Avant-garde vase made of Italian ceramics

This piece is inspired by an old jug from the 1970s, found in the Bagni archives. Its intricate decoration stylises a blooming plant. The outline of the pattern was hand-drawn with liquid wax and then covered with colourful enamels. After firing, a black patina is applied to highlight the details and create a unique final effect.

FROM ALVINO BAGNI TO NUOVE FORME

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

Alvino Bagni.

Nuove Forme is currently managed by Gianfranco Ghiretti and Alvino Bagni's granddaughter, Maria Chiara Ghiretti, along with several long-standing and important 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 developed an interest in ceramics as a boy. Thanks to the teachings of the 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 story of Ceramiche Bagni begins with 3,500 plates bearing the slogan “I like Ike”, created for Dwight D. Eisenhower's election campaign, who became the 34th President of the United States in 1953.

Alvino involved many family members in his business, most notably his wife Gina, who accompanied him throughout his professional life.

The 1950s and 1960s were pivotal for the Bagni company, which strengthened its collaboration with leading figures in American design and business, such as Raymor (New York) and Rosenthal, for whom he created extremely modern pieces for the time.

The move to a larger, more modern factory gave the brand new momentum. Alvino surrounded himself with exceptionally talented collaborators and artists, such as E. Borgini, M. Mannori, R. Buti, M. Santonocito, and many others, with whom he achieved the perfect 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, beautiful objects made using new, experimental techniques.

Unfortunately, globalisation brought challenges, and the company, still attached to the "artisan" way of working, was unable to cope with excessive cost reductions.

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

It was not until 1993 that he returned to the forefront, founding Nuove Forme, from which he retired eight years later 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.