Vintage Bronze Lotus Wind Bell by Paolo Soleri, 1970s
Oh. So. Pretty. This vintage Soleri windbell (design #112) features a delicate flared shape, reminiscent of an inverted lotus in bloom, with petals formed by its unique split-gap design. Cosanti bronze windbells have become known the world over. Made by artisans in the bronze foundry, each windbell is its own unique piece of art, using one of the thirty-two original Soleri bell patterns formed from a sand mold. This particular bell is a beauty with early design traits, including a classic sculptural link chain, original bracket (you don't find these often!) and an exceptional natural patina.
Sound: sweet, bright sound, moderately resonant
PAOLO SOLERI (1919 - 2013), born in Turin, Italy, was an architect, urban planner, sculptor and ceramicist, with a life-long commitment to research and experimentation. Soleri received a doctorate in architecture from the Turin Polytechnic in 1946, and from 1947 to 1949 he worked under Frank Lloyd Wright at Taliesin West in Arizona. Between 1950 and 1954, he operated Fabbrica di Ceramiche Solimene in Vietri sul Mare (Salerno) before returning to Paradise Valley, Arizona.
By 1955, Soleri established his own studio, Cosanti, where he started producing his now famous windbells. He was vastly ahead of his time; issues of extraordinary relevance even now -- he had an environmentally-minded design philosophy that prioritized low impact ethos, community life and social ethics -- he addressed with enthusiasm as early as the 1950s. Cosanti became a school and building site, where students from Arizona University could experiement with communal ways of living, constructing an ecological environment financed by the selling of their ceramics. In 1970, Soleri began building Arcosanti, a town and “urban laboratory” meant to be an example of a "city of the future."
DIMENSIONS: 22" H x 5" W x 3" D
CONDITION: In excellent vintage condition, with original bracket and exceptional natural patina.
Tear Sheets Are Available For Trade Members.
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