He died tragically young, and his career as a designer lasted little more than 10 years. But through the 1960s, Joe Colombo proved himself one of the field’s most provocative and original thinkers, and he produced a remarkably large array of innovative chairs, table lamps and other lighting and furniture as well as product designs. Even today, the creations of Joe Colombo have the power to surprise.
Cesare “Joe” Colombo was born in Milan, the son of an electrical-components manufacturer. He was a creative child — he loved to build huge structures from Meccano pieces — and in college he studied painting and sculpture before switching to architecture.
In the early 1950s, Colombo made and exhibited paintings and sculptures as part of an art movement that responded to the new Nuclear Age, and futuristic thinking would inform his entire career. He took up design not long after his father fell ill in 1958, and he and his brother, Gianni, were called upon to run the family company.
Colombo expanded the business to include the making of plastics — a primary material in almost all his later designs. One of his first, made in collaboration with his brother, was the Acrilica table lamp (1962), composed of a wave-shaped piece of clear acrylic resin that diffused light cast by a bulb concealed in the lamp’s metal base. A year later, Colombo produced his best-known furniture design, the Elda armchair (1963): a modernist wingback chair with a womb-like plastic frame upholstered in thick leather pads.
Portability and adaptability were keynotes of many Colombo designs, made for a more mobile society in which people would take their living environments with them. One of his most striking pieces is the Tube chair (1969). It comprises four foam-padded plastic cylinders that fit inside one another. The components, which are held together by metal clips, can be configured in a variety of seating shapes (his Additional Living System seating is similarly versatile).
Vintage Tube chairs generally sell for about $9,000 in good condition; Elda chairs for about $7,000. A small Colombo design such as the plastic Boby trolley — an office organizer on wheels, designed in 1970 — is priced in the range of $700.
As Colombo intended, his designs are best suited to a modern decor. If your tastes run to sleek, glossy Space Age looks, the work of Joe Colombo offers you a myriad of choices.
Find vintage Joe Colombo lamps, seating and other furniture for sale on 1stDibs.
Joe Colombo Elda Swivel Chair, Fratelli Longhi, White Leather, 4 Available
By Fratelli Longhi, Joe Colombo
Located in Miami, FL
Joe Colombo Elda Swivel Chair, Fratelli Longhi, White Leather, Fiberglass Shell, 4 Available Offered for sale is an original Elda Chair, designed by Joe Colombo and manufactured by ...
Leather, Fiberglass
$1,500Sale Price / set|50% Off
H 37 in W 30 in D 38 in
Pair of 1980's Reclining Swivel White Leather Lounge Chairs
By Barcalounger
Located in Hanover, MA
SATURDAY SALE Upgrade to First Class at home (or at sea) with this pair of white kid glove faux-leather reclining swivel lounge chairs on round chrom...
Chrome
Post Modern Knoll Swivel Desk, Office, Chairs 11 Available
By Don Chadwick, Knoll
Located in New York, NY
Exceptional Knoll swivel desk chair(s) from the 1970's, in rich brown formed foam upholstery, on five star base. The chair swivels a full 360, and the base is on double wheel coaster...
Plastic
Elda Chair by Joe Colombo for Comfort - 1960's Italy
By Joe Colombo
Located in Lisboa, PT
Iconic Elda Chair by Joe Colombo for Comfort - Collectible Design Masterpiece The Elda Chair, designed by visionary Italian designer Joe Colombo for Comfort in the 1960s, is an unpa...
Leather, Fiberglass
$15,500
H 37 in W 39 in D 35 in
Vintage Joe Colombo Elda Chair, Comfort Fratelli Longhi, Black Leather
By Joe Colombo, Comfort, Italy
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Original Elda Chair, designed by Joe Colombo and manufactured by Comfort Fratelli Longhi. The Elda Chair’s futuristic design reflects Colombo’s interest in space exploration and mode...
Leather, Fiberglass
$14,600
H 36.82 in W 39.77 in D 37.01 in
Joe Colombo for Comfort Lounge Chair 'Elda' in Black Leather and Fiberglass
By Comfort, Italy, Joe Colombo
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Joe Colombo for Comfort, lounge chair ‘Elda’, fiberglass, leather, Italy, 1963 The ‘Elda’ chair is one of the most well-known designs of Italian designer Joe Colombo. This lounge ch...
Leather, Fiberglass
$18,700
H 36.42 in W 37.21 in D 38.39 in
Joe Colombo for Comfort 'Elda' Lounge Chair in Red Leather and Fiberglass
By Joe Colombo, Comfort, Italy
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Joe Colombo for Comfort, lounge chair ‘Elda’, fiberglass, leather, Italy, design 1963 The ‘Elda’ chair is one of the most well-known designs of Italian designer Joe Colombo. This lo...
Leather, Fiberglass
$12,165Sale Price|5% Off
H 36.62 in W 37.41 in D 36.23 in
Vintage iconic Joe Colombo Elda armchair, Italian Space Age 1960s, Black Leather
By Joe Colombo, Comfort, Italy
Located in Milano, IT
Iconic Armchair , Vintage Italian Armchair , Joe Colombo , Elda It’s 1963, Space Age is at its dawn, and Italian architect Joe Colombo designs a piece that will define the aestheti...
Leather, Fiberglass
$21,653
H 36.23 in W 36.23 in D 36.23 in
Golden Limited Edition Elda Chair by Joe Colombo for Longhi Italy no. 8/20
By Joe Colombo, Longhi
Located in Nagykovácsi, Central Hungary
LONGHI celebrated the Elda chair's 60th anniversary by creating a limited edition golden chair based on Joe Colombo’s original ELDA design. The chair was on...
Metal
Joe Colombo Elda swivel chair in original condition.
By Joe Colombo
Located in Greensboro, NC
Iconic swiveling "Elda Chair" by Italian designer Joe Colombo. This chair was designed in 1963, and put into production in 1965. Our chair is an early production in original condit...
Leather, Fiberglass
Elda Lounge Chair by Joe Colombo for Comfort, Italy 1960s
By Comfort, Italy, Joe Colombo
Located in bruxelles, BE
Swivel armchair in beige canvas and black shell by Joe Colombo. Elda model. Seat height 40 cm. Wear due to time and age of armchair. FOR SHIPPING, REQUEST US FOR RECEIVE THE BEST PRICE
Fiberglass, Canvas
$3,480Sale Price / item|20% Off
H 22.5 in W 28.38 in D 25.63 in
Kartell Joe Colombo Chair in Crystal by Joe Colombo
By Kartell, Joe Colombo
Located in Brooklyn, NY
A true symbol of Sixties design, famous also for being the only piece by Kartell made entirely of wood. Contemporary technology has made it possible to create the same product using ...
Plastic
$16,335 / set
H 36.23 in W 38.59 in D 39.38 in
Elda Chair and Ottoman by Joe Colombo for Comfort, Italy 1970s
By Comfort, Italy, Joe Colombo
Located in Hellouw, NL
The Elda chair, designed in 1963 by the visionary Italian designer Joe Colombo, remains one of the most recognisable lounge chairs of the 20th century. Sculptural, enveloping and fut...
Leather, Plastic
Elda Swivel Lounge Chair by Joe Colombo for Comfort Italy, circa 1963
By Comfort, Italy, Joe Colombo
Located in Virginia Beach, VA
A swivel lounge chair in Fiberglass and black Leather. All original Elda Chair Designed By Joe Colombo for Comfort Italy. A unique design that sits on a hidden swivel base that spins...
Leather, Fiberglass
Birillo Stool by Joe Columbo by Zanotta Italy
By Joe Colombo
Located in Cincinnati, OH
A mod pop art bar or counter Birillo stool by iconic Italian designer Joe Colombo with square seat bottom and lollipop styled seat back in white vinyl . ...
Steel
Elda Chair by Joe Colombo for Comfort, Italy, 1963
By Comfort, Italy, Joe Colombo
Located in Pijnacker, Zuid-Holland
Iconic Elda swivel lounge chair by Joe Colombo for Comfort, Italy – circa 1960. The leather has tears and wear. The fiberglass is in very goo...
Leather, Fiberglass
Sold
H 41.25 in W 18.5 in D 18.5 in
Original 'Birillo' Barstools Set by Joe Colombo for Zanotta, c. 1971, Signed
By Zanotta, Joe Colombo, ICF New York
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A rare collectors set of five (5) 'Birillo' bar-height barstools designed in 1971 by Joe Colombo for Zanotta, Italy, retailed by ICF New York. Signed underneath with Zanotta embossed logo and design information on each chair and ICF New York retailer labels on some of the chairs. These examples are original early year productions and ideal for collectors and modern art and design investors. These examples feature red vintage patent leatherette upholstery and white fiberglass bases. It's very hard to find a single Birillo stool let alone find a matched set of five bar-height barstools. If you are looking for a large set of modern bar height barstools, don't hesitate because once these are gone it will be a difficult opportunity to replicate. This early Post-Modern quintessential design is often misspelled 'Brillo' and even sometimes 'Brillio' but as seen documented in the 1978 Zanotta catalogue, the correct spelling is 'Birillo'. This set of five Joe Colombo Birillo...
Steel, Chrome
Sold
H 36 in W 37 in D 39 in
Midcentury Revolving 'Elda' Chair, Designed by Joe Colombo for Comfort in 1963
By Comfort, Italy, Joe Colombo
Located in London, GB
A midcentury revolving 'Elda' chair, designed by Joe Colombo for Comfort in 1963. This one was probably made in the 1970s-1980s. Polyester fiberglass, shell, with cream leather upho...
Leather, Fiberglass
Joe Colombo "Elda" Chair
By Joe Colombo
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Most beautiful "Elda" armchair by Joe Colombo, Italy, 1963. White polyester and fiberglass structure, swivel base, cappuccino color leather upholstery, removable cushions, with label...
Leather, Fiberglass
Sold
H 36 in W 37 in D 39 in
Midcentury Revolving 'Elda' Chair, Designed by Joe Colombo for Comfort in 1963
By Comfort, Italy, Joe Colombo
Located in London, GB
A midcentury revolving 'Elda' chair, designed by Joe Colombo for Comfort in 1963. This one was probably made in the 1970s-1980s. Polyester fiberglass, shell, with cream leather upho...
Leather
Joe Colombo Elda Swivel Armchair for Comfort, Italy
By Comfort, Italy, Joe Colombo
Located in Pijnacker, Zuid-Holland
Joe Colombo model Elda swivel chair by Comfort, Italy, 1960s. Black leather and fiberglass. Excellent condition. Designer: Joe Colombo Manufac...
Pair of Joe Colombo 'Elda' Swivel Chairs
By Joe Colombo
Located in Phoenix, AZ
Pair of Joe Colombo 'Elda' chairs, circa mid-1960s. These extraordinary examples have white molded plastic frames and have been newly upholstered in a stunning caramel leather. They ...
Leather
Sold
H 41.5 in W 17 in D 18.5 in
Mid-Century Modern Set of Five Birillo Bar Stools Joe Colombo for Zanotta
By Zanotta, Joe Colombo
Located in Keego Harbor, MI
For your consideration is a set of five, incredible bar stools, Birillo model, designed by Joe Colombo for the Italian company Zanotta, in the early 1970s. Pivotable black leather se...
Chrome
Joe Colombo "Elda" Chair, 1960s
By Comfort, Italy, Joe Colombo
Located in Amarillo, TX
Joe Colombo "Elda" chair with swivel base. Italy, circa 1960s. Manufacture: Comfort, Italy. Measures: 36.22 H x 37.8 W x 38.58 D inches. Red leather, moulded fiberglass.
Fiberglass, Leather
Joe Colombo Elda Swiveling Lounge Chair
By Joe Colombo
Located in New York, NY
This is probably the best known chair by Joe Colombo (1930 -1971) one of the most innovative Italian designer of the 60's and also an architect and artistJoe Colombo did not produce ...