Italian Console by Palazzi dell'Arte Cantù, Mahogany-Stained Beech, 1950s

The console stands against the wall on a rectangular top whose front edge is gently drawn inward, lifted by four tapering legs that narrow towards the floor and end in pointed tips. A low stretcher runs between them and branches into a Y, leaving the piece almost suspended. The face of the central drawer picks up the concavity of the top, curving in the same direction. The overall disposition belongs to post-war Cantù console tables: spare, vertical, built on the smallest possible footprint.

The wood is beech stained to a mahogany tone, polished to bring out the grain. Top and sides hold a uniform reddish-brown, while the drawer front shifts to a lighter shade, set against it for contrast. A close vertical reeding in the millerighe manner runs across the full width of the drawer, cut into the solid wood and finished flush with the frame. Legs and lower stretcher are hand-turned and polished, with joints concealed within the structure. The drawer opens without pulls, through a recessed grip worked beneath the lower edge.

The console was produced by Palazzi dell'Arte Cantù, a Brianza manufacturer active in the post-war period and specialised in high-quality cabinetmaking. Cantù represented the Italian centre for refined woodworking at the time, frequently engaged in the production of furniture designed by Milanese architects. The dating to the 1950s is consistent with the language of the piece: sculptural leg profiles, shaped top and reeded drawer front are recurring features in the high-end Cantù output of that decade.

The console has been restored and presents in excellent condition. The surface shows an even polish with no visible abrasions; the legs and lower stretcher remain structurally intact. The drawer runs smoothly and retains the original geometry of the reeded front, with no settling or loss of the mouldings.

Dimensions: Height 80 cm (31.5 in) x Width 100 cm (39.4 in) x Depth 34.5 cm (13.6 in)