Vintage Tibor Khabia Box in Enameled Copper from Studio Del Campo Turin, Italy, 1960

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Description

Item :
Fabulous, rare copper box, entirely handcrafted and embellished with lustre enamels. This exquisite biconical container with lid (historically … Read more Item :
Fabulous, rare copper box, entirely handcrafted and embellished with lustre enamels. This exquisite biconical container with lid (historically identified as a "tibor" or "khabia") is a rare and significant example of post-World War II Italian decorative arts, stylistically and technically attributable to the avant-garde production of the Studio Del Campo in Turin, active from the late 1950s onward. This attribution is based on rigorous elements found in both the manufacturing practices and the iconographic choices of the Piedmontese workshop: unlike the contemporary Paduan school of Paolo De Poli, which oriented itself toward a vitreous and monochrome purism, this lot demonstrates the Turin studio's characteristic penchant for the modernist reinterpretation of ethnic and primitive geometric styles, which in this specific piece evoke the geometric-Moorish scripts of North Africa. The artifact was created by manually shaping and embossing a copper sheet, to which metallic oxides and glass powders were applied and fired in a kiln at extremely high temperatures. The lower cylindrical body and the truncated cone-shaped lid, surmounted by a flared ring handle, are decorated under the glaze with geometric motifs and pointed arches enclosing stylized lozenges, playing on a vibrant palette of cobalt blue and grayish-white. Examination of the interior reveals a thick coating of black counter-enamel with a dotted "stardust" finish, applied as a protective layer to stabilize the structural stresses of the metal during firing, while the outer base reveals the bare, manually flattened copper sheet. The absence of an explicit signature, a common practice in the manufacturer's complex furnishing accessories and unique display pieces, does not affect the piece's craftsmanship, which remains in excellent condition, free of enamel chips or restorations. The absence of an explicit signature or engraved hallmark on the metal is a widely documented and recurring practice in the Turin-based manufacturer's production, in no way affecting the philological certainty of the attribution. Indeed, Studio Del Campo typically marked most of its tabletop accessories and cases destined for art galleries or avant-garde furniture stores exclusively with paper labels or silver stickers, elements that inevitably got lost over the decades. In the absence of a graphic mark, the work's authenticity is nevertheless confirmed by the piece's so-called "material signature": the choice to leave the copper plate bare, flat, but without an external coating, combined with the internal application of the characteristic glossy black "stardust" dotted counter-glaze, represents a technical protocol exclusive and unmistakable to the Piedmontese workshop. These details, combined with the distinctive graininess of the cobalt blue pigment applied at high heat, elevate this piece to a rare and elite collector's item.

About the artist and/or manufacturer:
Studio Del Campo was founded in Turin in 1957 by a partnership of four young artists and artisans: Virgilio Bari, goldsmith Euclide Chiambretti, painter Lidia Lanfranconi, and architect Igino De Stefano. They shared a shared desire to explore the expressive and sculptural potential of high-fired enamel on metal. Inspired by the Spatialist and Informel research that was revolutionizing the visual arts in Piedmont, the studio members successfully liberated the enamel technique from rigid figurative tradition, introducing rough textures, graphic engravings on silver leaf, and bold, primitive-inspired geometric juxtapositions that earned the firm immediate critical acclaim. Over the course of forty years of uninterrupted activity, Studio Del Campo has achieved its most significant artistic achievements by participating in historic exhibitions, including the Milan Triennale and exhibitions dedicated to artistic craftsmanship in Florence and abroad, culminating in the renowned retrospective exhibition "Non perdiamo lo smalti" (Let's Not Lose the Enamel), organized to celebrate the atelier's history. Their creations, now held in important private collections and museums dedicated to 20th-century applied arts, are celebrated for their ability to combine the technical expertise of hot vitrification with the expressive and conceptual freedom of contemporary design. This piece is attributed to the mentioned designer/maker. It has no attribution mark and no
official proof of authenticity,
however it is well documented in design history. I take full responsibility for any authenticity



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