Like a Fellini movie, the ceramics of the famed Italian company Bitossi Ceramiche embody a creative spectrum that ranges from the playful and earthy to the high-minded and provocative. Based in Florence, Bitossi draws on craft traditions that date back to the 1500s. These find expression in Bitossi pottery that includes artisanal vintage vases and animal figures by the firm’s longtime art director Aldo Londi, as well as the colorful, totemic vessels designed by the high priest of postmodernism, Ettore Sottsass.
Bitossi was incorporated by Guido Bitossi in 1921, though the family began making art pottery in the mid-19th century. In the 1930s, Londi came aboard, bringing with him a mindset that respected time-honored craft, yet looked also to the future. On the one hand, Londi’s perspective fostered the making of Bitossi’s popular whimsical cats, owls, horses and other animal figures, hand-shaped and -carved and finished in a rich azure glaze known as “Rimini Blue.”
But with his other hand, Londi reached out to thoughtful, experimental designers such as Sottsass. After hiring Sottsass to design ceramics for his New York imports company, Raymor, American entrepreneur Irving Richards connected the Milanese design polymath to Londi, who introduced Sottsass to ceramics in the 1950s.
During that decade, some 20 years before he founded the Memphis postmodern design collective in Milan, Sottsass used the Bitossi kilns to create timeless works that manifest both primitive forms and modern geometries. In later decades, Bitossi would welcome new generations of designers, which have included such names as Ginevra Bocini and Karim Rashid.
While always looking forward, Bitossi is firm in their belief that mastery of craft is the first step towards beautiful design. As you will see from the works offered on these pages, that is a winning philosophy.
Find a collection of vintage Bitossi decorative objects, lighting and serveware on 1stDibs.
Vintage Italian Montelupo Maiolica Pottery Charger
Located in Bradenton, FL
This beautiful maiolica pottery charger is from Montelupo, Italy and is boldly decorated with a soldier walking, carrying a tool of the day. Vividly painted in yellow, green, and blu...
Pottery
17th CENTURY MAJOLICA PLATE MONTELUPO
Located in Firenze, FI
Splendid polychrome majolica plate belonging to the Montelupo ceramic workshop. The enamel has also been applied to the rim, in an elegant aqua green, while the background is white d...
Maiolica
Vintage Italian Montelupo Maiolica Pottery Charger
Located in Bradenton, FL
This beautiful pottery charger is is decorated with a woman carrying a basket of flowers on her head. Vividly painted in yellows, greens, and blues. Condition is very good, does have minor chips commiserate with age and use. Back is signed Vincent Garnier...
Pottery
Vintage Italian Montelupo Maiolica Pottery Charger
Located in Bradenton, FL
This beautiful 11.5 pottery charger is from Montelupo, Italy and is boldly decorated with a soldier on horseback. Vividly painted in yellow, green, and blue. Condition is very good, ...
Pottery
Eugenio Taccini Montelupo majolica plate
Located in Lugo, IT
Eugenio Taccini Montelupo majolica plate. Good condition. Thank you.
Maiolica
Italian Maiolica Plate. Italy, 1800s
Located in London, GB
A hand-painted Italian maiolica charger decorated with concentric blue and ochre bands, framed by a bold foliate border. The softly crackled glaze and visible signs of age, including...
Ceramic, Paint
18th Century Italian Berrettino Majolica Faience Riser
Located in Milano, MI
An Italian maiolica berrettino-ground riser from 18th century, central Italy, probably Faenza origin. In the central part of the riser a ruined tower is painted within a mountain lan...
Maiolica
Italy Late 18th Century Tuscany Ceramic Dish Centerpiece
Located in Brescia, IT
This is an antique piece produced in Tuscany at the end of the 18th Century following the Neoclassical style, mixed to the antique craftmenships of the Tuscany artisans which used ma...
Ceramic
19th Century Hand Painted Majolica Platter from Italy
Located in Dallas, TX
From Italy, this hand painted Majolica platter has two areas of ornamentation. The outer circle has busts of two different men, one on the top of the platter and one at the bottom. T...
Majolica
Decorative Vintage Plate, by Molaroni Pesaro, 20th Century
By Molaroni Pesaro
Located in Roma, IT
This vintage plate is an original decorative ceramic object realized in Italy during the 20th century by Molaroni Pesaro manufacture, Italy. This very rare and colored ceramic pla...
Ceramic
