Beech wardrobe with roller shutters, glass shelves, interior light, Italy, 1950s

A large wardrobe with roller shutters in beechwood, featuring glass shelves, coat hooks, and interior lighting. Italian craftsmanship, 1950s.

Where do our dinner guests hang their coats? Here’s a way to solve the problem and surprise them: simply place your hands on the concave brass knobs of this wardrobe and slide the doors open. What we have here is an unusual piece of furniture, an entryway wardrobe that, due to its characteristics, possesses a distinctly theatrical quality. Like a curtain being drawn, the doors slide to the sides, revealing the interior: a “stage” where, with the help of a simple mechanism, the light turns on and reflects off a white backdrop.

Indeed, a lamp positioned at the top of the wardrobe casts a beam of light onto the crystal shelf and the four coat hooks, each decorated with a small bas-relief of a classical profile. This is a versatile piece, suitable for many placements and uses, with the possibility of modifications. A simple transformation: a series of crystal shelves could be added inside to turn it into a charming bar cabinet or a showcase for displaying a precious collection of objects.

Let’s imagine it as part of the tradition of ancient “cabinets de curiosités” that, blending art and furniture history, have been the pride of many collectors. These were intriguing, discreet, and elegant cabinets that, though seemingly unassuming, held exquisite and rare collections, preserving curious and bizarre rarities. Once opened, they would reveal their contents, much to the surprise and wonder of those present—a delightful diversion of days gone by.

Why, even in this era of rampant modernity, not preserve this age-old tradition, blending collecting and vanity, by incorporating a piece of furniture that can spark so much wonder in a contemporary setting?

Dimensions:
198 cm (width) × 200 cm (height) × 28 cm (internal depth)
77.95 in (width) × 78.74 in (height) × 11.02 in (internal depth)