Aldo Londi for Bitossi Large Ashtray or Catchall, Italian Ceramic
About the Item
- Creator:Aldo Londi (Designer),Bitossi (Maker)
- Dimensions:Height: 2.75 in (6.99 cm)Diameter: 8.5 in (21.59 cm)
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1960s
- Condition:
- Seller Location:St.Petersburg, FL
- Reference Number:
Aldo Londi
Master Italian ceramist Aldo Londi created a range of decorative objects in the latter half of the 20th century for the manufacturer Bitossi. In addition to the small-scale animal sculptures for which he is best known, Londi designed a variety of ceramics for the famed company that includes vases, bowls and desk accessories. Collectors know that vintage Aldo Londi pottery is marked by deep attention to detail and an integration of rich, alluring hues typically associated with the Mediterranean.
Londi was born in Montelupo Fiorentino, just outside of Florence, an area that has been known for its pottery since the Renaissance. Londi showed an early interest in the craft, apprenticing at the Fratelli Fanciullacci ceramic workshop when he was only 11 years old. He worked at the company until he left to fight in World War II. After returning to Montelupo Fiorentino in 1946, Londi became the creative director at Bitossi — a position he held for more than 50 years.
Londi's fresh and unique style breathed new life into Bitossi. He prioritized the production of high-quality and handmade decorative objects and created many of Bitossi's pottery lines himself. The most famous of Londi's Bitossi collections is the Rimini Blu line of animals and vases, which debuted in 1955. The collection is characterized by geometric and whimsical patterns and is recognizable for its marvelous blue color.
Londi's fame and popularity extended outside of Italy with the help of Raymor. The American import and distribution company introduced many esteemed Italian manufacturers such as Bitossi to boutiques and department stores in the United States. After Raymor founder Irving Richards hired Ettore Sottsass to design ceramics, Richards connected his new recruit to Londi. Decades before he founded a legendary postmodern design collective in Milan called the Memphis Group, Sottsass used the Bitossi kilns to create timeless works that manifest both primitive forms and modern geometries.
In 2021, Bitossi opened the Bitossi Archive Museum at its Montelupo Fiorentino headquarters. Many of the works designed by the company's most esteemed contributor and artistic director, Aldo Londi, are proudly displayed.
On 1stDibs, find vintage Aldo Londi serveware, lighting, decorative objects and more.
Bitossi
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.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: West Berlin, NJ
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 2 days of delivery.
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- Rare Aldo Londi for Bitossi Floor Vase, Italian CeramicBy Aldo Londi, BitossiLocated in St.Petersburg, FLExceptional and large floor vase designed by Aldo Londi for Bitossi. Rare and largest size of this shape. Stunning color and form. Measures: 20” tall 7.5” wide.Category
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- Impressive Aldo Londi for Bitossi Ceramic LampBy Aldo LondiLocated in St.Petersburg, FLA tall and very impressive midcentury table lamp by Also Londi for Bitossi, Italy, circa 1950s. Ceramic with base is approx. 24" H, with shade approx 36" H....Category
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- Aldo Londi Bitossi Orange Bird/Duck Italy 1960'sBy Aldo LondiLocated in St.Petersburg, FLRare bird (duck) with metal feet by Aldo Londi for Bitossi, ca' 1960's. Handmade. Shiny orange glaze, contrasting with matte gray/brown.Category
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- Rimini Blu Catchall Ashtray by Aldo Londi for Bitossi, Made in ItalyBy Bitossi, Raymor, Aldo LondiLocated in Miami, FLItalian handmade ceramic vide-poche or catchall tray in the vibrant signature blue of Aldo Londi's iconic art pottery collection Rimini Blu, orig...Category
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- Mid-Century Aldo Londi for Bitossi Geometric Ceramic Ashtray, Italy, 1960sBy Aldo Londi, BitossiLocated in San Diego, CAAldo Londi for Bitossi yellow and orange geometric ashtray or bowl. Signed on the bottom. Italy 1960s. Aldo Londi (Montelupo Fiorentino, 1911-20...Category
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- Aldo Londi Rimini Blue Ashtray for BitossiBy Aldo Londi, BitossiLocated in Fort Lauderdale, FLVintage ashtray in signature Rimini blue glaze with leaf motif by Aldo Londi for Bitossi. Marked "Italy" on bottom. Artist: Aldo Londi Manufacturer: Bitossi Origin: Italy ...Category
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- Vintage Aldo Londi Bitossi Ceramic Ashtray, Lighter and Cigarette Holder ItalyBy Rosenthal, Aldo Londi, BitossiLocated in San Diego, CABeautiful trio set by Bitossi. This ceramic set is glamorous, chic and so mid-century. The trio includes a beautiful ashtray, a tall table lighter and a cigarette holder. Together th...Category
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- Ashtray or Vide-Poche in Rimini Blue Ceramic, Bitossi by Aldo Londi, Italy 1960sBy Aldo Londi, BitossiLocated in Roma, ITGorgeous ceramic ashtray or vide-poche in a stunning blue glazed (Rimini Blu) color. This vibrant ceramic item was designed by Aldo Londi and hand-crafted by Bitossi in Italy during ...Category
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- Large bowl, Aldo Londi for Bitossi, 1950sBy Aldo Londi, BitossiLocated in Firenze, ITBeautiful, large bowl designed by Aldo Londi for Bitossi, for which he was art director, in the early 1950s. It is molded with refractory earth in shades of brown with a rather rare ...Category
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