The brainchild of the Fratelli Gugliermetto company, Gufram was born in 1966 in Turin, Italy, massively inspired by the avant-garde artistic culture that reigned in Europe during the 1960s and '70s. The brand is known for its CACTUS coat stand and sculptural seating such as the Pratone chair as well as other massive, innovative pieces that fall somewhere between art and furniture.
Starting in the mid-1960s, proponents of Italian Radical Design — which included forward-looking collectives like Archizoom and Studio 65 — broke with formality and convention by fusing the joy of Pop art with the systems of mass production.
One of the brands that formed as a result of these experiments was Gufram, a manufacturer at the forefront of the country’s Radical Design movement. The Gugliermetto brothers teamed up with emerging artists to harness exciting new materials — among them, polyurethane foam, which was originally used in the transportation industry as insulation to keep buses and trains warm.
Despite being credited for revolutionizing Italian design, until the mid-1970s, Gufram was largely unknown outside the small Italian town where it was founded. Nearly six years after the brand’s inception, though, word got out about a furniture brand transforming polyurethane foam into gigantic works of art. So, Gufram brought its playful and witty design concept across the Atlantic to New York’s Museum of Modern Art, where it had its first international show.
Gufram produced much of the Pop furniture — the CACTUS coat rack by Guido Drocco and Franco Mello and the Bocca sofa, in the shape of big red lips, by Studio 65 — that came to define the Anti-Design movement. (Through a relationship with Gufram, the latter was imported to the United States by Charles Stendig, a collector and pioneering importer who helped spark America’s interest in furniture from Finland, Switzerland and Italy during the 1960s and ‘70s.)
Although furniture can be serious business, it’s just as often playful, provocative, energizing and even liberating. Perhaps nothing embodies these characteristics better than postmodern Italian design. And one of the most iconic pieces to originate during Italy’s fertile period of postmodern furniture design is the Pratone chair, designed in 1971 by Giorgio Ceretti, Piero Derossi and Riccardo Rosso.
Representing a magnified portion of a grassy meadow, the Pratone chaise provides a lounging place for an individual or a group. “It is so unlike anything else that it stands out and is still iconic after 50 years,” said Charley Vezza, Gufram’s global creative orchestrator.
Made of painted polyurethane foam, the Pratone chair immediately became the symbol of a new and different approach to interiors when it debuted.
Gufram has become a favorite of the international art crowd and glitterati, and its products have made their way to the world’s most renowned museums, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Vitra Design Museum and more.
British fashion designer Paul Smith and American multi-hyphenate artist A$AP Rocky have collaborated with Gufram over the years. Interior designer Tony Ingrao has called the Pratone chair one of his favorite works and featured the larger-than-life piece in an exhibition he curated at R & Company in 2016.
Find new and vintage Gufram chairs, sofas, mirrors and other Gufram furniture for sale on 1stDibs.
Italian Coat Rack by Acerbis, 1970s
By Acerbis
Located in bruxelles, BE
Italian coat rack in satin-finish steel and marble base made by Acerbis in the 1970s. Wear due to time and age. For shipping, request us for receive the best price.
Marble, Stainless Steel
Italian Rattan Coat Rack, 1960s
Located in bruxelles, BE
Italian wall coat rack in rattan, leather and wood Wear due to time and age of the coat rack. FOR SHIPPING, REQUEST US FOR RECEIVE THE BEST PRICE
Rattan, Leather, Wood
Italian Wall Unit by Vittoriano Viganò, 1960s
By Vittoriano Vigano
Located in bruxelles, BE
Wooden wall unit in the shape of a cylinder with a marble base. Wear due to age and time. FOR SHIPPING, REQUEST US FOR RECEIVE THE BEST PRICE
Marble, Metal
Floor lamp by Serge Mouille, 1st edition, 1953
By Serge Mouille
Located in bruxelles, BE
Floor lamp in black metal by Serge Mouille. This is the first edition made in 1953. Wear due to time and age.
Metal
“Fiocco” modular room divider designed by Pierluigi Spadolini for Kartell, 1970s
By Pierluigi Spadolini, Kartell
Located in bruxelles, BE
Modular room divider designed by Pierluigi Spadolini & Paolo Felli. Model: Fiocco. Consists of 11 double pieces and 2 single pieces. Dimensions pe...
Plastic
"Helga" Floor Lamp by Silvio Bilangione & Paolo Portoghesi, 1960s
By Paolo Portoghesi, Silvio Bilangione
Located in bruxelles, BE
Creamy white wooden floor lamp by Silvio Bilangione & Paolo Portoghesi. Wear due to age and age of the floor lamp. FOR SHIPPING, REQUEST US FOR RECEIVE THE BEST PRICE
Wood
"Cactus" by Gufram - Drocco & Mello Design 1960s Coat Rack
By Gufram Furniture, Guido Drocco and Franco Mello
Located in Brescia, IT
Polyurethane foam and the surface is treated with green Gluflac washable paint. First edition 1968. Early example without marking or numbers. Gufram edited a numbered serie in 197...
Plastic
1972, Guido Drocco and Franco Mello, Cactus Coat Stand, in the Best Green Ever
By Gufram Furniture, Guido Drocco and Franco Mello
Located in Amsterdam IJMuiden, NL
This chair is part of the private collection of Casey Godrie and is situated in his private house. Ask him for competitive shipping quotes. His incredible Dune Villa, Amsterdam Beach, check last five pictures of this listing or find more details on his family name plus eu, is for sale soon too. :-) The very best I've ever seen, that's why it's more expensive. I sold also pieces from 3500 euro up to 8000,euro but this one is different. Iconic cactus coat rack in very good original condition. Signed #494/2000 Gufram Multiples '86. The Gufram Cactus...
Polystyrene
Gufram Another Green Cactus Coat Stand by Drocco & Mello, 1972 Italian Icon
By Gufram Furniture, Guido Drocco and Franco Mello
Located in Varedo, MB
A Radical Design Icon That Turned Function Into Art More than an object, Another Green Cactus® by Gufram is a cultural statement, a rebellious symbol of Italian radical design that has challenged conventions since 1972. Designed by Guido Drocco and Franco Mello, CACTUS® was born as an unconventional reinterpretation of the traditional coat stand, transforming an everyday functional object into a bold sculptural presence capable of redefining any interior. Standing as tall as a human being, CACTUS® dominates the space with its unmistakable silhouette: a surreal green sculpture suspended between nature, pop culture, and design experimentation. Its four energetic branches and thousands of rounded details create a playful yet sophisticated presence, turning walls and rooms into unexpected landscapes. More than fifty years after its creation, CACTUS® remains one of the most recognizable masterpieces of Italian radical design, proving that furniture can become art, personality, and pure emotion. Craftsmanship & Materials Each Another Green Cactus® is handcrafted in soft polyurethane and finished entirely by hand with Guflac®, the exclusive patented coating developed by Gufram. This innovative finish gives the sculpture its unmistakable soft-touch surface, combining the appearance of leather with durability and resistance. The iconic structure features: • Four functional arms designed as coat hooks • 2,165 hand-painted and individually finished textured details • Soft polyurethane structure • Hand-applied Guflac® green finish • Unique handcrafted character The slight variations created by the artisanal finishing process are not imperfections but authentic signs of craftsmanship, making every CACTUS® a unique collectible design piece. Design History Created in 1972, CACTUS® became one of the defining objects of the Italian Radical Design movement. Drocco and Mello imagined an object that could break away from traditional ideas of domestic furniture, introducing irony, provocation, and imagination into everyday environments. Its extraordinary shape revolutionized the perception of interior spaces worldwide, transforming the simple coat rack into a sculptural artwork. Today, CACTUS® continues to represent Gufram’s philosophy: combining irreverence, innovation, craftsmanship, and an unmistakable sense of humor. Throughout its history, Gufram has collaborated with internationally renowned artists and creatives to produce unforgettable interpretations of CACTUS®, including GOD of TOILETPAPER, Psychedelic Cactus®, Sunrise Cactus® by Paul Smith, Radiant Cactus® by ORDOVAS Gallery, the Andy’s Cactus...
Other
Cactus Coatrack by Guido Drocco and Franco Mello
By Guido Drocco and Franco Mello
Located in Saint-Ouen, IDF
Playful coatrack designed by Guido Drocco and Franco Mello in the 1970s shaped like a whimsical cactus in foam painted in bright green. Guido Drocco and Franco Mello were Itali...
Foam
GUFRAM Another Green Cactus Sculptural Coatrack by Drocco & Mello
By Gufram Furniture, Guido Drocco and Franco Mello
Located in La Morra, Cuneo
Cactus is the icon of Italian design that has revolutionized the domestic landscape. Made of flexible polyurethane this hall tree with four cantilever arms is as tall as a person and...
Other
Gufram Another Green Cactus by Drocco / Mello
By Gufram Furniture, Guido Drocco and Franco Mello
Located in Toronto, ON
Coat stand of soft polyurethane finished by hand with Guflac®. Open Edition. As tall as a human, CACTUS®, initially conceived as an eccentric coat hanger, has become over the years...
Foam, Paint
