Willy Daro’s sculptural furniture creations double as striking works of art. The designer is known for his glitzy Hollywood Regency-style lighting fixtures, including a range of elegant table lamps, wall lights and ceiling lights. Collectors also gravitate toward vintage Willy Daro coffee tables — with their provocatively winding bases of brass or travertine, these pieces exude sophistication in any modern space.
Daro established his design studio after World War II. In the early 1960s, he opened Les Nouveaux Ateliers Willy Daro in Brussels, where he produced furniture for nearly three decades until the workshop closed in 1987.
Most of Daro’s most famous designs were created during the 1970s when he garnered attention for an innovative use of natural materials. Daro’s audacious furnishings featured an unlikely merging of brass, minerals, fossils, coral, shells and stones. The works from this era frequently share commonalities with brutalist-style design while retaining a luxurious look and feel.
Daro’s lighting fixtures add visual intrigue to bedrooms and living rooms. Each lamp, pendant and chandelier has a distinct personality, such as through the contrast of a metallic finish with a large shell or a geode. Daro’s fixtures often see an integration of botanical and floral flourishes, complete with intricate brass leaves and petals. His tables similarly draw on the natural world — metal bases shaped like bonsai trees are topped with thick glass surfaces that allow for visibility of the sculptural forms below. Today, Daro's pieces remain highly collectible, fetching considerable prices at auction.
Find vintage Willy Daro furniture on 1stDibs.
Capiz Shell Wall or Flush Lamp
By Verner Panton, J.T. Kalmar, Ingo Maurer, Emil Stejnar, Rupert Nikoll
Located in München, DE
Beautiful floral shell wall or ceiling lamp from the 1970s. Exceptional design and high-quality workmanship. The design creates a fantastic play of light. Condition: Very good vint...
Metal
Capiz Shell Ceiling Lamp, Model Cornelia
By Dusty Deco
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Cornelia Ceiling Lamp is structured in nine levels which gives it an eye-catching irregular structure. It is made from brassed metal and capiz shells which makes each lamp unique, so...
Brass
$764 / item
H 9.45 in Dm 4.73 in
1. of 2 Round Mid-Century Modern 3D Fossil Shell Shape Flush Mount Lamp, 1960s
Located in Nürnberg, Bayern
1. of 2 Round Mid-Century Modern 3D Fossil Shell Shape Flush Mount Lamp, 1960s Executed in ice glass and metal. This lamp need 1 x E14 / E15 Edison screw fit bulb is wired, in w...
Metal
Capiz Shell Chandelier
Located in Palm Springs, CA
Capiz shell chandelier consisting of 3 vintage capiz shells which we incorporated into a chandelier. The canopy is 5" diameter. The lengths from...
Brass
1x Capiz Lotus shell pendant lamp by Rausch 1960s Germany
By Rausch
Located in Krefeld, DE
One of two Capiz Lotus pendant lamps designed and produced by Rausch Germany in the 1960s. This lamp is made of white and green coloured shells. The lamp i...
Metal
Murano Round Ambra / White Color Mid-Century Chandelier, 2000
Located in Roma, Lazio
Extraordinary ambra / white color for this Murano chandelier, a ambra color with a unique transparency. Its ambra and white color is really guessed for a different and original chand...
Iron
Loto Flush Mount by Fabio Ltd
By Fabio Ltd.
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Italian flush mount with layered textured clear Murano glass discs mounted on 24 karat gold finish metal frame, designed by Fabio Bergomi for Fabio Ltd / Made in Italy 6 lights / E12...
Murano Glass
$1,294
H 4.93 in Dm 18.9 in
Original Vintage Flush mount Lamp attributed to Barovier & Toso, Murano, 1980s
By Barovier&Toso
Located in Trieste, IT
Ceiling flush mount with numerous Murano crystal flowers placed on the iron structured net. The ceiling light has 6 Edison 14 light bulb fittings. T Production date between 1970 an...
Metal
Mid-Century Modern Sculptural & Organic Murano Table Lamp C1960
Located in Port Jervis, NY
Fabulous murano table lamp in the shape of a crescent or wafer. Attributed to Vistosi. Very organic minded with a dimmer switch in the cord for easy adjusting of the mood. In excelle...
Art Glass
$1,158 / item
H 31.5 in Dm 15.75 in
1 of 6 Capiz Shell Lotus Ball Chandelier Pendant Light Germany, 1960s
By Verner Panton, Rausch
Located in Aachen, NRW
Stunning Capiz shell lotus ball pendant light with dark green color pieces, Germany, 1960s It requires 1 x E27 standard bulbs with 100W max each. A light bulb is not included. It is...
Shell
French Capiz Shell Globe Pendant Light, Brass Tone, 30 cm, 1970s
Located in Antwerp, BE
A refined French pendant light from the 1970s, crafted from delicately arranged capiz shell panels set within a brass-toned metal framework. The spherical form is composed of geometr...
Brass
Mid-Century Modern Italian Murano Glass Chandelier, 1950s
Located in Antwerp, BE
Italian Murano glass ceiling light, chandelier. Measures: Width 52 cm Depth 52 cm. Height 50 cm. Three E27 bulbs.
Metal, Aluminum
Emil Stejnar Snowball Flush Mount Chandelier
By Emil Stejnar
Located in Antwerp, BE
Emil Stejnar flush mount Sputnik chandelier dating to circa 1950s. Designed with a brass body and arms, white enamel sockets, bursts of faceted beads and sprays of glass rosettes. We...
Metal
Doria Pendant Light
By Doria Leuchten Germany
Located in Antwerp, BE
One Doria pendant light. Measures: Diameter 36 cm. Height 17 cm.
Metal
Two Large Italian Flush Mounts or Sconces
Located in Antwerp, BE
Two Italian glass and brass flush mounts or wall lights with 60 glass flowers. Measures: Diameter: 65 cm. Height:18 cm. Five E14 bulbs.
Brass
Danish Mid-Century Ceramic Pendant Light with Textured Shade, 1950s
Located in Antwerp, BE
Beautiful Danish ceramic pendant lamp with original chain and ceramic ceiling plate made in the 1950s and 1960s. This beautiful Danish pendant lamp from the 50s and 60s is made of c...
Brass
