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 Rare Bitossi for Rosenthal Netter Wall Planter Blue Ceramic, Italy
By Rosenthal Netter, Bitossi
Located in Delray Beach, FL
A rare and highly sculptural Mid-Century Modern wall-mounted planter by Bitossi for Rosenthal Netter, made in Italy. This uncommon form is seldom encountered, representing a more exp...
Ceramic
Ceramic Wall Decoration for Anonymous artist
Located in Sagaponack, NY
Ceramic wall decoration comprised of various sized ceramic shapes strung together with thin black wire each with a matte finish orange to black glaze. The three largest and irregular...
Ceramic
$1,895
H 43 in W 19 in D 8.5 in
Italian Majolica Blue White Grotto Dolphin Shell Lavabo Wall Fountain Planter
Located in Kennesaw, GA
This is an Italian blue and white terracotta grotto inspired dolphin and shell form lavabo or wall fountain or even a planter. It is 3 pieces suspended on a stain poplar wall plaque....
Brass
$595
H 9.75 in W 9.75 in D 2.2 in
Vintage Italian Glazed Terracotta Lion Wall Plate Sculptural Ceramic Wall Art
Located in North Fort Myers, FL
triking vintage sculptural wall plate featuring a hand-painted lion rendered in rich, dimensional glaze. Crafted in terracotta and finished with a glossy, pooled glaze, this piece sh...
Ceramic
$769
H 0.79 in W 12.21 in D 12.21 in
Vintage Glass Wall Mounted Plate by Bjorn Winblad for Rosenthal, 1986
By Bijorn Winblad, Rosenthal
Located in Antwerp, BE
A nice decorative relief faceted and frosted glass wall plate, designed by Bjorn Wiinblad for Rosenthal. The glass plates have the original metal back to hang on the wall. signed. Di...
Metal
rare, large, signed Schaeffenacker wall ceramic panel
By Helmut Friedrich Schäffenacker
Located in Berlin, DE
Rare,large,signed Schaeffenacker wall ceramic panel.
Ceramic
Tony Rosenthal Large Wall Metal Sculpture
By Tony Rosenthal
Located in Miami, FL
A large black wall sculpture by Tony Rosenthal. Bolted aluminum with a hand applied enamel finish on the front and white on verso. Comes with authenti...
Aluminum
$675
H 21.66 in W 9.85 in D 1.19 in
Wall-mounted Ceramic Harlequin by Rogier Vandeweghe for Amphora, Belgium
By Rogier Vandeweghe, Amphora
Located in Antwerp, BE
Rare Wall hanging decorative glazed ceramic representing a harlequin from the manufacturer Amphora 1960s designed by Rogier Vandeweghe. The wall mounted figure sculpture...
Ceramic
Italian Ceramic Wall Plaque of African Water Woman, 1970s
Located in Esbjerg, DK
Hand-glazed ceramic wall plaque made from 3 connected tiles. The motif is a colorful African Woman and her water jars. A small brass loop/hook allow you to display it on your wall. S...
Ceramic
$179Sale Price|20% Off
H 9.45 in W 5.12 in D 1.19 in
Rare Midcentury Ceramic Wall Sculpture Flamingo, 1970s
Located in Praha, CZ
- rare type - nice colored
Ceramic
Wall Mounted Decorative Blue Flower Ceramic Tile Hanging
By West German Pottery
Located in Antwerp, BE
Incredibly beautiful flower arrangement on a ceramic tile with a gloss of glaze in the brightly colors blue, pink and brown. Three separately baked tiles mounted on a wooden frame. This tall ceramic tile plaque...
Ceramic
$378Sale Price|20% Off
H 10.24 in W 3.94 in D 0.79 in
Rare Midcentury Ceramic Wall Sculpture Lovers, 1970s
Located in Praha, CZ
- very nice colored.
Ceramic
$150Sale Price|40% Off
H 9 in W 4 in D 3 in
Rare Mid-century California Ceramic Pink & Gold Angel Fish Flower Wall Vase
Located in Van Nuys, CA
Mid-century pink and green California pottery angel fish wall vase. The wall vase features a beautifully detailed pink angel fish with black and gold details and an opening along the...
Ceramic
Sold
H 9.06 in W 5.32 in D 2.37 in
Rimini Blue Sailor Stoneware Sculpture by Aldo Londi for Bitossi, Italy 1960s
By Bitossi, Aldo Londi
Located in Grythyttan, SE
A Rimini Blue wall hanging designed by Aldo Londi for Bitossi circa 1965 features a sailor adorned with a bird perched on his shoulder, accompanied by an anchor, and eight(?) and the...
Stoneware
1960s Italian Ceramic Wall Clock by Bitossi & George Nelson
By Bitossi, George Nelson, Howard Miller
Located in St.Petersburg, FL
Eye-catching modernist Italian ceramic wall clock by Bitossi (Italian potter) manufactured by Howard Miller using hands designed by George Nelson (American designer). This desirable ...
Metal
1960s Italian Ceramic Wall Clock by Bitossi & George Nelson
By Bitossi, George Nelson, Howard Miller
Located in St.Petersburg, FL
Eye-catching modernist Italian ceramic wall clock by Bitossi (Italian potter) manufactured by Howard Miller using hands designed by George Nelson (American designer). This desirable ...
Metal