Black coffee table 'Alveo' by Willy Rizzo for Mario Sabot, 70s

This black coffee table, named Alveo, could easily feature in a James Bond film. The coffee table was designed by Willy Rizzo and produced by Mario Sabot in 1972. It features a stainless steel compartment in the center that can be used as a wine cooler or bottle holder. The corners are finished with chrome-plated elements. The table is made of black laminated wood. The top shows some signs of wear, and there's a small crack at the bottom of the base (see photos).

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Rizzo's furniture is contemporary in style and always based on natural and noble materials such as wood, marble, stainless steel, brass, and wild boar. Willy Rizzo, born in Naples in 1928, began his career as a photographer in Paris in the early 1940s. As a renowned photographer of personalities, fashion, and major reports, he exhibited his work worldwide: at Galerie Agathe Gaillard in Paris, Galerie Bukamura in Tokyo, Maison de la Photographie in Moscow, Mallett gallery in New York and London, the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco, and even at MUBE in São Paulo. In 1968, he moved to Rome and began working as a designer for his personal needs because, according to him, "Scandinavian furniture was not comfortable enough or luxurious enough." Upon request, he established his workshop in 1970 and launched his sales outlets worldwide. "Imagination and a strong modern style" are the words that define his style. Today, his Elliptical marble table is exhibited at MoMA in New York. Willy Rizzo passed away in 2013.

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