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Fornasetti Furniture

The Italian artist, illustrator and furniture maker Piero Fornasetti was one of the wittiest and most imaginative design 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 the 19th-century 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 desks to dinner plates, lamps and umbrella stands. His work is archly clever, often surreal 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 his 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 Fornasetti’s collaborator and patron. Beginning in the early 1950s, they created a striking a 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.

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Creator: Fornasetti
Astronomici n.1 Decorative Plate by Fornasetti
By Fornasetti
Located in Milan, IT
This hand-decorated porcelain plate is adorned with exquisite zodiac designs, making this a true collector's item. Any minor discrepancies are the result of craftsmanship and attest ...
Category

2010s Italian Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Porcelain

Original Fornasetti Curved Chest Of Drawers
By Fornasetti
Located in London, GB
An original Fornasetti Chest "Archittetura" Produced by Atelier Fornasetti in lithographically printed hand painted and lacquered rosewood, with brass fittings, these pieces of furn...
Category

1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Beech

1960s by Piero Fornasetti for Testa Studio Advertising Plate
By Fornasetti
Located in Brescia, IT
Piero Fornasetti by Armando Testa Studio Very rare and limited series, Italy, 1960s.
Category

1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Ceramic

Piero Fornasetti Rectangular Porcelain Tray
By Fornasetti
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Piero Fornasetti porcelain plate or ashtray depicting the nose and mouth of the famous opera singer Lina Cavalieri / made in Milano Italy circa 1990s Original mark on the back / come...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Porcelain

FORNASETTI Fondale Marino Floor Lamp by Fornasetti
By Fornasetti
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage "Fondale Marino" (seabed) table lamp from the La Follia Pratica series, composed of a flat plexiglass sheet photostatic printed with aquatic design, assembled by folding the ...
Category

20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Plexiglass

FORNASETTI La Commedia Dell'Arte Table Lamp by Fornasetti, 3 Available
By Fornasetti
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage "La Commedia Dell'Arte" table lamp composed of a flat plexiglass sheet photostatic printed with theatrical design, assembled by folding the sheet into a cylindrical form / de...
Category

20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Plexiglass

FORNASETTI Pair of L'Immaginario Table Lamps by Fornasetti
By Fornasetti
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage "L'Immaginario" table lamp composed of a flat plexiglass sheet photostatic printed with newspaper motif, assembled by folding the sheet into a cylindrical form / designed by ...
Category

20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Plexiglass

FORNASETTI Chess Board Game Set Box
By Fornasetti
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage chess board - game set box for Dal Negro by Piero Fornasetti, made in Italy in the 1970s. The box is made in walnut wood, and it includes chess game, checkers game, card game...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Wood

Fornasetti Dome Plate, Cupola Galleria Di Milano Number 7 in Series
By Fornasetti
Located in Downingtown, PA
Fornasetti Dome Plate, Cupola Galleria di Milano Number 7 in Series, Dated 2018 Each plate in the series has a different dome of a named and numbered building on the reverse, seen from the inside and below. Dimensions: 9 1/4 inches x 1 inch high. (23.50cm diameter x 2.54cm) The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II is Italy's oldest active shopping gallery and a major landmark of Milan in Italy. Housed within a four-story double arcade in the centre of town, the Galleria is named after Victor Emmanuel II, the first king of the Kingdom of Italy. . These plates were originally designed and executed for building contractor Andrea Brenta, Milan, as Christmas presents...
Category

2010s Italian Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Porcelain

Mano con Anelli Rectangular Ashtray
By Fornasetti
Located in Milan, IT
With this rectangular ashtray made of hand-decorated porcelain, Fornasetti has succeeded in transforming an everyday object into a small work of art capable of seducing you with its ...
Category

2010s Italian Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Porcelain

Fornasetti Themes & Variations Gold Plate, Tema E Variazioni, Pattern Number 96
By Fornasetti
Located in Downingtown, PA
Fornasetti Themes & Variations gold plate, butterfly, Tema E Variazioni, Pattern number 96, Atelier Fornasetti. A variation of Fornasetti's Tema E...
Category

Late 20th Century Italian Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Porcelain

Vintage Piero Fornasetti Strumenti Musical or Libri Screen
By Fornasetti
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
An iconic mid-size screen depicting a library shelf on one side and musical instruments on the verso. A period example, circa 1954. Measures: 53 1/2" high.
Category

1950s Italian Vintage Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Wood

1993 Fornasetti Portfolio 6 Surrealist Black/Gold Serigraphs Printed France
By Piero Fornasetti, Fornasetti
Located in Miami, FL
The complete portfolio from the series Sole e Lune containing 6 Fine Art Silkscreen by Piero Fornasetti published in France by Graphique de France in 1993. This portfolio was exclusively created for Pier One...
Category

1990s French Mid-Century Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Paper

Fornasetti paper weight 1962 Zodiac calendar
By Fornasetti, Piero Fornasetti
Located in London, GB
Rare Fornasetti porcelain paperweight with Zodiac calendar c1962
Category

1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Porcelain

FORNASETTI Vintage Table Lamp
By Fornasetti, Piero Fornasetti
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage Italian Oggi Maria Pia newspaper table lamp with painted metal (lithographical and transfer-printed) and brass / made in Milan Italy in the 198...
Category

Late 20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Metal

Fornasetti "Mani" Umbrella Stand
By Fornasetti
Located in Downingtown, PA
Atelier Fornasetti Mani Umbrella Stand, Signed & Dated 2007 The Fornasetti cylindrical umbrella stand is decorated with the Mani pattern which is an extended arm on a black backg...
Category

Early 2000s Italian Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Metal

Piero Fornasetti Porcelain Mesi and Soli Pair of Plates 12 Suns 12 Months, 1955
By Fornasetti
Located in Downingtown, PA
Piero Fornasetti porcelain plates, 12 suns, 12 months, Pair of plates Mid to late 1950s. The rare Piero Fornasetti "12 Mesi 12 Soli" series plates show the sun as a woman's face and each one represents a different month- May and June. They are numbered five and six. Dimensions: 10 1/4 inches diameter x 1 inch high. Mark: Each with Piero Fornasetti printed...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Porcelain

Piero Fornasetti Mani Con Farfalle Vase
By Fornasetti
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Piero Fornasetti collaborated with Studio Ars Labor,Industrie Riunite (S.A.L.I.R.) on a series of cold -painted enamel vases in 1935. Originally debuted at the VI Triennial of Veni...
Category

1940s Italian Vintage Fornasetti Furniture

Vintage Piero Fornasetti Vide Poche or Trinket Dish
By Fornasetti, Piero Fornasetti
Located in St.Petersburg, FL
A classic small dish which could be used as a Vide Poche, catchall, jewelry tray, etc designed by Piero Fornasetti. Great musical theme and very good condition.
Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Porcelain

Fornasetti Curved Cabinet Coromandel Hand Colored Wood Special Edition
By Fornasetti
Located in MILANO, IT
The curved cabinet shape was designed by Barnaba Fornasetti in 2003 and now it can be considered one of the most iconic pieces of furniture in the Itali...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Wood

Fornasetti Curved Cabinet Architettura Black and White Wood
By Fornasetti
Located in MILANO, IT
The curved cabinet shape was designed by Barnaba Fornasetti in 2003 and now it can be considered one of the most iconic pieces of furniture in the Itali...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Wood

FORNASETTI Pair of Vintage Table Lamps
By Fornasetti, Piero Fornasetti
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage Italian table lamp with painted metal decorated with book motif and butterfly (lithographical and transfer-printed) and brass / made in Milan Italy in the 1980s Original labe...
Category

Late 20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Metal

FORNASETTI Tema E Variazioni Porcelain Plate Motiv 24
By Fornasetti
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage Rosenthal Fornasetti "Temi e Variazioni" porcelain plate motiv 24, with gold rim and black and white printed center depicting the face of the famous opera singer Lina Cavalie...
Category

Mid-20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Porcelain

Fornasetti Cushion Silenzio from the Series Tema e Variazioni Cotton
By Fornasetti
Located in MILANO, IT
The Fornasetti cushions will add to each room an unexpected detail thanks to the most iconic Italian atelier designs. The decoration features t...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Cotton

Fornasetti Consolle Bocca Colored Handcrafted Wood
By Fornasetti
Located in MILANO, IT
The Fornasetti console is a wooden storage piece of furniture silkscreened and laquered by hand following the Atelier's traditional method. Like ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Wood

Set of 6 Astronomici Tea Cups
By Fornasetti
Located in Milan, IT
This set of hand-decorated porcelain tea cups with gold accents is adorned with exquisite zodiac designs, making this ensemble a true collector's item. Any minor discrepancies betwee...
Category

2010s Italian Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Porcelain

Fornasetti Italian Mid-Century 1960s Yellow Metal Table Lamp
By Fornasetti
Located in London, GB
A lithographical and transfer printed yellow metal table lamp by Piero Fornasetti made in the 1960s and in the form of a Roman column. This lamp has...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Metal

FORNASETTI "Bastoni" Rectangular Lucite Tray
By Fornasetti, Piero Fornasetti
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage Italian rectangular lucite tray featuring "Bastoni" walking canes, designed by Piero Fornasetti for Campagnia del Tabacco / made in Milan Italy in the 1990s Original Fornaset...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Lucite

Fornasetti Silk Cushion Peccato Originale Original Sin
By Fornasetti
Located in MILANO, IT
The Fornasetti cushions will add to each room an unexpected detail thanks to the most iconic Italian atelier designs. The decoration features a snake holding the forbidden fruit in its jaws, and surrounded by hand painted leaves. It is inspired by the biblical original sin...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Silk

Fornasetti Raised Small Sideboard Cabinet Architettura Celeste Architectural
By Fornasetti
Located in MILANO, IT
The sideboard cabinet is handcrafted using original artisan techniques, like all Fornasetti pieces of furniture This cabinet is silk-screened by hand, hand-finished and covered with a smooth lacquer. It is part of the Architettura Celeste collection, lauched during the 2018 Milan Design...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Wood

Fornasetti Architecture Tin
By Fornasetti
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Tin can in black and white architectural motif / designed by Piero Fornasetti for DROPS / made in Italy Diameter: 3.5 inches / height: 11 inches 1 available in stock in Italy Order r...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Tin

Fornasetti Silk Cushion High Fidelity Cat
By Fornasetti
Located in MILANO, IT
The Fornasetti cushions will add to each room an unexpected detail thanks to the most iconic Italian atelier designs. Cushion cover material: S...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Silk

Two 1960s Mid-Century Modern Musical Instruments Plates by Piero Fornasetti
By Piero Fornasetti, Fornasetti
Located in Aci Castello, IT
These two 1960s Mid-Century Modern decorative plates by Piero Fornasetti typically exemplify his whimsical and artistic approach to design.The plates depict intricate surreal illustr...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Porcelain

Set of six plates, design Piero FORNASETTI Soli e Lune series. Milan, 70s
By Fornasetti
Located in Torino, IT
Set of six plates, design Piero FORNASETTI suns and Moons series. ORIGIN Milan PERIOD 1970s DESIGNER Piero FORNASETTI MARK Fornasetti - Milano MODEL Decorative motif Suns and Mo...
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Porcelain

Fornasetti Silk Cushion Sardine Fishes on Red
By Fornasetti
Located in MILANO, IT
The Fornasetti cushions will add to each room an unexpected detail thanks to the most iconic Italian atelier designs. Cushion cover material: S...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Silk

Fornasetti Tray Holder Black
By Fornasetti
Located in MILANO, IT
Fornasetti trays become elegant coffee tables by adding this black wood base. Is suits a 25 x 60 cm wood tray. The image shows the tray on its holder (the tray is not included in ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Metal

Early Rare Piero Fornasetti 'Corona di fiori' Convex Optical Mirror, Italy 1950s
By Piero Fornasetti, Gio Ponti, Fornasetti
Located in Malmö, SE
This is an early and rare example of the black and white version of the 'Corona di fiori' wall mirror, with convex optical mirrors. Designed and produced by Piero Fornasetti in the m...
Category

1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Mirror, Lacquer

Set of 6 Decorative Plates "Specialità Torinesi" by P. Fornasetti for Fiat
By Fornasetti, Piero Fornasetti
Located in Varese, Lombardia
Rare set of six decorated and gilded ceramic plates designed by Piero Fornasetti. This collection was specially created by the Fornasetti Atelier...
Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Gold Plate

Fornasetti Silk Cushion Mano Hand
By Fornasetti
Located in MILANO, IT
The Fornasetti cushions will add to each room an unexpected detail thanks to the most iconic Italian atelier designs. The decoration plays with the anatomic theme in a surreal an...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Silk

Set of Eight Fornasetti Coasters with 'Coins' Decoration form 1960s
By Fornasetti
Located in Milano, MI
Set of 8 coasters by Fornasetti in silk-screened porcelain, with "Monete" decoration made for Banca Unione Milano in the 1960s. The series was given as a gift by the bank to its cust...
Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Ceramic

Set of six plates, design Piero FORNASETTI Calligraphic Birds series. 1960s
By Fornasetti
Located in Torino, IT
Set of six plates, design Piero FORNASETTI calligraphic Birds series. ORIGIN Milan PERIOD Anni 60 DESIGNER Piero FORNASETTI MARK Fornasetti - Milan MODEL Series dishes Calligrap...
Category

1960s Italian Vintage Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Porcelain

Cylindrical Lamp Base Comme Des Fornà, Black White Red
By Fornasetti
Located in MILANO, IT
The cylindrical shape allows Fornasetti's imagination to create surprising decorative effects in which the shapes follow one another endlessly. The architectural design makes this hand-silkscreened metal lamp base...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Metal

Fornasetti Astrolabio plate series
By Fornasetti
Located in London, GB
Astrolabio series 2 of 2 ceramic and gold dishes by Piero Fornasetti. Italian with original malachite print decorated boxes.
Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Ceramic

Fornasetti Vase Clown Black/White/Gold
By Fornasetti
Located in MILANO, IT
Another classic of the Fornasetti catalogue, vases' uncommon shape mixed with the timeless beauty of Lina Cavalieri, Piero Fornasetti’s enduring muse, bri...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Ceramic

Set of 5 1950s Piero Fornasetti Grandi Maestri Gold Ceramic Plates
By Fornasetti
Located in London, GB
Set of 5 Fornasetti ceramic /gold plates “Grandi Maestri” series. Ceramic plate by Piero Fornasetti of the series ” Grandi Maestri ” Music Great Masters. Ceramic, silk screen prin...
Category

1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Ceramic

Fornasetti "Soli e Lune" Porcelain Plate
By Fornasetti
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage Piero Fornasetti small porcelain dish or plate depicting a face on the moon with light rays of a sun, no. 4 from series "Soli e Lune" / made in Milano Italy circa 1970 Origin...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Porcelain

Italian Piero Fornasetti Coasters
By Fornasetti
Located in New York, NY
A set of six (6) Italian Piero Fornasetti cocktail drinks coasters 'Cavalieri', Classical Roman style, circa mid-20th century, 1960s, Italy. A set of six in black and white edged in ...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Classical Roman Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Ceramic

Fornasetti Desk and Chair "FIORI NELLA NOTTE" - Unique Pieces
By Fornasetti
Located in Rome, RM
The Fornasetti "Fiori nella Notte" desk and chair are unique pieces made in exclusive for Betony Vernon's private home in Paris in 2004. The desk has a drawer and the top opens to be...
Category

Early 2000s Italian Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Wood, Lacquer

FORNASETTI Tema E Variazioni Porcelain Plate #281
By Fornasetti
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage Piero Fornasetti "Tema e Variazioni" porcelain plate depicting the face of the famous opera singer Lina Cavalieri on a nude female torso, no.281 / made in Milano Italy circa ...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Porcelain

FORNASETTI Tema E Variazioni Limited Edition Print 1/100
By Fornasetti
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Piero Fornasetti "Tema e Variazioni" 1/100 limited edition print depicting the face of the famous opera singer Lina Cavalieri / made in Milano Italy, 1998 Width: 14 inches / Height: ...
Category

20th Century Italian Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Paper

Piero Fornasetti Tema E Variazioni Porcelain Plate #78
By Fornasetti
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage Piero Fornasetti "Tema e Variazioni" porcelain plate depicting the face of the famous opera singer Lina Cavalieri, no.78 / made in Milano Italy circa 1960. Original mark on t...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Porcelain

Cylindrical Metal Lamp Base Viso Black/White, Iconical Fornasetti Face Decor
By Fornasetti
Located in MILANO, IT
The cylindrical shape allows Fornasetti's imagination to create surprising decorative effects in which the shapes follow one another endlessly. The metafisical face design makes this hand-silkscreened metal lamp base...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Metal

FORNASETTI Set of 6 Fornasetti Mural Plates by Louis Vuitton
By Fornasetti
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Fornasetti Mural plate set, co-designed by Johnny Coca and the Italian atelier Fornasetti, each featuring a unique motif echoing the antiquity theme from the Louis Vuitton Women's Fa...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Porcelain

1950s Mid-Century Modern Piero Fornasetti Porcelain Aperitivo Set
By Piero Fornasetti, Fornasetti
Located in Aci Castello, IT
A set of five vintage aperitivo bowls by Fornasetti. These bowls feature intricate black and white illustrations with gold accents, especially on the rims and bases. Each bowl is ado...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Ceramic, Porcelain

Cylindrical Handmade Black Pleated Silk Lampshade
By Fornasetti
Located in MILANO, IT
This cylindrical lampshade in silk with a metal frame is the ideal complement to create, together with the base, a lamp that becomes an art object. Any minor discrepancies between...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Wood

Fornasetti Italy bulls eye convex round mirror brass mid century ring hook
By Fornasetti
Located in Bridgehampton, NY
Unusual round multi convex mirror - brass frame with round ring holder... signed with back gold sticker
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Brass

FORNASETTI Tema E Variazioni Porcelain Plate #81
By Fornasetti
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage Piero Fornasetti "Tema e Variazioni" porcelain plate depicting the smoking face of the famous opera singer Lina Cavalieri, no.81 / made in Milano Italy circa 1960 Original ma...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Porcelain

Pair of Piero Fornasetti Cammei Table Lamps
By Fornasetti, Piero Fornasetti
Located in Miami, FL
A vintage pair of Mid-Century Modern Cameo off-white lamps designed in the 1960s by the Italian master of playful and surreal self-expression, Piero Forna...
Category

20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Metal, Brass, Enamel

Fornasetti furniture for sale on 1stDibs.

Fornasetti furniture are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of ceramic and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Fornasetti furniture, although gray editions of this piece are particularly popular. We have 143 vintage editions of these items in-stock, while there is 53 modern edition to choose from as well. Many of the original furniture by Fornasetti were created in the mid-century modern style in europe during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider furniture by Richard Ginori, Alfredo Barbini, and La Murrina. Prices for Fornasetti furniture can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $274 and can go as high as $32,216, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $1,614.
Questions About Fornasetti Furniture
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    Fornasetti plates are hand-made in Italy. They continue a tradition of excellent craftsmanship that goes back to founder Piero Fornasetti, who established the atelier during the 1950s. Shop antique and modern Fornasetti plates from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    Fornasetti is an art design company that produces furniture and home accessories decorated by hand. Piero Fornasetti established the company in Milan, Italy, during the 1950s as his atelier. As of December 2021, his son, Barnaba Fornasetti, heads the company. You'll find a selection of Fornasetti on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    You can buy Fornasetti directly from the brand's online store. In addition, numerous brick-and-mortar retailers around the world carry Fornasetti pieces. You can also shop for the brand's furniture and home décor on multiple online platforms. You'll find a collection of Fornasetti on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertFebruary 1, 2024
    The style of Fornasetti is mid-century modern. The Italian artist and designer crafted an inimitable decorative style from a personal library of images rendered in transfer print engravings, including birds, butterflies, hot-air balloons, architecture and an enigmatic woman's face, to decorate an endless variety of furnishings and housewares that range from chairs, tables and decorative objects to dinner plates, table lamps and umbrella stands. On 1stDibs, shop an assortment of Piero Fornasetti art, furniture and decorative objects.
  • 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 ExpertFebruary 27, 2024
    The style of art by Fornasetti varied. His use of whimsical motifs has often led his artwork to be associated with Surrealism, while his use of repetitive imagery, like in his many prints featuring opera singer Lina Cavalieri, skewed toward Pop art. As a designer, his works reflected mid-century modern sensibilities with a playful twist. Explore a collection of Piero Fornasetti art and decorative objects on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    Yes, each and every Fornasetti design is hand made and hand painted. The colors are expertly applied by painters, ensuring no two items are alike. You’ll find a variety of Fornasetti designs from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    To hang Fornasetti plates, thread a length of string through the two small holes found on the tops of their backs. Tie the string in a secure knot and then hang from a nail, screw or hook. Avoid using plate hanger hardware, as it could crack or damage the plates. You'll find a collection of Fornasetti plates 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
    How you display Fornasetti plates is largely a matter of personal preference. Some people prefer to rest them flat on a low table or shelf, while others position them upright on plate stands. You can also thread string or twine through the two holes found on the back of every piece and display it as wall art. Find a collection of Fornasetti plates on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    To burn a Fornasetti candle, first trim the wick to remove any soot. Then, light the candle and allow it to burn for up to three hours. Use a snuffer to extinguish the candle, as blowing out the flame can disturb the wax. Find a collection of Fornasetti on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    Opera singer Natalina ‘Lina’ Cavalieri is the face that inspired Piero Fornasetti throughout his artistic career, from his plates to wallpaper and more. Lina Cavalieri was known as the most beautiful woman in the world during her lifetime from 1874-1944. It was eight years after Cavalieri’s death that Fornasetti came across her image in a magazine and was thereby inspired to replicate it repetitively. On 1stDibs, find a collection of authentic Fornasetti plates from some of the world’s top sellers.
  • 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.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    No, every Fornasetti porcelain figurine is handmade. In fact, the brand produces all of their home decorative items by hand at their workshop in Milan, Italy. If you see indications that a figurine came from a factory, it is likely not an authentic Fornasetti. Shop a collection of expertly vetted Fornasetti on 1stDibs.

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