Vintage 1970s Italian Burl Wood Coffee Table with Sliding Mirrored Compartment, Attributed to Willy Rizzo for Mario Sabot
Vintage 1970s Italian Burl Wood Coffee Table with Sliding Mirrored Compartment, Attributed to Willy Rizzo for Mario Sabot
The Details
Designer: Attributed to Willy Rizzo
Manufacturer: Attributed to Mario Sabot, Italy
Dimensions: W 120cm (closed) to approximately 188cm (fully extended) × D 70cm × H 43.5cm
Materials: Burl wood veneer, mirror, brass
Period: Circa 1970s
Place of Origin: Italy
Style: Italian Modernist
Condition: Excellent Vintage Condition
The Story
This sculptural Italian coffee table from the 1970s is a striking example of the architectural, confident design language that defined Willy Rizzo’s work during his most celebrated period. Constructed from burl wood veneer with a layered, stepped form, the piece opens via a smooth manual sliding mechanism, parting across the top to reveal a mirrored interior compartment detailed with brass accents.
The attribution to Rizzo rests on strong consistency with his documented output: the stacked architectural form, the use of burl wood as a primary design material, and most distinctively the sliding-top mechanism concealing a mirrored interior, a signature construction associated with Rizzo’s Mario Sabot pieces of the period. Rizzo established his workshop in Tivoli outside Rome in the late 1960s, producing furniture for a clientele that included Brigitte Bardot and Salvador Dalí before selling the company in 1978 and returning to his first career as a photographer. His pieces from this short window remain among the most sought after examples of 1970s Italian design.
Rizzo did not sign his furniture, and attribution for pieces of this period rests on construction, form, and provenance rather than documented markings. The present example reflects the maker’s hand across every element: the proportion of the stacked base, the quality of the burl matching across the panels, and the precision of the sliding mechanism all speak to the workshop’s standards of execution.
Both sculptural and functional, the table operates as a quiet centrepiece in a living space, with the mirrored compartment offering a theatrical reveal that elevates everyday use into something closer to ceremony. Fully extended, the piece grows by more than half its closed width, transforming from a compact coffee table into an expansive low surface suitable for serving, display, or entertaining.
Condition Report
The table is structurally sound and fully functional.
The burl wood veneer has been exceptionally preserved and shows almost no signs of wear, with the characteristic figuring and warm tonal depth intact across all surfaces.
The sliding mechanism operates smoothly and the mirrored compartment remains in excellent condition.
Overall presented in excellent vintage condition.
Provenance & Authenticity
- Attributed to Willy Rizzo for Mario Sabot, Italy, circa 1970s
- Burl wood veneer with mirrored sliding compartment
- Attribution supported by consistency with documented Rizzo output of the period
Styling Notes
- Ideal as a sculptural centrepiece for a living room or lounge
- Pairs well with Italian modernist, mid-century, and contemporary interiors
Collector Notes
- Rare example of the sliding mirrored compartment construction associated with Willy Rizzo for Mario Sabot
- Characteristic burl wood architectural form of 1970s Italian modernist design
- From the production window of Rizzo’s Tivoli workshop (circa 1966 to 1978)
Browse more vintage tables.
All sales are final on this item.
The Details
Designer: Attributed to Willy Rizzo
Manufacturer: Attributed to Mario Sabot, Italy
Dimensions: W 120cm (closed) to approximately 188cm (fully extended) × D 70cm × H 43.5cm
Materials: Burl wood veneer, mirror, brass
Period: Circa 1970s
Place of Origin: Italy
Style: Italian Modernist
Condition: Excellent Vintage Condition
The Story
This sculptural Italian coffee table from the 1970s is a striking example of the architectural, confident design language that defined Willy Rizzo’s work during his most celebrated period. Constructed from burl wood veneer with a layered, stepped form, the piece opens via a smooth manual sliding mechanism, parting across the top to reveal a mirrored interior compartment detailed with brass accents.
The attribution to Rizzo rests on strong consistency with his documented output: the stacked architectural form, the use of burl wood as a primary design material, and most distinctively the sliding-top mechanism concealing a mirrored interior, a signature construction associated with Rizzo’s Mario Sabot pieces of the period. Rizzo established his workshop in Tivoli outside Rome in the late 1960s, producing furniture for a clientele that included Brigitte Bardot and Salvador Dalí before selling the company in 1978 and returning to his first career as a photographer. His pieces from this short window remain among the most sought after examples of 1970s Italian design.
Rizzo did not sign his furniture, and attribution for pieces of this period rests on construction, form, and provenance rather than documented markings. The present example reflects the maker’s hand across every element: the proportion of the stacked base, the quality of the burl matching across the panels, and the precision of the sliding mechanism all speak to the workshop’s standards of execution.
Both sculptural and functional, the table operates as a quiet centrepiece in a living space, with the mirrored compartment offering a theatrical reveal that elevates everyday use into something closer to ceremony. Fully extended, the piece grows by more than half its closed width, transforming from a compact coffee table into an expansive low surface suitable for serving, display, or entertaining.
Condition Report
The table is structurally sound and fully functional.
The burl wood veneer has been exceptionally preserved and shows almost no signs of wear, with the characteristic figuring and warm tonal depth intact across all surfaces.
The sliding mechanism operates smoothly and the mirrored compartment remains in excellent condition.
Overall presented in excellent vintage condition.
Provenance & Authenticity
- Attributed to Willy Rizzo for Mario Sabot, Italy, circa 1970s
- Burl wood veneer with mirrored sliding compartment
- Attribution supported by consistency with documented Rizzo output of the period
Styling Notes
- Ideal as a sculptural centrepiece for a living room or lounge
- Pairs well with Italian modernist, mid-century, and contemporary interiors
Collector Notes
- Rare example of the sliding mirrored compartment construction associated with Willy Rizzo for Mario Sabot
- Characteristic burl wood architectural form of 1970s Italian modernist design
- From the production window of Rizzo’s Tivoli workshop (circa 1966 to 1978)
Browse more vintage tables.
All sales are final on this item.
