Square Elm Burl Veneer and Chrome Mirror by Willy Rizzo — Italian Work, Circa 1970

This magnificent square mirror is a quintessential expression of the design vocabulary of Willy Rizzo, the Italian-French designer whose luxurious and boldly conceived objects defined the apex of 1970s glamour. The broad, geometric frame — measuring 67.5 centimetres per side and 4 centimetres deep — is veneered in richly figured elm burl, its surface alive with the swirling, clustered figuration characteristic of burl wood, giving each area of the frame a unique, almost abstract pattern. The inner edge of the frame is finished with a precision chrome strip, creating a sharp and deliberately understated contrast between the warm, organic grain of the wood and the cool, industrial perfection of the metal.

Willy Rizzo (1928–2013) — born in Naples, based in Paris from the late 1940s — first made his name as one of the most celebrated photographers of his generation, working for major European fashion and celebrity publications. In the late 1960s and 1970s he turned his eye to furniture and decorative objects, producing work for his own Paris boutique that became immediately sought after by the international design elite. His aesthetic was based on the lavish combination of precious materials: burl wood, brass, chrome, lacquer, and mirrors were his instruments, always deployed with an architect's sense of proportion and a photographer's instinct for visual impact.

The elm burl used here is a particularly prized material, its irregular, convoluted grain produced by abnormal growth in the tree and valued for its extraordinary visual richness. Each panel of burl veneer is unique — no two pieces share the same pattern — and its warm amber tones combined with the cool chrome edge produce exactly the charged, luxurious opposition of materials that characterises Rizzo's best work.

In very fine condition, the veneer smooth and intact, the chrome bright. This mirror would be equally at home in a living room, a dressing room, or a corridor — and stands as one of the most desirable objects in the current selection.