1983, for the Ideal Form Team, Italy, ebonised mahogany, acrylic glass, crystal glass, interior lighting, height 180 cm, width 120 cm, depth 25 cm. (DRAX)

Lit.:
Domus, February 1983, no. 636, ill.

Provenance:
family ownership, Italy

Commissioned from Munari for the exhibition of the Ideal Form Team at the Salone del Mobile in Milan in 1983.
No more than two of these showcases were built. Bruno Munari kept the second piece, which held his collection of objects found on the beach and remained in his studio in via Vittoria Colonna in Milan until his death in 1998.
The original plan was to produce this showcase in series, but only the prototype offered for sale here and the example formerly owned by Munari himself were realised.
Because of the round openings in the vertically mounted transparent acrylic glass panels the showcase ideally lent itself to the presentation of objects. They seemed to float in space as they did not have to be placed on glass shelves. Munari had conceived this furniture object as a kind of reliquary shrine in which to store personal souvenirs and found objects.

“It is a unique way to look at the objects we love and to split a space as sculptures do. The Perspex screen (reticulated with holes) and the movable shelf make it possible to show whatever we like. The inside spot lights up the objects shown, but it is a good room-lighting too.”
(Bruno Munari)