A rare survivor from one of Florence's most celebrated post-war studios, this hand-painted ceramic gondola basket by Fratelli Fanciullacci captures everything collectors love about Italian mid-century art pottery — bold colour, sculptural form, and unmistakable craftsmanship.
Design & Craftsmanship
The split-wing "gondola" silhouette is finished in a vivid abstract floral motif — mustard yellow, coral red, soft blue, and black sgraffito-style outlines against a crisp white earthenware body. The defining feature is the interlocking double-ring handle, coated in a tactile turquoise lava pebble glaze that makes this piece as much sculpture as vessel. Display it on a sideboard, mantel, or entryway table and it commands the room.
Authenticity & Provenance
The unglazed underside bears the handwritten factory mark 671/159 alongside "Italy" — model code 671, decor code 159. Because the 1966 Florence flood destroyed the Fanciullacci factory archives, these matched numerical codes are among the strongest proofs of provenance available to collectors today.
Condition & Details
Condition: Excellent vintage – no chips, cracks or repairs.
Dimensions: 8⅞ × 4¾ × 6½ inches
Model / Decor Code: 671 / 159
Maker: Fratelli Fanciullacci, Florence, Italy
Era: Mid-Century Modern, circa 1950s–1960s