Dining Table by Giovanni Offredi for Saporiti, Italy 1990s

A harmonious combination of materials and shapes is what makes this Saporiti table by Giovanni Offredi so special. Let's start with the impressive cement legs. This semi-cylindrical shape is cast and relief has been applied from the bottom upwards and offering a beautiful contrast to the smooth structure of the cement. On the inside of these legs, there is a slot at the top in which a brass bracket is hidden. This bracket ensures that the bar with the maple veneer, typical for Saporiti designs, can rest on it. The wooden beam seems to float and the beautiful color of the maple in combination with the beam's proportion takes a prominent position in this design. We can characterize the base as an architectural masterpiece and is completed in a fantastic way by the large oval glass top. You can imagine that if this object were to be made on a larger scale, it would be a very spectacular building. This is one of the characteristics and strengths of Offredi's designs and we see that reflected in this specific example. As mentioned earlier, the individual qualities of the materials used have been brought together in a sublime way — the hardness of cement, the softness of wood, and the smoothness of glass. None of them prevails over the other, but reinforce each other instead. The condition of this table is very good. The glass top has a small chip on the crosscut side.