Lenci Furniture

In 1919, Helen Konig and her husband Enrico Scavini, founded in Turin, Italy, a small artisan factory of wooden toys and doll furniture. After a few months of activity, they put into production a series of felt dolls that were soon a great commercial success and the company "Lenci" hired hundreds of employees. In 1925 the company participates with its dolls at the Exposition of Decorative Arts in Paris where it wins three Grand Prix, seven diplomas of honor, six gold medals and three silver ones. Around 1928, "Lenci" decided to undertake the production of ceramics and in the same year he presented his first creations at the International Exhibition of Turin, immediately gaining great success and the praise of Giò Ponti. Although the production is centered on multiples, made by casting but always individually decorated, thanks to the collaboration of about twenty great artists the creations of "Lenci" cross the boundaries of craftsmanship to achieve plastic and chromatic results of art sculpture. Production ceased permanently in 1964, but Lenci is still present in the Italian houses as part of the present that remembers a wonderful past, made of Sunday lunches and grandparents. Here this wonderful example of "Abyssinian Mother" designed by Abele Jacopi...

Lenci, Italian ceramic Design: Helen Scavini Konig Ragazza di Harrar, 1936 Size: 54 cm in 21.7 Very good condition.

Helen König Scavini, Lenci manufactory "Nude of Woman", e.g. 1927-1936 Signed under the base "Lenci/Italy" Glazed terracotta sizes: H 70 cm x W front 83 cm (W back 55 cm) x D 55 cm The important sculpture, realized in glazed terracotta, is by the famous Lenci Manufactory of Turin (Italy) on model by Helen König Scavini. Of remarkable dimensions, it represents a naked woman, covered of a single cloth to life, sitting with the legs flexed asymmetrically while it supports on the arms with the hands leaned to the plan. The woman has a hieratic expression, big eyebrow arches under which the ethereal eyes are half-closed; the open lips hide a hint of a smile. The loose hair is turned back with big waves on both the head and along the back. The staining of the glazing is on the tones of musky green, which contributes to confer to this woman the appearance of a nymph or a mythological figure. Below the base is found, hand painted, the trademark of the manufacture "Lenci, ITALY". The brand Lenci was registered in Turin on 23 April 1919, sanctioning an activity undertaken some time before by Helen König, wife of the commercial agent Enrico Scavini. The origin of the word Lenci is still controversial today; the earliest bibliography says it derived from a endearment of Elena (Elenchen, as her father called her and that she, stunned him, pronounced Lenci) while the most recent one considers the acrostic Ludus Est Nobis Costanter Industria, perhaps invented by Ugo Ojetti or built as divertissement by the poet Ignazio Vacchetti (Alias Fantasio) on the endearment of Elena. The Lenci manufactory becomes a meeting point for artists and a forge of ideas for the development and realization of dolls and puppets, children’s furniture, and later also artistic ceramics. The first artists to take an active part in the enterprise were Giovanni Riva and Sandro Vacchetti, soon joined by other great names. The success of these felt dolls earned numerous awards to the Lenci Company during the international exhibitions in Zurich, Paris, Rome or Milan. However, the originality of Lenci’s creations was soon put to the test by numerous imitations. To cope with this type of competition, Lenci began to produce artistic ceramics, whose activity began in 1927. The ceramic figures became perhaps even more famous than the dolls in cloth. The subjects ranged from the famous "nudini", the chic little ladies and emancipated women, from fantasy characters to animals, from religious images to the most disparate vases and much more. Many artists collaborated in the realization of the models, among which it is worth mentioning the already mentioned Sandro Vacchetti, artistic director of Lenci from 1922-1934, the same Elena König Scavini, Cläre Burchart, Lino berzoini, Giovanni Riva, Giovanni Ronzan, Deabate Theonesto, Giovanni Pietro Spertini, Marcello Dudovich, Gigi Chessa, Mario Pompei, Nillo Beltrami, Mario Sturani, Giulio Da Milano, Giovanni Grande, Ines Grande, Claudia Formica, Luigi Borione, Camillo Ghigo, Giuseppe Porcheddu, Gino Levi-Montalcini, Abele Jacopi...

Lenci vase with Italian 1950s decorations

Helen Koenig Scavini (1886-1974) - Lenci - Torino Cast earthenware plaque painted in polychrome. On the back Lenci Made in Italy. The plaque portrays the face of a young girl with cl...

Lenci Torino ceramic basket, Italian production circa 1930s. Leaf decoration on ivory background. Excellent condition, no breaks or defects, see photos. Dimensions: H= 28 cm; D= 23 c...

Lenci figurine from the 30s in ceramic. Product in good condition with small wear caused by age and use. In 1927, Lenci began to add to its famous felt dolls ceramic creations, desti...

talian Lenci Torino Porcelain Mask A Lenci porcelain mask depicting a woman with a characteristic scarf covering her head, which has beautifully hand-p...

Made in Italy, 1950s. This glazed ceramic piece is made by Giovanni Girardi, a famous ceramic artisan from Vicenza that worked for Lenci in Turin. It...

Lenci is a company founded in 1919, in Turin, by Enrico Scavini. Initially it was involved in the production of dolls, furniture and baby furniture, but also in a particular fabric n...

Cast-molded ceramic bowl with bird on rim. Under the base manufacture's mark.

incredible surreal bird signed LENCI hand painted circa 1950. Fantastic.

Box made of ceramic by the Lenci Manufactory in Turin, around the late 1950s and early 1960s. The box in question is is cubic in shape and features a lid with a figurative knob, a...

Painted ceramic sculptrure "bimba e Mastello" by Sandro Vacchetti sigend Lenci. Italy, Torino, circa 1933.

Ceramic Lenci..." Our Lady of Peace"

Rare majolica small tray or ashtray is shaped in form of bust of young woman wearing traditional Sardinian costume, leaning on her crossed hands with her eyes closed. White color of...

Lenci Madonna che prega ceramic, 1930, Italy.

Lenci vase holder centerpiece ceramic, 1931-1932, Italy.

Painted Ceramic and jute wine cooler signed Lenci, Italy, circa 1940.

Enamel ceramic sculpture by Abele Jacopi (1882-1957) signed Lenci. Art Deco period, Italy, circa 1950.

Lenci elephant couple ceramic, 1950, Italy.

Awesome large felt Lenci animal doll. This vintage Lenci doll is a hare in the character of Robin Hood He's great by the size ! Through the years he ...

Lenci.

Ceramic bas-relief depicting soccer players LENCI production signed Enrica Robecchi 1930s. Enrica Robecchi has worked with the Turin-based "Lenci" factory since the early 1930s as a painter and decorator. Her decorations, often made on ceramics modeled by Helen Konig Scavini...

Lenci “Avvocatino” ceramic, 1930, Italy.

This Italian design serveware ceramic set of three pottery items is composed of a jug, a pitcher and a little sweets bowl or tray. The set dating back to 1930s was created by Lenci manufacture, established in Turin in 1919. The matte ivory beige background is enriched with floral patterns throughout both on the body and on handles of these gorgeous vessel group. The flowers' decoration is rendered in a soft palette of colors with different shades of yellow, orange and pink outlined with a black contour line along the flower's decoration edges. The all purpose carafe has a long neck and an awesome Amphora shape, the pot-bellied decanter bottle has a nice molded nozzle while the round shaped tray has a pleasant curly handle. These objects of everyday use have simple clear lines and modernist forms, perfect as a table set for wine or water. The little bowl could be used as a sweet tray, sugar bowl or candleholder. These ceramics are ready to embellish your dining table or to be displayed in a vitrine cabinet or as a centrepiece on a sideboard. Stamped with Lenci made in Italy mark and original manufacturer label. Both the jars and the little tray are in perfect vintage condition, no chippings or cracks. price is for set of three, each item can be sold individually, please send a message for a customized offer. Shipping is complimentary. Measures: Bottles height 22 cm, diameter 18, tray height 12 cm diameter 11 cm. Lenci Manufacturing started with the production of dolls and toys, in 1927 the company decided to expand its production to a line of figurines and objects in enameled ceramic. In 1928, this led to a very rich catalogue of statuettes and objects that immediately became the fashion for Italian middle and upper classes and bourgeoisie. In order to attain this goal, the manufacturing company availed itself of the creative collaboration of important Turin-born artists such as Sandro Vacchetti, Gigi Chessa, Mario Sturani, Abele Jacopi...

Lenci ceramic elephant 1950 Elena Scavini, Italy.

Lenci, ceramic 1931, San Sebastiano, autorizzato Giovanni Grande.

Exceptional and very rare ceramic “Lenci” “the Two Sisters" 1929 Italia.