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.
Tall Art Pottery Vase by Bitossi for Rosenthal Netter
By Rosenthal Netter, Aldo Londi, Bitossi
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Tall, art pottery vase by Bitossi for Rosenthal Netter, attributed to Aldo Londi features an incised, matte glaze in varied eathern tones....
Ceramic
Blue Ceramic Vase of Rimini Blu Collection by Aldo Londi for Bitossi
By Bitossi, Aldo Londi
Located in NEUVILLE-DE-POITOU, FR
Blue ceramic vase of Rimini Blu Collection from the middle of the last century by Aldo Londi for Bitossi.
Ceramic
Bitossi Ceramic Vase by Aldo Londi
By Bitossi, Aldo Londi
Located in Chicago, IL
Bitossi ceramic vase by Aldo Londi.
Ceramic
Bitossi Decorative Lidded Box
By Bitossi
Located in San Francisco, CA
Bitossi decorative ceramic lidded box, Italy. Sophisticated table top box for jewelry, cards or hide the T.V. remote. In very good original condition.
Ceramic
Vintage Petite Ceramic Compote Bowl by Aldo Londi for Bitossi
By Bitossi, Aldo Londi
Located in Chicago, IL
Attractive vintage ceramic compote by Aldo Londi for Bitossi.
Ceramic
Vintage Italian Ceramic Vase by Alvino Bagni for Bitossi / Raymor Gunmetal Black
By Bitossi, Raymor
Located in Chicago, IL
Vintage Italian Ceramic Vase by Alvino Bagni for Bitossi / Raymor. As shown in detail of inside, these are hand thrown vases.
Ceramic
Aldo Londi, vaso serie Etrusco per Bitossi
By Bitossi, Aldo Londi
Located in Firenze, IT
Aldo Londi, vaso serie Etrusco per Bitossi Vaso creato da Aldo Londi per Bitossi, della serie Etrusco in smalto bianco opaco. Realizzato negli anni 60.
Ceramic
Mid-Century Modern Bitossi Italian Ceramic Water Jug, 1960s
By Bitossi
Located in Byron Bay, NSW
Italian orange ceramic water jar by Bitossi 1960s. Glazed technique used by Aldo Londi, serial number and signature on the bottom of the jar.
Ceramic
$4,194 / set
Bitossi form italian set of ceramics
By Bitossi
Located in Brussels, BE
Set of blakc and white ceramics by Bitossi made in italy in the early 1980's. These three pieces in the 80's modern style represent three different persons or behaviour. Left Ceram...
Ceramic
Bittosi Ceramic Green Line Single-stem Vase by Fabio Novembre
By Bitossi
Located in New York, NY
All Bitossi ceramics are entirely handmade by our artisans at every stage of the production process. Green Line is the name of the collection, an evocative title inspired by a histor...
Ceramic
Bittosi Limited Edition of 199 pieces Vase by Aldo Londi
By Bitossi
Located in New York, NY
Conical form made on the wheel in red clay with oval cuts on the upper part. Decorated with a small key motif incised using a stamp. Olive green matte glaze with brushstrokes of brig...
Ceramic
Italian Bitossi for Raymor Vase, Dark Red with Black Shade Glazed Ceramic, 1960s
By Bitossi
Located in Byron Bay, NSW
Unique Italian Bitossi for Raymor flower vase, dark red with black shade glazed ceramic 1960s. Signed by Raymor and marked 120/ 9 Italy only a small production was made of this item.
Ceramic
$1,440 / item
Bittosi Tribe Vaso by Arik Levy
By Bitossi
Located in New York, NY
The Tribe collection debuted in 2007 with its first color option, later updated in matte black and lacquer red, and most recently released in a gloss finish with contrasting matte en...
Ceramic, Clay
$1,000 / item
Bittosi Wiggle Ceramic Vaso by Max Lamb
By Bitossi
Located in New York, NY
All Bitossi ceramics are entirely handmade by our artisans at every stage of the production process. Wiggle is Max Lamb’s collection for Bitossi, exploring the material through manua...
Ceramic, Clay
Customizable Bittosi Seams e Canister Vaso by Benjamin Hubert
By Bitossi
Located in New York, NY
In 2014, Hubert introduced the Seams Collection for Bitossi, followed by the Canister collection the next year. The smooth surface of each piece is covered in contrasting Pantone col...
Ceramic, Clay
$1,550 / item
Bittosi Era Vaso By Duccio Maria Gambi
By Bitossi
Located in New York, NY
Duccio Maria Gambi started collaborating with Bitossi Ceramiche in 2022 with a focus on sustainability. The project stems from an analysis of waste materials, specifically glazed cer...
Ceramic, Clay
$1,120 / item
Bittosi Clay Vaso by Formafantasma
By Bitossi
Located in New York, NY
Clay is the name of the collection designed by Andrea Trimarchi and Simone Farresin. The name is now highly associated with the project. The designers drew inspiration from sculpture...
Ceramic, Clay
$1,438Sale Price|40% Off
Sculptural pottery produced by Ceramiche Bitossi Montelupo, 70s.
By Bitossi
Located in Arezzo, Italy
Sculptural pottery produced by Ceramiche Bitossi Montelupo, 70s. Glazed ceramic, pictorial decoration, signed. Each work created by Bitossi follows a very complex working process, bo...
Ceramic, Pottery
Postmodern Brown Enameled Earthenware Vase by Bitossi
By Bitossi
Located in Bresso, Lombardy
Made in Italy, 1970s. This is a brown enameled earthenware vase with a linear pattern of different colors. It is a vintage item, therefore it might show slight traces of use, but it...
Earthenware
Red Ceramic Tagliato Vase with Black Matte Exterior by Aldo Londi for Bitossi
By Aldo Londi, Bitossi
Located in New York City, NY
Red glazed "Tagliato" ceramic vase with black matte exterior by Bitossi, Italy, c. 1960s. Marked on the underside.
Ceramic