Aldo Londi for Bitossi: A Rare ‘Fritte’ Ceramic and Fused Glass Set, c. 1950s ALDO LONDI (1911–2003)

A rare lidded box and coordinating ashtray, circa 1950s.

Hand-thrown ceramic with Fritte fused glass inclusions.

Produced by Bitossi Ceramiche, Montelupo Fiorentino, Italy.

Box: approx. 18 cm long. Ashtray: approx. 12 cm square.

Underside of box inscribed with series\/model numbers P223\/14 Italy.

This early archival set represents a highly sought-after period of Aldo Londis tenure as Art Director at Bitossi. Moving away from the ubiquitous Rimini Blu aesthetic, the Fritte series (also known as Vetri or Vetrata) utilizes a distinctive sculptural textured ceramic body inlaid with thick, crackled pools of fused glass.

Condition Report

The set is in good vintage condition given the fragility of the fused glass technique.

Box: The interior glass pools are vibrant and intact. The ceramic body shows minor characteristic firing fissures and negligible age-related wear with a small graze to the rim and chip to the foot (as photographed).

Ashtray: Features a well-preserved glass centre. There are superficial grazes and variations to the finish, which is consistent with the age and \"rough\" nature of this specific glaze technique, no losses of note.

Designer Profile: Aldo Londi and the Bitossi Legacy

Aldo Londi was the creative force behind Bitossi for over 50 years, transforming the small Italian workshop into a global powerhouse of modern design. Londi was an obsessive experimenter, often spending nights at the kiln to perfect new chemical glazes and textures.

The Fritte technique was one of his most daring innovations, requiring precise temperature control to fuse glass shards directly into the clay body without shattering the ceramic. While Londis commercial successes were vast, these early fused-glass experiments are regarded by connoisseurs as his most artistically significant works, predating the more mass-produced \"Sgraffito\" lines of the late 1960s.