Max Ingrand bowl model 1639 Fontana Arte Italy 1960 brown

About the Item

Behold the exquisite Glass Bowl Model 1639, a testament to the visionary design of Max Ingrand and the meticulous craftsmanship of Fontana Arte, Italy, in 1960. Crafted from thick brown-grey glass, this bowl captivates with its triangular form and intriguing asymmetry, creating a dynamic interplay of lines that delights the eye. Its perfectly cut edge adds a distinctive visual appeal, drawing the gaze and inviting exploration. In good original condition, with slight signs of use that only enhance its character, this bowl embodies the timeless elegance and understated sophistication for which Fontana Arte is known. It is a piece of functional art that transcends time and trends, destined to grace any space with its presence. Published in the 1960s catalogue by Fontana Arte, visible on the last picture, this bowl bears witness to a bygone era of design excellence and remains a coveted collector’s item for enthusiasts of mid-century modern style. Its inclusion in the catalogue is a testament to its significance and enduring appeal, ensuring its place in design history for generations to come.

Creator:
Max Ingrand (Designer),Fontana Arte (Manufacturer)
Dimensions:
Height: 0.79 in (2 cm)Width: 11.03 in (28 cm)Depth: 4.34 in (11 cm)
Style:
Mid-Century Modern (In the Style Of)
Materials and Techniques:
Glass
Place of Origin:
Italy
Period:
1960-1969
Date of Manufacture:
1960
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use.
Seller Location:
Roosendaal, NL
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU933043895492

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Fontana Arte

Best known for its elegant and innovative vintage lighting fixtures, the Milan-based firm Fontana Arte pioneered one of the key features of 20th-century and contemporary Italian design: the union of artistry and industry wrought by partnerships between creative talents — chiefly architects — and entrepreneurial businesses. Fontana Arte is further distinguished by having had as artistic director, in succession, four of Italy’s most inventive modernist designers: Gio Ponti, Pietro Chiesa, French transplant Max Ingrand and Gae Aulenti.

The bread and butter of the glassmaking company that Luigi Fontana founded in 1881 was plate-glass panels for the construction industry. In 1930, Fontana met Ponti — then the artistic director of the Richard Ginori ceramics workshop and the editor of the influential magazine Domus — at a biannual design exhibition that became the precursor to today’s Milan Design Triennale, and the two hatched an idea for a furniture and housewares firm. Fontana Arte was incorporated in 1932 with Ponti as its chief of design. He contributed several lamps that remain among the company’s signature works, including the orb-atop-cone Bilia table lamp and the 0024 pendant — a stratified hanging sphere.

The following year, Fontana Arte partnered with the influential Milan studio glassmaker and retailer Pietro Chiesa, who took over as artistic director. Chiesa’s designs for lighting — as well as for tables and items including vases and ashtrays — express an appreciation for fluidity and simplicity of line, as seen in works such as his flute-shaped Luminator floor lamp and the 1932 Fontana table — an arched sheet of glass that is held in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art.

Six years after Chiesa’s 1948 death, the École des Beaux Arts–trained Max Ingrand took over as head of design at Fontana Arte. Ingrand brought a similarly expressive formal sensibility to wares such as lamps and mirrors, but he also had a masterful eye for the manipulation of glass surfaces — whether they be cut, frosted, acid-etched or sand-blasted. His classic design is the Fontana table lamp of 1954, which has a truncated cone shade and curved body, both of which are made of pure, chic white-frosted glass.

Following Ingrand, the often-audacious Italian architect Gae Aulenti served as the company’s artistic director from 1979 to 1996, and while she generally insisted that furnishings take second place aesthetically to architecture, she made an exception for Fontana Arte pieces such as the Tavolo con Ruote series of glass coffee and dining tables on wheels, bold lighting pieces such as the Parola series and the Giova, a combination flower vase and table lamp. As a key incubator of modern design under Aulenti’s tenure, Fontana Arte remained true to its long-held commitment — creating objects that have never been less than daring.

Find vintage Fontana Arte lighting fixtures such as pendants, table lamps and more on 1stDibs.