Vintage book mill in rosewood by Gianfranco Frattini for Poltrona Frau, 1950

Albero in rosewood, a modern book mill designed after the work of Gian franco Frattini, before production by Poltrona Frau. This rare version in rosewood, impossible to find, was made in the 80's in very small series before Poltrona Frau produced it in another wood. As far as we know, there is no other version in rosewood. Designed in the late 1950s as a free-standing floor-to-ceiling bookcase, this impossible-to-find rosewood Albero was intended for use in interior design rather than mass production. The Albero is formally associated with the Neo liberty period and, in terms of product type, with the floor-to-ceiling bookcase systems that were popular throughout the 1950s and 1960s. Designed by Frattini, the structure is distinguished by both its intricate cabinetry and its sculptural nature, acting as the centerpiece of a room. The bookcase consists of only a few ingeniously connected elements, which show Gian franco Frattini's attention to the laws of statics and dynamics. It has four vertical posts and two rack posts at both ends, all made of solid rosewood. The shelves, made of MDF veneered with rosewood, can be positioned at will in the holes along the uprights with a minimum of eight and a maximum of 12 shelves. A special metal cylinder is fixed to the ceiling to hold the bookcase in place. The frame of the Albero is fixed to the ceiling and to the floor by two adjustable metal end caps that ensure its stability. The height of the bookcase can vary between 2.66 m and 3.26 m. 104.72 to 128.35 inches. The Albero will be shipped abroad disassembled in two custom-made wooden crates. The cost of insured transportation to the American crates included is 1150 euros.