails at ...

Category

1970s American Vintage Harry Bertoia Mobiles and Kinetic Sculptures

Materials

Brass, Copper

Harry Bertoia Bronze Gong Sculpture, USA, 1960s
Harry Bertoia Bronze Gong Sculpture, USA, 1960s

Harry Bertoia Bronze Gong Sculpture, USA, 1960s

By Harry Bertoia

Located in New York, NY

A wonderfully irregular form for a Bertoia gong. It comes with a stand but can be hung to produce a delightful tone.

Category

1960s American Vintage Harry Bertoia Mobiles and Kinetic Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

Harry Bertoia Large Beryllium Copper and Bronze Sonambient Sculpture, USA, 1960s
Harry Bertoia Large Beryllium Copper and Bronze Sonambient Sculpture, USA, 1960s

Harry Bertoia Large Beryllium Copper and Bronze Sonambient Sculpture, USA, 1960s

By Harry Bertoia

Located in New York, NY

An outstanding example of Bertoia's highly sought after sonambient sculptures. This piece has both significant height and density of rods with the addition of the impressive knockers at the top of the rods. It is also made from beryllium copper...

Category

1960s American Vintage Harry Bertoia Mobiles and Kinetic Sculptures

Harry Bertoia Patinated Solid Bronze Gong Sculpture, USA, 1970s
Harry Bertoia Patinated Solid Bronze Gong Sculpture, USA, 1970s

Harry Bertoia Patinated Solid Bronze Gong Sculpture, USA, 1970s

By Harry Bertoia

Located in New York, NY

This large-scale work measures 4' in diameter with a striking pattern of circular cutouts. It is mounted in a stand for display purposes but when hung properly can also be sounded.

Category

1970s American Vintage Harry Bertoia Mobiles and Kinetic Sculptures

Harry Bertoia mobiles and kinetic sculptures for sale on 1stDibs.

Harry Bertoia mobiles and kinetic sculptures are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of metal and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Harry Bertoia mobiles and kinetic sculptures, although gold editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original mobiles and kinetic sculptures by Harry Bertoia were created in the mid-century modern style in north america during the mid-20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider mobiles and kinetic sculptures by Paolo Soleri, and Curtis Jeré. Prices for Harry Bertoia mobiles and kinetic sculptures can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $30,000 and can go as high as $189,000, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $50,000.
Questions About Harry Bertoia Mobiles and Kinetic Sculptures
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    Whether or not a Harry Bertoia chair is comfortable really comes down to a matter of personal preference, but there are a lot of positive reviews pertaining to how comfortable the Italian-born American designer’s seating is. Among furniture aficionados he is known for the wire-lattice Diamond chair (and its variants such as the tall-backed Bird chair) designed for Knoll Inc. and first released in 1952. Shop a selection of Bertoia chairs from some of the world’s top dealers on 1stDibs.