Vintage Acid-Treated Ceramic Chicken-Shaped Perfume Diffuser by Dante Baldelli, 1930s

Details

Description

Description of the object
a glazed ceramic perfume box shaped like a crouching hen, with rounded contours, designed to hold … Read more Description of the object
a glazed ceramic perfume box shaped like a crouching hen, with rounded contours, designed to hold potpourri—a mixture of dried flower petals and essential oils traditionally used to fragrance rooms—whose scent diffuses through the twenty or so holes on the back of the lid. The figure is rendered with a few simple strokes, featuring a raised tail and a beak and wattle that are only faintly suggested, in a style typical of mid-20th-century italian ceramic design. The surface is coated with a thick, porous “lava-effect” gray glaze, dotted with small craters, which gives the object a textural appearance of great charm, while the upper part is hand-decorated with bands of yellow triangles that wrap around the body like geometric plumage. The inside of the lid is glazed white, revealing the ceramic body through the unglazed contact points. Underneath the base is the hand-painted signature “baldelli italy” with the model number “p228,” along with the remnants of the original label—elements that definitively trace the object back to the baldelli factory in città di castello, one of the most interesting umbrian ceramic manufacturers of the 20th century. The lava glaze, the decoration, and the type of marking allow it to be dated to the 1940s–1960s. Dante baldelli is one of the most important figures in italian ceramics from the first half of the 20th century; his works have achieved numerous auction results. On art price alone, in the “objects” category, there are 33 auction results, with the top eight ranging from 2,500 euros plus auction fees of 25–30% up to 6,000 euros plus additional fees—this serves to give an idea of the value of his works.

information about the artist and/or manufacturer
dante baldelli was born in città di castello in 1904 to stamura rometti. He was the grandson of settimio rometti and the cousin of aspromonte rometti, founders of the rometti factory in umbertide. After completing his early artistic studies in perugia, he moved to rome, where he attended the royal academy of fine arts as a student of the sculptors luppi and canonica. In 1928, he assumed artistic direction of the family workshop, sharing the role a few months later with corrado cagli, whom he had met during his time at the academy. Among the highlights of his exhibition career were his participation in the 5th milan triennale in 1931 with a black-engraved plate depicting archers, and his solo exhibition in 1932 in città di castello, where he presented paintings, sculptures, drawings, and twenty-nine majolica pieces. In 1934, he designed the poster for the 19th venice biennale and the one for the world soccer championships. He collaborated with rometti until 1942, when the workshop closed due to the war. After world war ii, he opened his own workshop in città di castello, “baldelli ceramiche,” together with his brother angelo and with the help of his son massimo, dedicating himself to the production of functional and household objects. By 1947, the factory employed about fifteen workers, and his reputation grew thanks in part to collaborations with artists such as piero dorazio, achille perilli, and nunzio gulino. Dante baldelli died in città di castello in 1953. Management passed to his son massimo (1935–2003), who ran the factory until the early 1990s, working alongside his brother luca since the previous decade. During those years, the production—with its minimalist forms and textured glazes—became one of the most recognizable chapters in mid-20th-century italian ceramic design. This piece has an attribution mark,
i am sure that it is completely authentic and take full responsibility for any authenticity
issues arising from misattribution See less