Rare “Saqqarah” vase by Nanae Umeda for Ettore Sottsass’ Studio, part of the collectable 'Handle with Care' series. A standout example of Postmodern and Memphis Milano design, crafted in Italy. Features silkscreen-printed glass enamel by renowned decorative glassmaker Egizia.

This is a double-thickness blown glass vase, featuring hand-silkscreen decoration in shiny enamels, contrasted with a 24 kt gold overlay. The whole creation was then baked in a kiln to fix the finish to the glass.

MEASURES:

17.5 cm Diam

30 cm Height

CONDITION:

Very good. Wear consistent with age and use. Very minor enamel loss, illustrated in images. Natural tarnishing to gold finish. One light scratch to the gold. Tiny gold losses at corners of some enamel squares. Please consult images. Damage is indicated with a sharpened lead pencil for scale.

DESIGN HERITAGE:

This vase was produced as part of a series of print-on-glass pieces titled 'Handle With Care'. The series included designs by new designers, drawn together by Sottsass Associati studio. The glass is a high quality double-thickness production (assumed by Rosenthal but I have not been able to confirm).

The wonderful Memphis style designs were printed by hand using a silk screen method at the workshop Egizia, in Tuscany. Over six decades this workshop developed expertise, proprietary materials and methods for screen printing on glass. They were sought out for their expertise to work hand in hand with designers on this collaborative project.

About the designer:

Nanae Umeda was invited to this collaboration as a promising young designer. She worked at the office of Ettore Sottsass in Italy from 1993 to 2000. The daughter of famous Memphis design collaborator and designer Masanori Umeda, she’s an accomplished architect and designer in her own right.

About the Studio:

Sottsass Associati is an influential Italian design studio founded by Ettore Sottsass in 1981. Known for its innovative and unconventional approach, the studio works across architecture, industrial design, furniture, lighting, homeware, and graphic design.

Ettore Sottsass (1917–2007) was a central figure in the Italian Radical Movement of the 1960s and 1970s and a founder of the Memphis group in 1981. His work is characterized by bold colors, geometric forms, and unusual materials, often exploring themes of memory, identity, and culture.

Sottsass Associati has collaborated with major international brands including Alessi, B&B Italia, Cassina, and Memphis. Their designs are held in museum collections around the world, cementing their reputation as one of the most influential design studios globally.