Modern Memphis Furniture

Q I thought the very strange and modern Memphis furniture was made in the U.S. But I’m told the idea behind the Memphis group was created by Ettore Sottsass, an Italian.

A Memphis is a design group that started in Italy in 1981. It is said that the name Memphis came from listening to Bob Dylan’s song, ”Stuck Inside of Mobile With the Memphis Blues Again.” Sottsass, already a famous designer, joined others to make colorful mass-produced furnishings with plastik laminate. They made expensive limited editions of furniture, clocks, fabrics, glass, jewelry and ceramics inspired by many old styles. The group only lasted until 1988, and the brand was acquired by Ernesto Gismondi of Artemide, a lamp company. The best known piece by Sottsass was not part of the Memphis group. It’s called ”Valentine,” a pink Olivetti typewriter he designed for the company in the 1960s. The piece that made me realize I had very conservative taste was what I call the Memphis ”boxing ring,” a fenced-off space in the center of a large room used as a conversation area for guests.