Gio Ponti certified walnut and glass display table for A.P.E.M., Italy, 1946

A rare and significant display table designed by Gio Ponti in 1946 for A.P.E.M. (Artigianato Produzione Esportazione Milano) and certified by the Gio Ponti Archives. The design reflects Ponti’s early postwar vision, where lightness, proportion, and clarity were central themes. The white-lacquered walnut structure supports a clear Vitrex glass top, whose transparency allows the table to visually dissolve into its surroundings, giving a sense of suspension rather than solidity. Beneath the top, an offset shelf outlined in brass and finished with painted panels introduces an asymmetrical composition, balancing geometry and depth.

The construction is executed with architectural discipline. The inward-angled legs are tapered to reduce perceived weight while retaining structural firmness. Transitions between wood and brass are sharply defined, revealing Ponti’s interest in material contrast and precision. The softly rounded glass surface exposes the table’s internal logic, allowing the viewer to engage not only with the exterior form but with the way the elements interact in space.

Visually, the alternating dialogue between lacquered wood, clear glass, and brass detailing illustrates Ponti’s ability to combine restraint with warmth. The result is a table conceived not as a static object, but as an exploration of light, transparency, and balance—an expression of modernity rooted in craftsmanship.

Gio Ponti (1891–1979) played a pivotal role in shaping Italian design in the 20th century. Architect, designer, and founder of Domus, he promoted a vision in which architecture, furniture, and everyday objects were conceived as expressions of cultural identity and technical innovation.

A.P.E.M., founded in the immediate postwar years, was an initiative aimed at exporting the excellence of Italian artisanal production. Under Ponti’s creative direction, it produced limited series pieces that merged artisan techniques with modern industrial ambition—a synthesis that anticipated the international success of Italian design.

This table is a clear expression of that intent: conceived with precision, restored with full respect for its original components, and retaining its Vitrex-marked glass top, which, aside from normal signs of wear, shows no chips or breaks.

Dimensions:
200 w × 100 d × 80 h cm (≈ 78.7″ × 39.4″ × 31.5″)