Extremely rare and majestic bookcase by Aldo Tura, produced in Milan around 1960 and entirely clad in natural parchment dyed a dark tobacco color with a high-gloss, mirror-like finish.
A work of exceptional quality and rarity, it represents one of the most accomplished expressions of Tura’s poetics, in which natural material is sublimated into an architectural language of extraordinary elegance and rigor.
The structure, custom-built by hand, is composed of three vertical uprights that rhythmically articulate the horizontal shelves, generating a perfect balance between solids and voids, light and matter.
The lower section is enclosed by two doors with cylindrical brass handles, while the upper section, entirely open, offers generous display surfaces ideal for books, objects, and ceramics.
The brown-dyed parchment, an iconic material of Aldo Tura’s universe, completely envelops the entire structure: a continuous skin of warm, vibrant, and irregular tonal variations that shift with the light and reveal the craftsmanship and technical complexity of the covering.
The surface, hand-polished to achieve a mirror-like effect, adds depth and an aura of refined opulence, making every detail unique and unrepeatable.
In this bookcase coexist the sensuality of natural material, the cabinetmaker’s constructive precision, and the sculptural vision of furniture typical of the Milanese designer, who conceived furniture as domestic architecture, plastic space, and pictorial surface at the same time.
The work belongs to the most mature phase of Tura’s production, when the designer experimented on a large scale with parchment as a visual and tactile language, pushing the boundary between design and decorative art.
A piece of museum-level rarity, scarcely found in these dimensions and conditions, it testifies to Aldo Tura’s ability to combine modernist rigor and material sensuality, creating an object that transcends function and becomes pure aesthetic expression.
Excellent condition with minor signs of time consistent with the period and its authenticity.
Product Name: Parchment bookcase by Aldo Tura for Tura Milano 1960
Designer: Aldo Tura
Year of Design: 1960
Style: Italian Modernism, Mid-Century
Main Materials: Natural parchment dyed tobacco color
Distinctive Design: Architectural structure with three vertical uprights and perfectly balanced horizontal shelves; lower section with two doors fitted with cylindrical brass handles; continuous parchment covering hand-polished to a mirror finish creating warm and irregular reflections; rigorous and harmonious proportions combining material sensuality and constructive rigor.
Dimensions: Height 225 cm | Width 195 cm | Depth 44.5 cm |
Shelf dimensions: Length 84.5 cm | Width 34.5 cm
Comfort: Sculptural and storage furniture element
Typical Use: Bookcase or display cabinet for books, ceramics, and art objects in representative spaces, studies, or high-end interiors.
Design Icon: Masterful example of Aldo Tura’s material poetics, in which parchment becomes a visual and tactile language, elevating furniture to a work of art; represents one of the peaks of his Milanese production of the 1960s.
Versatility: Ideal both as a central element in modernist living rooms and studies, and as a scenic furnishing in classical contexts; dialogues with materials such as brass, glass, velvet, and fine woods.
Current Condition of the Design: Excellent state of preservation, with slight signs of time consistent with age and the artisanal processing of the parchment.
Additional Notes: Please note that this object is in excellent vintage condition. Minor signs of time may be present, which do not affect its functionality. We invite you to consider these characteristics before purchase.
Aldo Tura (1909–1963) was a renowned Italian designer and craftsman known for his contribution to twentieth-century design. His career focused primarily on the production of furniture and decorative objects, and he founded the company “Tura Milano,” which became famous for the creation of pieces of exceptional quality and distinctive style.
Tura’s production ranged from furniture to smaller objects such as trays and lamps, and his works often feature the use of precious materials such as parchment, leather, and brass. His designs are known for blending classical elegance and modernity, with particular attention to artisanal detail.
The 1960s were a significant period for Aldo Tura, and many of his pieces from that decade are still highly sought after by collectors and enthusiasts of vintage design. His work helped define Italian style in furniture design, and his legacy continues to influence the world of design today.