Chrome and Gilt Chrome Shelving Unit, French Work in the Style of Willy Rizzo, circa 1970

This sleek and glamorous shelving unit epitomizes the luxury aesthetic of the early 1970s, executed in polished chrome and gilt chrome — a combination that speaks directly to the flamboyant sophistication of the decade. The angular structure features clean geometric lines, and the contrast between the cool silver of standard chrome and the warm gold of the gilt chrome elements creates a visual dialogue that is at once bold and refined. The open shelves, framed by the metallic structure, provide both display and storage in a form of considerable decorative presence.

Produced around 1970 in the manner of Willy Rizzo, this étagère reflects the revolutionary approach to luxury furniture that defined the early 1970s. Willy Rizzo (1928–2013), born in Naples and celebrated first as one of the great celebrity photographers of the postwar era, turned to furniture design in the early 1970s, creating objects that combined his glamorous sensibility with technical precision and the finest materials. Chrome, brass, lacquered wood, and glass were the hallmarks of his vocabulary, and his pieces — produced in small numbers — became the must-have accessories for the most fashionable Parisian and international interiors of the decade.

This shelving unit is in excellent condition, its chrome surfaces bright and its gilt chrome elements retaining their distinctive warm tone. Furniture in this style — associated with the golden decade of 1970s Parisian glamour — is increasingly sought after by collectors who appreciate the bold confidence and technical excellence of French design from this era. Functional, sculptural, and thoroughly of its time, this étagère would be a distinguished addition to any collection of mid-century or 1970s French design.