Fritte Series Lamp Holder Vase by Aldo Londi for Ceramiche Bitossi Montelupo, 1964

About This Piece

Vintage Design

Sculptural ceramics from the Fritte series by Aldo Londi for Ceramiche Bitossi Montelupo in 1964.
Glazed ceramic, green pictorial decoration.
This rare model from the Fritte series was produced in a limited series of only 35 pieces, this is N 31.
a similar model was selected and displayed for the ASSAGGI D'ARCHIVIO exhibition organized by Bitossi as a tribute to the artistic direction of Maestro Aldo Londi, which was the right opportunity to show the public a never-before-seen selection of pieces by one of the masters of Italian design.
Each work created by Bitossi follows a very complex working process, both in the formal and decorative part.
The creation of a ceramic work can be achieved with different soils and methods, each element is made within the manufacture by specialized personnel.
The raw materials used in the production of Bitossi Ceramiche are (white or red earths, glazes, crystalline and fluxes).
The shape, according to the needs of the project, can be made in four different ways:
Turning: used for creating circular shapes, the operator (turning) shapes the material/work entirely by hand.
Casting molding: done with the use of plaster molds in which white clay in a liquid state is poured inside.
Molding: done with the help of plaster molds. The process is carried out by manually pressing clay onto the inner surface of the mold, which has a negative impression.
Molding molding: a method used for large objects. We use plaster molds (male and female) mounted on a manual or mechanical press, where the clay slab is pressed into a semisolid state.
Drying follows the molding process, through the withdrawal of moisture in a dry environment. When the clay has reached the right hardness, the work is completed with finishing molding and/or plastic decoration through scratching, etching, molding, etc.

Firing can range from one to three burners:
The first firing, called "biscuit firing," transforms the object from clay to earthenware.
The second firing occurs after the coating and/or pictorial decoration
The third firing is used in the presence of different glazes and/or precious metals such as gold, platinum, silver and copper.

At the end of the production process, the product follows careful quality control for final certification. Each work is an icon of Made in Italy style and creativity.

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Creator	Aldo londi
Manufacturer	Bitossi
Design Period	1960 to 1969
Year	1964
Production Period	1960 to 1969
Country of Manufacture	Italy
Identifying Marks	This piece has an attribution mark
Style	Midcentury
Detailed Condition	Excellent — This vintage/antique piece is in near original condition. It may show minimal traces of use and/or have slight restorations.
Product Code	DXK-1696942
Materials	Ceramic, Enamel, Terracotta
Color	Brown, green
Width	25 cm 25 cm
Depth	10 cm 10 cm
Height	35 cm 35 cm

Shipping & Delivery

Ships from	Italy
Returns	Returns accepted within two days of delivery, except for Made-to-order items

Sustainability

Carbon Neutral	For every purchase made, Pamono offsets 100% of estimated carbon emissions from global shipping.
Vintage	Choosing vintage and antique furniture reduces your carbon footprint by cutting down on waste and reduces demand for new materials and extends the life of the products we use.

Delivery Options

Front Door Delivery: (Included in Every Order)	A skilled driver will unload the item(s) from the delivery truck and bring it to your building’s doorstep. You will be responsible for further transport beyond that point. We recommend asking a family member or friend for an extra hand; alternatively, you may upgrade to In-Home Delivery (see below). The delivery partner will email and/or call you at least one day in advance to arrange a delivery time. A wooden crate may be used for intercontinental shipments for maximum protection. Item will be left in its packaging after delivery. A signature will be required upon delivery.
In-Home Delivery: (For in-home delivery service, additional fees apply. Please get in touch)	A skilled driver or a team of two will bring your item(s) inside your home and place it in the immediate entryway. For unusually large or heavy items, we recommend asking a family member or friend for an extra hand, as we cannot send more than 2 drivers. The delivery partner will email and/or call you one day in advance to arrange a delivery time. A wooden crate may be used for intercontinental shipments for maximum protection. Item will be left in its packaging after delivery. A signature will be required upon delivery.

Front Door Delivery:
(Included in Every Order)

A skilled driver will unload the item(s) from the delivery truck and bring it to your building’s doorstep. You will be responsible for further transport beyond that point. We recommend asking a family member or friend for an extra hand; alternatively, you may upgrade to In-Home Delivery (see below).
The delivery partner will email and/or call you at least one day in advance to arrange a delivery time.
A wooden crate may be used for intercontinental shipments for maximum protection.
Item will be left in its packaging after delivery.
A signature will be required upon delivery.

In-Home Delivery:
(For in-home delivery service, additional fees apply. Please get in touch)

A skilled driver or a team of two will bring your item(s) inside your home and place it in the immediate entryway. For unusually large or heavy items, we recommend asking a family member or friend for an extra hand, as we cannot send more than 2 drivers.
The delivery partner will email and/or call you one day in advance to arrange a delivery time.
A wooden crate may be used for intercontinental shipments for maximum protection.
Item will be left in its packaging after delivery.
A signature will be required upon delivery.

*Important Note

Please examine every order upon delivery. In the event that there are visible signs of damage or missing or incorrect pieces, please indicate the problem on the Delivery Note and contact us within 48 hours of delivery. A signed delivery receipt without notations of missing, damaged, or incorrect item(s) represents your acceptance of the complete order in perfect condition.

About the Maker

Bitossi

A descendant from a long, long line of Tuscan ceramic manufacturers, Guido Bitossi established his own ceramic craft works near Florence, in Montelupo, in 1921. Originally named Manifattura Ceramica Cav. Guido Bitossi & Figli (Ceramaic Manufactory Guido Bitossi & Sons), the company name was later shortened to Bitossi Ceramiche.

After World War II, master ceramist Aldo Londi (1911-2003) became the creative director of Bitossi Ceramiche, a position he held for more than fifty years. Londi—who was also from Montelupo—began apprenticing in ceramics at the age of eleven and brought to Bitossi a deep expertise in traditional ceramics production. He’s best known for his 1950s-era collection Rimini Blu (1955-1965). This iconic midcentury modern series contains over 150 designs, including bowls, vases, jugs and animal figurines, all glazed in a vibrant blue hue and embossed with abstract motifs and shapes. Londi created the first piece glazed in Persiano Blue, Ball Vase, in 1955. Shortly after in 1959, he began to create more pieces in the proprietary chromatic glaze. The collection holds historical importance because it helped to bring handcrafted and expressive works into the modernist design conversation in Italy. Though the blue was not the only color Bitossi favored, it has become closely associated with the brand’s identity. The collection is still in production today and widely collected by ceramics enthusiasts.

Londi and Bitossi had a very successful collaboration with legendary architect-designer Ettore Sottsass (1917-2007). As a part of the 1960s counter-culture, Sottsass thought design should be provocative and sensual. Sottsass’s avant-garde style blended well with Bitossi’s midcentury modern aesthetic and generated a number of highly collectible designs. Other Bitossi collaborators include designers Piero Fornasetti (1913-1988), Karim Rashid, Arik Levy, Fabio Novembre, Benjamin Hubert, Matteo Thun, Monica Förster, and Cédric Ragot.

Now considered to be an institution in Italian ceramics, the Bitossi family and Vittoriano Bitossi Foundation have amassed an archive of over 7,000 historical documents and materials in relation to their ceramic production. The collection is housed in the Bitossi Artistic Industrial Museum, which in 2011 became a member of the Italian Association of Enterprise Archives and Museums. In 2014, Bitossi Ceramiche became an official member of the Registry of Italian Historical Companies, appointed by the National Union of Chambers of Commerce.

* All images courtesy of Bitossi Ceramiche