A prestigious vase made of Italian ceramics

This small vase conceals a complex craftsmanship technique, starting from a vertically hand-shaped combed form, and ending with decoration and the combination of these two elements, creating something unique that resembles fabric texture. The Bagni archive provided us with this beautiful pattern, which we reinterpreted using a new color palette.
The pattern is created using hot wax (an ancient technique that allows for greater precision than regular wax), and then filled piece by piece with colorful crystals in a set order.
After firing, a black patina is applied,
to highlight the decoration.

FROM ALVINO BAGNINI TO NUOVE FORME

Nuove Forme was established in 1993, inheriting the legacy of the ceramic company

Alvino Bagni.

Nuove Forme is currently managed by Gianfranco Ghiretti and Alvino Bagni’s granddaughter, Maria Chiara Ghiretti, along with several long-standing and key collaborators.

ALVINO BAGNI

A journey full of passion, technique, and creativity

Alvino Bagni was born in the village of Lastra a Signa in 1919 and showed an interest in ceramics from a young age. Thanks to the teachings of artist Torello Santini, he began working in the workshop of the Arnaldo Pugi ceramic factory in Ponte a Signa. After the war, Pugi himself provided him with funding, enabling him to open his first workshop.
The fascinating history of Ceramiche Bagni begins with 3,500 small plates inscribed with “I like Ike,” created for Dwight D. Eisenhower’s campaign, who became the 34th President of the United States in 1953.

Alvino involved many family members in his work, primarily his wife Gina, who accompanied him throughout his professional life.

The 1950s and 1960s were pivotal for the Bagni brand, which strengthened collaborations with leading figures in American design and business, such as Raymor (New York) and Rosenthal, for whom he created highly modern products for that time.

The move to a larger, more modern factory gave the company a new momentum. Alvino surrounded himself with highly talented collaborators and artists, such as E. Borgini, M. Mannori, R. Buti, M. Santonocito, and many others, with whom he achieved an ideal balance between material, technique, functionality, tradition, and aesthetic beauty.

By 1980, the factory employed over 100 people and became synonymous with high-quality artistic production, renowned for intricately crafted, stylish items made using new, experimental techniques.

Unfortunately, globalization brought challenges, and the company, still committed to a “craftsman’s” way of working, was unable to cope with excessive cost reductions.

Despite efforts to save the workforce, the factory was ultimately closed in 1990.

It wasn’t until 1993 that he returned to the forefront, founding Nuove Forme, from which he retired after eight years due to health reasons.

Alvino passed away in 2009 at the age of 90. His career was an incredibly fulfilling journey marked by humility, technique, passion, and creativity.