Osvaldo Borsani walnut and glass occasional table, Italy, 1952

A round walnut coffee table with mirrored glass top and brass tripod base, Arredamenti Borsani Varedo manufacture, 1950s, design by Osvaldo Borsani.

A circular surface in African walnut and mirrored glass emerges as a vital element in the ideal living room envisioned by Osvaldo Borsani. This service table is distinguished by a brass tripod that supports the top. The vertical elements appear to stem from a small brass sphere suspended mid-air.

This design reflects Borsani's sensitivity, often inspired by the natural world as well as by contemporary influences during his active years. One can discern a nod to an aesthetic linked to science—or more accurately, to science fiction—highly popular in the 1950s. That era spoke with a mix of fear and fascination about space travel, astounding inventions, atoms, and planets beyond our solar system.

Some of these references might be seen in the brass support of this table, where, with a touch of imagination, the brass sphere could be interpreted as a planet pierced by laser beams. However, this interpretive flight is grounded by the table’s top, which reasserts the object’s balance between form and function, reminding us that we are looking at a practical and honest piece of living room furniture.

As in many of his works from this period, Borsani masterfully combines glass, brass, and mahogany. The result is a small yet characterful piece of furniture, capable of seamlessly integrating into contemporary interiors even today.

Dimensions: diameter 70.5 cm, height 52.5 cm