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Fornasetti Boxes

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
Fornasetti Rectangular Box with Smoking Motif
By Fornasetti
Located in Palm Desert, CA
Fornasetti long, rectangular, box with a charming illustration of three pipes. Hand colored Lithography on metal. Exterior metal box slides over a metal interior box, powder coated...
Category

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

Materials

Tin

Fornasetti Wooden and Metal Box Champagne Black/White Hand Painted
By Fornasetti
Located in MILANO, IT
Like all Fornasetti accessories, the boxes turn an everyday action into an aesthetic experience. The Fornasetti boxes are a whimsical place to keep your most precious items. This ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Fornasetti Boxes

Materials

Metal

Fornasetti ceramic / wood box plus incense hole in lid. Profumi .
By Fornasetti
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Nice and surrealist style in this traditional design by the well known artist / designer Piero Fornasetti . This box is also for incense and has a hole for burning . Not incense incl...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Post-Modern Fornasetti Boxes

Materials

Ceramic

Fornasetti Enamel Metal Matchbox
By Fornasetti
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage decorative matchbox with an interior comprised of a metal sliding tray, the exterior enameled with classical gates of Rome / designed by Piero Fornasetti, made in Italy in th...
Category

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

Materials

Metal

Fornasetti Playing Cards Box
By Fornasetti
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage poker playing cards box in walnut wood that holds two packs of cards / designed by Piero Fornasetti, made in Italy in the 1970s Length: 7 inches ...
Category

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

Materials

Wood

1950s by Piero Fornasetti Midcentury Italian Design Box
By Fornasetti
Located in Brescia, IT
Serigraphy on metal, wood box Excellent condition.
Category

1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Fornasetti Boxes

Materials

Metal

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 Boxes

Materials

Tin

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 Boxes

Materials

Porcelain

Fornasetti Alphabet Box
By Fornasetti
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage decorative rectangular "Alphabet" box with wooden structure and cream enameled top and sides decorated with letters of the alphabet in an ancient baroque style transferred wi...
Category

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

Materials

Wood

Fornasetti "Tartaglia" Box from the Estate of Jose Ferrer
By Fornasetti
Located in Westport, CT
Fonasetti Metal enameled box sliding wood compartment
Category

1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Fornasetti Boxes

Materials

Metal

Large Piero Fornasetti Labeled Wooden Box with Folding Lid
By Fornasetti
Located in Berlin, BE
Particularly large wooden box from Piero Fornasetti with the rare folding lid. The box is labeled on the bottom.
Category

1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Fornasetti Boxes

Materials

Wood

Fornasetti Enamel Metal Mahogany Box
By Fornasetti
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage decorative matches box with enamel metal portraying a hot air balloon and mahogany wood insert / designed by Piero Fornasetti, made in Italy in the 1960s Length: 4.5 inches /...
Category

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

Materials

Metal

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Fornasetti Mid-Century Modern Card Box, 1950s, Metal and Wood, Italy
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Previously Available Items
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Playing Cards Box by Fornasetti
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H 1.58 in W 6.7 in D 5.12 in
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Hot Air Balloon Box by Fornasetti
Hot Air Balloon Box by Fornasetti
H 1.97 in W 11.03 in D 7.88 in
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1950s Storage Box by Piero Fornasetti
1950s Storage Box by Piero Fornasetti
H 1.58 in W 7.09 in D 4.34 in
1960s Iconic Mid-Century Modern Enameled Metal and Wood Box by Piero Fornasetti
By Fornasetti, Piero Fornasetti
Located in Aci Castello, IT
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1960s Iconic Velvet Wood and Metal Luxury Box by Piero Fornasetti
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Located in Aci Castello, IT
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Round Fornasetti Tricket Box
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H 1.5 in W 5.75 in D 5.75 in

Fornasetti boxes for sale on 1stDibs.

Fornasetti 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 Fornasetti boxes, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. We have 8 vintage editions of these items in-stock, while there is 2 modern edition to choose from as well. Many of the original boxes by 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 boxes by Ottaviani, Gucci, and Rosenthal Netter. Prices for Fornasetti boxes can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $727 and can go as high as $2,400, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $1,035.
Questions About Fornasetti Boxes
  • 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 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 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 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 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 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 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.
  • 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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