Ignanzio Gardella adjustable table in walnut and brass, Azucena, Italy, 1950s

A rare table in brass and wood with inlaid top and adjustable height mechanism, design by Ignazio Gardella, Azucena catalogue, 1950s.

Architecture and design, in Ignazio Gardella’s vision, were living matter—dynamic and constantly evolving. His aesthetic research extended seamlessly from architecture to interior design. Among his most celebrated works is the splendid Tuberculosis Pavilion designed in 1939, a milestone of Italian Rationalism. The same refined lines and intellectual approach that marked his architectural practice can be clearly seen in his furniture, seating, and lighting designs.

A turning point in Gardella’s professional and entrepreneurial career came with the founding of Azucena in 1947, together with Luigi Caccia Dominioni and Corrado Corradi Dell’Acqua. The round table presented here is associated with that distinguished brand. Its mahogany top, characterized by a radiant inlay pattern, reflects a certain classical sensibility in decoration—elegant, yet focused on material quality and precision of execution.

The concave moulding of the tabletop is another subtle refinement—one that reveals itself only after a lingering look, rewarding the attentive observer. At the core of the table’s design lies the brass handle that allows the height of the top to be adjusted. This detail, reflecting Gardella’s ongoing pursuit of versatility, embodies his desire to create objects that can adapt to different uses and moments with ease. The same concept animates his famous Alzabile lamp, whose very name evokes movement and transformation—a design philosophy open to evolution and interpretation.

The table is stamped Azucena on the brass and has been professionally restored; it is therefore in excellent functional and aesthetic condition.

Dimensions: diameter 95 cm (37.4 in); adjustable height from 50 cm (19.7 in) to 80 cm (31.5 in).