Incollect Magazine - Issue 14

26 www.incollect.com Alice Kargar, Maison Rapin How would you explain the importance of Fontana Arte in the history of design to a new collector? Fontana Arte is a real ‘must have’ for any true collector — not only did it quickly become (and then remain) the most important modern glass designer in Italy, but it was the first to adopt a true design-oriented approach to production. Rather than producing practical commercial or decorative glass, the company aimed to create a wide range of refined objects and lighting pieces in which design was absolutely central. ESTABLISHED IN MILAN IN 1932, Fontana Arte remains one of the great success stories of 20th-century Italian design. Its co-founder and first artistic director, Gio Ponti, designed the iconic Bilia lamp as well as the 1932 coffee table. Pietro Chiesa succeeded him as artistic director in 1933 and designed over a thousand objects, some of which are still in production today, including the Cartoccio vase (1932) and the Luminator floor lamp (1933). In the Post-War era, Max Ingrand took Fontana Arte to a new level of innovation and commercial success, and his Abat-Jour table lamp is the most iconic of all their many lights. Gae Aulenti, Renzo Piano, and Paula Navone were some of the other designers who contributed to the brand in the following decades. Incollect asked four dealers why Fontana Arte is so exceptional and why it remains worth collecting today. Why Fontana Arte? Model No. 2210 adjustable 3-light pendant by Max Ingrand for Fontana Arte. Smokey tinted glass shades with frosted glass di user, brass structure. Each pendant drop can be adjusted independently. Italy, circa 1960. Available from Maison Rapin on Incollect.com. Photo: courtesy Maison Rapin Rare pair of sconces by Max Ingrand for Fontana Arte. Frosted conical glass shade with beveled edge, deeply beveled crystal finial, 3-prong trident mount in polished brass. Italy, circa 1955. Available from Maison Rapin on Incollect.com. Photo: courtesy Maison Rapin