Vintage Paolo Soleri Ceramic Mobile Sounding Sculpture

Vintage Paolo Soleri Ceramic & Copper Solar Bell — 6'3" Tall Mobile Sculpture with "Witch Hat" Top and Tribal Motifs
A dramatic and rare example of Paolo Soleri’s iconic Solar Bells, this vintage 1970s ceramic and copper sculpture stands an impressive 6 feet 3 inches tall. Handcrafted at the Cosanti foundry in Paradise Valley, Arizona, the piece embodies Soleri’s fusion of architecture and ecology—what he called “arcology.”
The bell features a large, resonant lower body and a distinctive “witch hat” top, both adorned with intricate, hieroglyphic and tribal-inspired reliefs. These textured motifs, cast directly into the ceramic, reflect Soleri’s signature desert modernist aesthetic and philosophical engagement with time, nature, and the human condition.
Each of Soleri’s bells is a one-of-a-kind creation—this mobile doubles as a sculptural sound installation, producing a deep, meditative tone when in motion. With its weathered patina and monumental scale, the bell reads as both a functional object and a visionary artwork.
Artist: Paolo Soleri
Origin: Cosanti Foundry, Paradise Valley, Arizona
Date: c. 1970s
Materials: Ceramic and copper
Dimensions: 6' 3" H × 14" Dia
Condition: Minor wear consistent with age and exposure; weathered surface with natural patina