Joe Colombo for Bieffeplast.

JOE COLOMBO (Italy, 1930–1971) for Bieffeplast.
“Boby” Trolley, 1970s.
Molded ABS plastic.
Exhibits wear consistent with age and use.
With manufacturer’s stamp.
Measurements: 74 x 43 x 41 cm.
Boby is a portable, auxiliary chest of drawers that has left its mark on history due to its great versatility. Colombo designed it to provide spatial solutions through modular furniture, as well as to ensure a high capacity for personalized storage. The trolley features four tilting drawers, two open compartments, built-in wheels for easy mobility, and a lock with a key. Conceived as a modular and multifunctional storage unit, it is one of the most iconic designs in 20th-century Italian furniture, standing out for its functionality, versatility, and futuristic aesthetic. It was awarded first prize at SMAU (1971) and is part of the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
Joe Colombo was one of the most influential Italian designers of the 1960s. Trained at the Academy of Fine Arts and the Polytechnic University of Milan, he founded his own studio in 1962 and collaborated with firms such as Kartell, O-Luce, and Zanotta. His work was characterized by the creation of modular, flexible, and functional furniture, designed to adapt to the user’s needs and optimize domestic space. An advocate of a holistic design approach in which furniture and architecture were integrated, Colombo explored new materials and innovative forms that anticipated contemporary lifestyles. Among his most renowned pieces are the Elda armchair (1963), the Universal (1967) and Tube (1969) chairs, and the Boby storage system (1969). His legacy lives on in major international museums and has been the subject of numerous retrospectives, such as the one held at the Milan Triennale in 2005, “Joe Colombo: Inventing the Future.”