-Fontana Arte 1970 By Erwin Walter Burger Decorative Art Glass Squared Dish Bowl
Dish bowl designed by Fontana Arte.
A beautiful vintage piece of art-glass, created in Milano Italy by Fontana-Arte, back in the early 1970. This exceptional decorative piece has been designed by Erwin Walter Burger and crafted in solid translucent greenish glass with fabulous optical effect. Gorgeous condition showing no trace of use.
Weight: about 9 pounds, (4 kilos).
Measurements: The sides are 172 mm by 172 and a height of 70 mm (6.75 x 6.75 x 2.75 Inches).
Signatures: Signed-engraved by the artist in one corner.
Fontana-Arte
FontanaArte is an Italian company founded in Milan in 1932 by Luigi Fontana and Giò Ponti (1891-1979). The company is known for the processing of curved glass and for the production of lighting equipment, becoming over the years a prominent name for Italian design. Fontana-Arte marked the “history of light and furnishings” in Italy and worldwide. Born of the idea of an architect, the company has always kept strong ties with the design world, gradually involving leading Italian and international architects and lighting designers. With them, the company has created a true cultural project of architecture, lighting and furniture. This design culture, mainly involving fine materials (above all glass), has seen interaction between technology and aesthetic appeal as its main focus, generating a series of timeless objects, with splendid shapes, some of which have become design classics, exhibited in leading museums around the world. Giò Ponti invites Pietro Chiesa (1892-1942) to join him in the art direction. Chiesa is a distinguished glass master who enlists the craftsmen from his own workshop to join him to the company. Gio Ponti designed the 0024 pendant lamp and the Bilia table lamp in 1931. Pietro Chiesa‘s most famous lamp at that time is the Luminator, designed in 1933, in 1937 the 006. In 1954, Max Ingrand, a French glass master and decorator, renowned for his stunning stained-glass church windows, becomes the art director. He designed the Fontana table lamp. Gio Ponti becomes again art director in 1967 and he designs a new collection of lamps, the Pirellina and Pirellone table lamps.
Erwin Walter Burger
In 1928, after years working for important glass firms in his native country, German-born Erwin Walter Burger settled in Italy. Already a master engraver, he worked for several years for the Muranese firm of Cappellin & Co. then moving to Milan to become chief engraver for the newly established firm Fontana Arte (the Gio Ponti-founded artistic wing of Luigi Fontana's plate glass company Luigi Fontana & C.). Burger was responsible for the creating the designs thought up by Pietro Chiesa (whose own company had merged with Fontana Arte in 1933) & Giacomo Manzu, though also from the beginning designed his own works (though these were never marked as his own design). When Pietro Chiesa left Fontana Arte in 1945, Burger left to found his own company: Laboratorio Erwin Burger. He worked with a small team of artisans producing a wide range of their own glass works, but also collaborated with other firms. In 1957 Burger he took on his 20-year old son Willi (a painter) as co-designer.
Condition: The overall condition of this art glass is excellent. Beside the little normal wear, there is no damage or chips to the glass. This piece has been carefully inspected to guarantee the condition and authenticity.
INVENTORY REF: P052024MCNH/.9064
