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Piero Fornasetti Decorative Boxes

Italian, 1913-1988

The Italian artist and designer Piero Fornasetti was one of the wittiest and most imaginative talents of the 20th century. He crafted an inimitable decorative style from a personal vocabulary of images that included birds, butterflies, hot-air balloons, architecture and — most frequently, and in some 500 variations — an enigmatic woman’s face based on that of Cavalieri. Fornasetti used transfer prints of these images, rendered in the style of engravings, to decorate an endless variety of furnishings and housewares that ranged from chairs, tables and decorative objects to dinner plates, table lamps and umbrella stands. His work is archly clever, often Surrealist and always fun.

Fornasetti was born in Milan, the son of an accountant, and he lived his entire life in the city. He showed artistic talent as a child and enrolled at Milan’s Brera Academy of Fine Art in 1930, but was expelled after two years for consistently failing to follow his professors’ orders.

A group of Fornasetti's hand-painted silk scarves, displayed in the 1933 Triennale di Milano, caught the eye of the architect and designer Gio Ponti, who, in the 1940s, became the artist's collaborator and patron. Beginning in the early 1950s, they created a striking series of desks, bureaus and secretaries that pair Ponti’s signature angular forms with Fornasetti’s decorative motifs — lighthearted arrangements of flowers and birds on some pieces, austere architectural imagery on others. The two worked together on numerous commissions for interiors, though their greatest project has been lost: the first-class lounges and restaurants of the luxury ocean liner Andrea Doria, which sank in 1956.

Fornasetti furnishings occupy an unusual and compelling niche in the decorative arts: they are odd yet pack a serious punch. They act, essentially, as functional sculpture. A large Fornasetti piece such as a cabinet or a desk can change the character of an entire room; his smaller works have the aesthetic power of a vase of flowers, providing a bright and alluring decorative note. The chimerical, fish-nor-fowl nature of Fornasetti’s work may be its greatest strength. It stands on its own. Bringing the Fornasetti look into the future is Barnaba Fornasetti, who took the reins of the company after his father's death.

Find vintage Piero Fornasetti dinner plates, chairs, tables and other furniture on 1stDibs.

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Creator: Piero Fornasetti
1990s Astonishing Red Fornasetti Wood Box by Fornasetti.
By Piero Fornasetti
Located in Milano, IT
1990s Astonishing rare wood box by Piero Fornasetti, in excellent condition Made in Italy. Dimension: 10.23W × 3.14D × 1.57 H 25 cm x 8 cm x 4 cm
Category

1990s Italian Mid-Century Modern Piero Fornasetti Decorative Boxes

Materials

Walnut

Piero Fornasetti Box with Butterflies, Italy 1960s
By Piero Fornasetti
Located in Naples, IT
Original and decorative box from the 1960s designed by Piero Fornasetti, a celebrated Italian artist and designer known for his dreamlike and surreal approach to design. The box is r...
Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Piero Fornasetti Decorative Boxes

Materials

Metal, Enamel

Fornasetti Mid-Century Modern Card Box, 1950s, Metal and Wood, Italy
By Piero Fornasetti
Located in Rome, IT
Italian Mid-Century modern card box by Fornasetti in metal wood, representing a carriage with coachmen pulled by two horses. This typo of artistic boxes was created to stay over ...
Category

1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Piero Fornasetti Decorative Boxes

Materials

Metal

PIERO FORNASETTI Milano 1960 Enameled Sliding Box With Racing Car & Horse
By Fornasetti, Piero Fornasetti
Located in Miami, FL
An enameled sliding box designed by Piero Fornasetti (1913-1988). This is a very rare rectangular sliding box created in Milano Italy by Piero Fornasetti. The box is from the mid-century period, crafted in the 1960's in steel and wood. The outer steel is embellished with applications of multicolor enamel depicting a double wheel racing car with a horse . The box is very decorative and in very good preserved condition. These kinds of boxes are highly collectable and desirable among the mid-century and Italian design collectors. Piero Fornasetti He was an Italian artist and designer that born in Milan into a middle-class family, Fornasetti creative pursuits encompassed design, decoration, painting, curating, and printing. His oeuvre, spanning over 13,000 works, displayed a wide range of objects and furniture with a unique emphasis on decorative diversity. Collaborating with figures like Gio Ponti, Fornasetti's atelier became synonymous with bringing art into everyday lives through practical yet artistically adorned objects. Fornasetti's artistic philosophy emphasized the production of series over one-of-a-kind pieces, reflecting his commitment to democratizing art. A central motif in his work was the "variations," notably exemplified in the iconic "Tema e Variazioni" series featuring over 400 renditions of opera singer Lina Cavalieri's face. His creative genius extended across different mediums, from furniture to paintings, demonstrating a coherent stylistic code. Although Fornasetti faced...
Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Piero Fornasetti Decorative Boxes

Materials

Enamel, Bronze

20th Century Trinket Box By Piero Fornasetti, Italy, c.1960/70's
By Piero Fornasetti
Located in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent
A delightful glove box or trinket box by Piero Fornasetti, circa 1960s / 1970s, with sliding cedar interior, bearing the label 'Trofeo, Selvaggina' to the side of the box. The exteri...
Category

20th Century Italian Piero Fornasetti Decorative Boxes

Materials

Pine

Vintage Lidded Wooden Box with Brass Hinges by Piero Fornasetti
By Piero Fornasetti
Located in Doraville, GA
A vintage box with a brass hinged lid. The box was designed by Piero Fornasetti in the 1950s / 1960s. The box is composed of what appears to be a mahogany dovetailed wooden box, bras...
Category

1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Piero Fornasetti Decorative Boxes

Materials

Metal, Brass

Vintage Enameled Metal / Wood Drawer Piero Fornasetti Box
By Piero Fornasetti
Located in Doraville, GA
A vintage enameled metal box with a slide out wooden drawer. The box was designed by Piero Fornasetti in the 1950's / 1960's and is listed in th...
Category

1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Piero Fornasetti Decorative Boxes

Materials

Metal

Piero Fornasetti, lid jar "Cotton" mid-1900s
By Piero Fornasetti
Located in Stockholm, SE
Porcelain jar from the bathroom series by Piero Fornasetti, mid-1900s. With decor of flowers and "Cotton". Signed Fornasetti. In good condition, smaller signs of age and wear.
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Piero Fornasetti Decorative Boxes

Materials

Porcelain

Rare Box by Piero Fornasetti from 50's
By Piero Fornasetti
Located in Brussels, BE
Rare and original metal Boxe by Piero Fornasetti from 50's, decorated with pipes, with the original package. in very good and original condition, used for matches, cigarettes jewelry...
Category

1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Piero Fornasetti Decorative Boxes

Materials

Metal

Vintage Enamel Metal & Mahogany Box by Piero Fornasetti - Horse & Buggy
By Piero Fornasetti
Located in North Miami, FL
Serigraphy of a period horse and buggy on enameled metal and mahogany interior box by Piero Fornasetti, 1950's.
Category

1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Piero Fornasetti Decorative Boxes

Materials

Metal, Enamel

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Fornasetti Enamel Metal Mahogany Box
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Vintage Moro Head Vase by Piero Fornasetti, Italy, 1960s
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Previously Available Items
PIERO FORNASETTI Milano 1960 Red Enameled Sliding Box Music Instruments
By Piero Fornasetti, Fornasetti
Located in Miami, FL
An enameled sliding box designed by Piero Fornasetti (1913-1988). This is a very rare rectangular sliding box created in Milano Italy by Piero Fornasetti. The box is from the mid-century period, crafted in the 1960's in steel and wood. The outer steel is embellished with applications of red and black enamel depicting a composition of antique musical instruments. The box is very decorative and in very good preserved condition. These kinds of boxes are highly collectable and desirable among the mid-century and Italian design collectors. Piero Fornasetti He was an Italian artist and designer that born in Milan into a middle-class family, Fornasetti creative pursuits encompassed design, decoration, painting, curating, and printing. His oeuvre, spanning over 13,000 works, displayed a wide range of objects and furniture with a unique emphasis on decorative diversity. Collaborating with figures like Gio Ponti, Fornasetti's atelier became synonymous with bringing art into everyday lives through practical yet artistically adorned objects. Fornasetti's artistic philosophy emphasized the production of series over one-of-a-kind pieces, reflecting his commitment to democratizing art. A central motif in his work was the "variations," notably exemplified in the iconic "Tema e Variazioni" series featuring over 400 renditions of opera singer Lina Cavalieri's face. His creative genius extended across different mediums, from furniture to paintings, demonstrating a coherent stylistic code. Although Fornasetti faced...
Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Piero Fornasetti Decorative Boxes

Materials

Enamel, Brass

Piero Fornasetti Decorative Painted Box
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Located in Oakland, CA
Lacquered metal box with a wooden sliding drawer held into place with spring tension. The wooden box is finely crafted with finger joinery and the bottom still retains the green Forn...
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Piero Fornasetti Decorative Painted Box
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Lacquered Wood 'Instruments' Box Transfer Lithograph by Piero Fornasetti
By Piero Fornasetti
Located in Montreal, QC
Lacquered Wood 'Instruments' Box Transfer Lithograph by Piero Fornasetti resting on felt base with golden Fornasetti Stamp.
Category

1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Piero Fornasetti Decorative Boxes

Materials

Wood

1970s Original Gorgeous Box by Piero Fornasetti. Made in Italy
By Piero Fornasetti
Located in Milano, IT
1970s Original gorgeous box by Piero Fornasetti in walnut wood. It's in excellent condition. The box is signed on the bottom. Dimension: 10,26 x 8,26 x 1,96 inches cm 26 x cm 21 x c...
Category

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1970s Original Gorgeous Box by Piero Fornasetti. Made in Italy
By Piero Fornasetti
Located in Milano, IT
1970s Original gorgeous box by Piero Fornasetti in walnut wood. It's in excellent condition. The box is signed on the bottom. Dimension: 7,87 x 5,51 x 1,96 inches cm 20 x cm 14 x cm 5 H
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1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Piero Fornasetti Decorative Boxes

Materials

Wood, Walnut

Piero Fornasetti ceramic Owl Box, Italy 1950s
By Piero Fornasetti
Located in Milan, IT
Piero Fornasetti ceramic Owl Box, Italy 1950s Signed Fornasetti Rare undecorated owl box.
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1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Piero Fornasetti Decorative Boxes

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1970s Original Gorgeous Box by Piero Fornasetti. Made in Italy
By Piero Fornasetti
Located in Milano, IT
1970s Original gorgeous box by Piero Fornasetti in walnut wood. It's in excellent condition. The box is signed on the bottom. Dimension: 10,62" x 5,90" x 1,96 inches cm 27 x cm 15 x...
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Beautiful Glovebox / Trinket Box By Piero Fornasetti, Italy, c.1960/70's
By Piero Fornasetti
Located in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent
A delightful glove box or trinket box by Piero Fornasetti, circa 1960s / 1970s, with sliding cedar interior, bearing the label 'Trofeo, Pesca' to the side of the box. The exterior is lacquered with depictions of traditional fishing trophies...
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Midcentury Box in Enameled Metal and Wood by Piero Fornasetti, Italy 1960s
By Fornasetti, Piero Fornasetti
Located in Rome, IT
Midcentury beautiful decorative box by Piero Fornasetti. It has a enameled metal cover with Fornasetti's iconic playing card motif and a wooden inner compa...
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1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Piero Fornasetti Decorative Boxes

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Piero Fornasetti Rectangular Box "Gioielli"
By Piero Fornasetti
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A large example The Gioielli box offers an array of whimsical iconography. Original lacquered surface Original green felt cloth on the bottom of the box with the Fornasetti Stampe...
Category

1950s Italian Vintage Piero Fornasetti Decorative Boxes

Materials

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Piero Fornasetti Enameled Metal and Mahogany Box, 1950
By Piero Fornasetti
Located in Paris, IDF
Beautiful Piero Fornasetti decorative box made in Italy in the 1950s. This box is made of enameled metal with a slide out wooden drawer from mahogany wood. This box, originally a cig...
Category

1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Piero Fornasetti Decorative Boxes

Materials

Metal

Piero Fornasetti, Occhi Box, Milan Italy, circa 1960
By Piero Fornasetti
Located in Firenze, IT
Piero Fornasetti, “Occhi” midcentury Box Wood and lacquered aluminium, Milan Italy, circa 1960 20 x 8 x 4.5 cm Conditions: good consistent with age and use, signs of wear.
Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Piero Fornasetti Decorative Boxes

Materials

Aluminum

Piero Fornasetti decorative boxes for sale on 1stDibs.

Piero Fornasetti decorative boxes are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of wood and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Piero Fornasetti decorative boxes, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original decorative boxes by Piero Fornasetti 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 decorative boxes by Gabriella Crespi, Aldo Tura, and Giovanni Cenedese. Prices for Piero Fornasetti decorative boxes can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $644 and can go as high as $2,502, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $996.
Questions About Piero Fornasetti Decorative Boxes
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    Piero Fornasetti was an Italian artist and designer born in Milan, Italy, in 1913. In 1950, he founded an atelier in the city, creating furniture and home decorations. Fornasetti died on October 9, 1988. His company, Fornasetti, continues to produce hand-decorated decor under the guidance of his son Barnaba Fornasetti. Find a collection of Fornasetti on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMay 14, 2024
    Piero Fornasetti is famous for his work as a designer. The Italian artist was one of the wittiest and most imaginative talents of the 20th century. Fornasetti crafted an inimitable decorative style from a personal vocabulary of images that included birds, butterflies, hot-air balloons, architecture and — most frequently, and in some 500 variations — an enigmatic woman's face based on that of opera singer Lina Cavalieri. Fornasetti used transfer prints of these images, rendered in the style of engravings, to decorate an endless variety of furnishings and housewares that ranged from chairs, tables and decorative objects to dinner plates, table lamps and umbrella stands. His work is archly clever, often Surrealist and always fun. On 1stDibs, shop an assortment of Piero Fornasetti pieces.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    Whether or not Piero Fornasetti images are in the public domain depends on the image. The artist produced more than 11,000 works during his lifetime. Only some no longer carry a copyright and are in the public domain. Shop a range of Fornasetti on 1stDibs.

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