Modern Design 
13 May 2020
Modern Design 
166

Michael Graves

Piazza four-piece tea and coffee service with tray

Alessi
USA / Italy, 1980-86
sterling silver, glass, plastic, enameled aluminum
estimate: $10,000–15,000
result: $20,000
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This set is number 33 from the edition of 99. Set is comprised of a coffee pot, teapot, covered sugar bowl with spoon, and cream jug, all marked to underside ‘Officina Alessi 1986 33/99 Italy 925’ and tray marked to underside ‘925’.
Coffee pot measures: 9.5 h x 10 w x 4.75 d inches. Tray measures: 16.25 w x 16 d inches. 132.9 ozt (gross weight).
provenance: Private Collection
literature: Michael Graves: Buildings and Projects 1966-1981, Vogel, Wheeler, Arnal, and Bickford, ppg. 248-249 Designed by Architects in the 1980s, Capella and Larrea, pg. 78

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Tea & Coffee with a
Dash of Postmodernism

Famed architect Michael Graves designed this set for Alessi as part of their “Tea and Coffee Piazza” program in the 1980s. They commissioned 11 architects to design tea sets, the tray serving as the piazza and the vessels as buildings. Graves’ set became the most popular, with its whimsical mixture of Greco-Roman forms, splashes of vivid color, and clean, postmodern simplicity. It harkened back to Josef Hoffmann’s architecturally-inspired designs from the early 20th century while staying true to the Memphis-style designs that were all the rage at the time. He would go on to design countless other popular household objects for Alessi, many of which remain in production to this day.

Michael ... has been for Alessi one of the leading authors and design heroes, and for me, personally, one of my most important maestros. I'll never forget his contribution to our history.

Alberto Alessi

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