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.
Mid-century large pair white ceramic table lamps by Bitossi
By Bitossi
Located in Eindhoven, NL
Beautiful pair ceramic table lamps designed by Bitossi for Bergboms- Sweden. These pretty lamps has white glazed base with texture and brown patterns. Period- ca. 1960 Place of origi...
Ceramic
Mid-century gold /silver ceramic glazed table lamps by Bitossi for Bergboms
By Bitossi
Located in Eindhoven, NL
Fabulous & chique pair ceramic table lamps designed by Bitossi for Bergboms- Sweden. These elegant lamps have a metallic gold glaze with in the middle a silver stripe. Period- ca. 19...
Ceramic
Mid-century set ceramic glazed table lamps by Bitossi for Bergboms
By Bitossi, Bergboms
Located in Eindhoven, NL
A beautiful set ceramic table lamps designed by Bitossi for Bergboms- Sweden. This lovely lamps have white glazed base with texture and brown paterns. Period- ca. 1960/ 1970 Place of...
Ceramic
Mid-century white/gold ceramic glazed table lamp by Bitossi for Bergboms
By Bitossi
Located in Eindhoven, NL
Beautiful ceramic table lamp designed by Bitossi for Bergboms- Sweden. This pretty lamp has gold glazed base and top with in the centre off-white glazed 'birch' texture. Period- ca. ...
Ceramic
Mid-century ceramic gold gilded pair table lamps by Bitossi for Berboms
By Bitossi
Located in Eindhoven, NL
An elegant pair ceramic table lamps designed by Bitossi for Bergboms- Sweden. These fabulous lamps are glazed and gilt. Period- ca. 1960-1970 Place of origin- Italy/ Sweden Labeled a...
Ceramic
A pair of mid-century ceramic table lamps by Bitossi
By Bitossi
Located in Eindhoven, NL
Beautiful pair ceramic table lamps designed by Bitossi, Italy. These pretty lamps have white chamotted glazed base with texture and lower band with blue decoration. Period- ca. 1960 ...
Ceramic
Pair of Ceramic Table Lamps by Bitossi
By Bitossi
Located in Palm Springs, CA
A fantastic pair of ceramic table lamps by Bitossi. These lamps are brown ceramic in the center with a metallic glaze at the top and bottom. Newly rewired with new nickel hardwar...
Nickel
Pair of Bitossi Table Lamps Gold and Stoneware Ceramic Italy 1970's
By Bitossi
Located in London, GB
Bitossi cylinder shape table lamps where produced in stoneware with a natural glaze. The border at the neck is gilded, the band of shiny gold emphasis the rough texture of the ceramic body. Guido Bitossi established his own ceramic workshop near Florence, in Montelupo, in 1921. Originally the works was named (Ceramaic Manufactory Guido Bitossi & Sons), the company name was later shortened to Bitossi Ceramiche. After World War II, master ceramist Aldo Londi (1911-2003) was appointed creative director of Bitossi Ceramiche, he held that position for more than fifty years. During which time he was the creator of designs for vases, jugs, animals, candle stick holders and other objects. Where he experiment with textures, surface reliefs, glazes and in the process created new ceramics...
Gold
Pair of ceramic lamps by Bitossi
By Bitossi
Located in Paris, Ile-de-France
Pair of ceramic lamps by Bitossi Pair of glazed ceramic lamps in shades of gold and copper. By Bitossi (manufacturer) for Miranda ( Swedish retailer ) Italy, 1960 Dimension : H...
Ceramic
Pair of Ceramic Table Lamps by Bitossi / Miranda, Sweden, 1970s
By Aldo Londi, Bitossi
Located in Karlstad, SE
Striking pair of 1970s table lamps featuring ceramic bases produced by Bitossi and assembled as lamps by Miranda in Sweden. The cylindrical forms are richly glazed in warm brown tone...
Ceramic
Mid Century Pair of Bergboms Table Lamps in Gold and Silver Ceramic.
By Bitossi
Located in Madrid, ES
A pair of table lamps from the Italian brand Bitossi, made of ceramic, a signature of Bitossi, with a bronze glaze in the center of one lamp and a more silver glaze in the center of ...
Metal
Pair of 1970s Bitossi Gold Ceramic Table Lamps, Mid-Century Modern
By Bitossi
Located in Paris, IDF
pair of table lamps in gold and natural ceramic earthward made by Bitossi Italy around 1970. Price for the pair Good condition Lamp base height 26 cm excluding lampshade
Ceramic, Earthenware
