Designer: Piero Fornasetti (1913 – 1988)

Item: Cigaretten cigarette box

Manufactured by: Piero Fornasetti

Country of origin: Italy

Year made: 1950s

Materials: Steel, wood, with enamel and silkscreen printed decoration and felt

Dimensions: 1 ¼” x 11 ¾” x 4”

Condition: Very good to excellent for its age and usage.  There are a few very minor dings and the felt on the bottom has wear and is missing in a few spots, but the impressed gold Fornasetti logo is full and clear as shown.

Description: Here is an original vintage Piero Fornasetti made cigarette box with his famous modern cigarette word design and early dovetailed corners on the wooden box.  This design was made in several different colors and in different languages, likely for export to different markets.  We have seen these in red, white and green and in German and Italian, but likely some other languages were used as well.  This one is in Italian so it likely was sold in Italy and was not for export.  These are very well documented with examples found in the Fornasetti: The Complete Universe book in three places.  It retains its full felt bottom with impressed gold logo. 

References: Fornasetti, Barnaba, Fornasetti: The Complete Universe, Rizzoli (2010), pages 501 and 503.