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Giovanni DeSimone Furniture

Italian, 1930-1991

Giovanni DeSimone was a mid-century ceramicist whose lively designs seem primed to elicit smiles. He created colorful vessels, platters and wall art, decorated with festive figures, flowers and fauna in a style that reveals an appreciation for Cubism and folk art.

DeSimone was born in Palermo, Sicily, in 1930. His parents were aristocrats, and as a young child, he traveled to Somalia. It was here that he grew fond of African artistic traditions. After World War II, DeSimone moved to the Emilia-Romagna region in northern Italy. He attended the Istituto d’Arte per la Ceramica and discovered a passion for pottery. Upon graduation, DeSimone moved back to Palermo and fell in love with Eliana, who became his wife. The couple had three daughters together. 

DeSimone opened his famous ceramics studio in the 1960s, producing dinnerware, serveware and decorative tiles. As the studio grew in success and popularity, DeSimone hired more artists to help with the work. In its heyday, the studio had as many as six ceramicists producing work. While each creator had a unique style, DeSimone set a standard for the colors and themes to be used.

DeSimone died in 1991, passing his workshop down to his daughters Margherita and Susanna. Today, the company still operates in Palermo under the name La Fabbrica della Ceramica, producing ceramic pieces inspired by DeSimone's original designs.

On 1stDibs, find vintage Giovanni DeSimone decorative objects, serveware and wall decorations.

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Creator: Giovanni DeSimone
Dealer: Galleria d'Epoca
Desimone Hand Painted Art Pottery Vase, Vessel with Handles Circus Horses Italy
By DeSimone, Giovanni DeSimone
Located in Miami, FL
A glazed and colorful Giovanni Desimone hand painted pottery vase or vessel, circa 1969 from Italy. The painting depicts two men on horses riding in a circus arena and people applaud...
Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Giovanni DeSimone Furniture

Materials

Pottery, Paint

Italian Giovanni Desimone Hand Painted Big Art Pottery Flower Vase Vessel Italy
By Giovanni DeSimone
Located in Miami, FL
Original Italian Giovanni Desimone hand painted tall art pottery flower vase, vessel. The glazed vase painting depicts two fishermen in action catchin...
Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Giovanni DeSimone Furniture

Materials

Pottery, Paint

Italian Desimone Hand Painted Pottery Round Decor Plate Fisherman Store Cast Net
By Giovanni DeSimone
Located in Miami, FL
Original Italian Giovanni Desimone hand painted art pottery, round decor plate depicts a scene of a fisherman folding his fish casting nets on a sunny day ...
Category

1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Giovanni DeSimone Furniture

Materials

Pottery, Paint

Italian Giovanni Desimone Hand Painted Pottery Fish Platter Serving Plate
By Giovanni DeSimone
Located in Miami, FL
Original Italian Giovanni Desimone hand painted pottery, fish platter, serving plate. The plate is glazed and very colorful. Marked and numbered on underside, 'DeSimone, Italy 21'.
Category

1990s Italian Modern Giovanni DeSimone Furniture

Materials

Pottery, Paint

Desimone Hand Painted Tall Art Pottery Flute Player Flower Vase Vessel Italy
By Giovanni DeSimone
Located in Miami, FL
Original Italian Giovanni Desimone hand painted tall art pottery flower vase, vessel. The glazed vase painting depicts a man playing the flute. Marked...
Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Giovanni DeSimone Furniture

Materials

Pottery, Paint

Desimone Hand Painted Tall Art Pottery Flower Vase Vessel Olive Picking Italy
By Giovanni DeSimone
Located in Miami, FL
Original Italian Giovanni Desimone hand painted tall art pottery flower vase, vessel. The glazed vase painting depicts a man and a woman in action pic...
Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Giovanni DeSimone Furniture

Materials

Pottery, Paint

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H 3.65 in Dm 3.15 in
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Giovanni Desimone furniture for sale on 1stDibs.

Giovanni DeSimone furniture are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of ceramic and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Giovanni DeSimone furniture, although gray editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original furniture by Giovanni DeSimone were created in the mid-century modern style in italy during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider furniture by Ambrogio Pozzi, Vincenzo Nason & Cie, and Fratelli Fanciullacci. Prices for Giovanni DeSimone furniture can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $154 and can go as high as $3,881, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $505.

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