Ambrogio Pozzi Umbrella Stand

Umbrella stand, Glazed Majolica.


“Simplifying is difficult; complicating things is very easy”, wrote Bruno Munari of fellow designer, Ambrogio Pozzi in the catalogue Ambrogio Pozzi, Storie di Forme 1950-2000. Rather than focusing on fashion or style, Pozzi, focused on the material and its function. He was one of the first to incorporate industrial technology into the making of ceramics. Of importance to him was how the piece would be used.

Over his fifty year career, he he made pieces in glass, plastic, and metals; collaborating with the most prominent designers of his time. Among others, he worked with Gio Ponti, Pierre Cardin and Joe Columbo. The list of companies with whom he worked includes Rosenthal, Richard Ginori, Reidel of Austria, Rinascente, Alitalia Airlines, Harvey-Guzzini, Padova Argenti (silver), Zojirushi of Osaka, Japan, Toray of Tokyo and of course the family business Ceramica Franco Pozzi.
In 2000 he won the international prize from the Ceramics Museum MIDeC Museo Internazionale Design Ceramico at Laveno, Italy. A show was mounted and a catalogue produced.

That such design greats as Ettore Sottsass and Marcello Morandini chose to author sections of the catalogue, speaks volumes of the high regard in which he was held.

This early umbrella stand is a sinuous work, produced for Ceramica Franco Pozzi, from a time when forms by Pozzi were distinctly anthropomorphic. We are delighted to present it as a fine example by a master maker whose work may not be familiar to you.

Ambrogio Pozzi was born in Varese, Italy in 1931. He went to a scientific high school and while starting his studies at university he spent a year at the Institute of Ceramics at Faenza, where he made connections with the most important artists of the sector. After graduatiion he turned his attention back to ceramics and returned to Faenza frequently for free courses to deepen his knowledge relative to the techniques in stoneware and glazes. Frrom 1950 he began working for his father’s company, Le Ceramica Franco Pozzi of Gallarate, Italy which is in the Lombardy region, province of Varese. He designed many objects for the company, not only in ceramics but also glass and wood. During this period he began to participate in ceramics competiitions with unique pieces as well as sets of pieces for which he won numerous prizes and recognition. This allowed him to travel abroad, visiting Denmark, Switzerland, England, France, Germany establishing relationships with artists and designers from these countries. He participated in many national and international shows by invitation in the USA, Central America, Brasil, Canada and eastern countries. His works appear in various museums in Italy and around the world.”