CHRISTOFLE GALLIA – "Nice" Bowl by Lino Sabattini – 1955 – Silver-Plated

This oval "Nice" bowl was designed in 1955 by the Italian designer and silversmith Lino Sabattini (1925-2016) for Christofle, as part of the Gallia Collection.

A largely self-taught designer, Lino Sabattini is one of the key figures in the post-war revival of Italian design and silversmithing. Noticed and encouraged by Gio Ponti, he developed a resolutely modern language built on purity of line, movement and the sculptural working of metal. His encounter with Christofle marked a major step in his career; he would go on to direct the house's design studios for several years.

Created in 1955, the Nice bowl is emblematic of this particularly innovative period. Its striking shuttle-shaped silhouette is defined by a very elongated line, two tapered ends and a delicately hollowed central cavity.

Here, Sabattini abandons any superfluous ornamentation: the form itself becomes the decoration. The mirror-polished silver-plated surface catches and reflects the light, emphasising the piece's fluid curves.

This creation perfectly illustrates the meeting of Christofle's historic craftsmanship with the avant-garde of 1950s Italian design. A piece as decorative as it is functional, of particular interest today to collectors of Christofle, 20th-century design and Lino Sabattini.

This example bears the markings "CHRISTOFLE – FRANCE" and "COLL. GALLIA".

House: Christofle
Collection: Gallia
Pattern: Nice
Designer: Lino Sabattini (1925-2016)
Pattern created: 1955
Period: 20th century
Style: modernism / 1950s design
Material: silver-plate
Origin: France
Markings: CHRISTOFLE – FRANCE – COLL. GALLIA
Length: 37 cm
Width: 12.3 cm
Height: 4.3 cm

Condition: Pre-owned piece, not new. The silver-plating is intact, with no wear through to the base metal. Good overall condition; a few micro-scratches from use, mostly visible in raking light. The photographs form part of the description.

It embodies the meeting of Christofle's craftsmanship with Lino Sabattini's sculptural elegance.