Brionvega radio-phonograph turns 55 and celebrates this birthday with Primo, a limited reissue in 100 pieces
Among the many Italian design icons, the Brionvega radio-phonograph is one of the first devices for listening to music that combined function with form, with a functional and extremely pleasant shape. The radio-phonograph was a furnishing accessory that performed a function: playing music.
A walnut body with an aluminum pedestal, on castors, houses speakers, a radio, and a record player: a revolution in home entertainment and a pioneer in consumer electronics. A successful combination of technology and craftsmanship for a product that, over time, has become an icon of Italian design.
The Brionvega radio-phonograph: an accessory with a function
Designed by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni in 1965, the Brionvega radio-phonograph was the perfect complement for the ever-evolving houses of the 1960s, a golden age for Italy. The apartments and houses of that lively period hosted revolutionary items, from frameless upholstered furnishings to lamps designed as micro-architectures. The radio-phonograph by Brionvega was a complex architecture, designed to be a discreet yet brilliant presence in the living room. Moreover, it was easy to carry from one corner of the house to another, for an ever-changing world.
Discover Museo del Design Italiano at Triennale di Milano
The Brionvega radio-phonograph can be disassembled and reassembled in different configurations thanks to the detachable speakers. As in a modular game, the speakers can be either positioned on the central body or hung on the sides to use the turntable. As they are detachable, they can be carried around the room to improve the sound.
“Primo” Brionvega, as its name suggests, is a reissue of the first radio-phonograph in Canaletto walnut. It has the same artisanal quality as the original, with hand-polished wooden panels, hand-polished pedestal, and hand-finished buttons; each specimen of Primo requires 26 hours of work. 26 hours that reflect the made in Italy quality of a unique product and justify its unquestionably high price.
Discover Museo del Design Italiano at Triennale di Milano
