Rare Green Space Age Stool by Olaf Von Bohr

• item. stool with storage compartment
• designer. olaf von bohr
• manufacturer. gedy
• period. 1960s
• country. italy
• style. space age
• materials. plastic
• dimensions. h 39 cm × w 38 cm × d 32 cm
• condition. very good vintage condition, healthy and cleaned. light signs of age.
• notes. lift up seat with internal storage compartment. stamped under the seat. rare green version.
• reference. 1946

DESIGN CONTEXT

This space age stool designed by Olaf Von Bohr for Gedy in 1960s Italy represents a clear example of how plastic transformed domestic design during the Space Age era. Produced in moulded plastic with compact geometric proportions, the stool reflects the experimental design culture that defined Italian industrial production in the late 1960s.

The structure is defined by four solid legs supporting a slightly recessed seat. The top lifts easily, revealing a concealed internal compartment designed for everyday storage. This dual function — stool and container — illustrates the rational approach typical of many Space Age household objects, where practicality and form were conceived together.

What makes this example particularly distinctive is its green colour, a much rarer production variant compared to the more commonly encountered off white versions. The saturated tone highlights the sculptural geometry of the object and reinforces the visual language of late 1960s plastic design.

Olaf Von Bohr collaborated with several Italian manufacturers during this period, developing functional objects that combined industrial efficiency with bold formal clarity. Pieces like this space age stool show how everyday furniture could become both practical and visually expressive.

For comparison, you can also view the same model in its more common colour variant here.

Compact, functional and visually striking, this space age stool is a representative object of the moment when Italian design embraced plastics as a language of modern living.