Pair of Duck-Form Silvered Metal Ice Buckets by Mauro Manetti, Florence, circa 1970
A charming pair of ice buckets in silvered metal fashioned as naturalistic ducks, each with a dense hammered feather texture and a removable head serving as the lid to reveal the cooling cavity within. Signed work by Mauro Manetti, Florence, Italy, circa 1970. W. 28 × D. 15.5 × H. 21.5 cm (each).
PRODUCT DETAILS
| Dimensions en CM | 28 x 15.5 x 21.5 cm |
|---|---|
| Dimensions en INCH | 11.02 x 6.10 x 8.46 inch |
| Période | 1970–1980 |
| Style | Mid-Century Modern |
| Matériaux | Gilded Metal |
PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
This delightful pair of ice buckets is modelled in silvered metal in the form of swimming ducks, each worked with exceptional care to suggest the texture of ruffled feathers through a dense overall hammering of the surface. The naturalistically posed bird forms — each with neck extended and slightly arched — are constructed in two parts: the body, hollow and deep enough to receive ice and a small bottle, and the head, which lifts away at the neck to reveal the cooling cavity within. The silver-plated finish has developed a rich warm grey patina with age, lending the ducks a beautifully antique character.
Mauro Manetti was one of the most celebrated Florentine silver and metalwork workshops of the post-war period, renowned above all for their figural barware — ice buckets, wine coolers, and entertaining accessories in the form of animals and birds. The duck form, in particular, became one of the defining objects of the Italian Hollywood Regency aesthetic of the 1960s and 1970s, appearing on bar carts and dining sideboards across Europe and America. The Manetti workshop's pieces are distinguished by the quality of their casting and chasing and by the exceptional fineness of their feather textures — qualities fully in evidence here.
A pair of duck ice buckets represents the ideal table accessory for intimate entertaining: one bird to hold the ice, the other to chill the bottle — or both deployed as companion pieces on either side of a bar cart or sideboard. Their sculptural quality means they function equally well as decorative objects in their own right, displayed between uses in a cabinet or on a shelf. They are among the most sought-after objects in the Manetti animal series.
In good condition consistent with age and use. The silver plating has developed a rich antique patina; the feather textures are crisp and well preserved on both pieces, and both lids (heads) engage cleanly. A fine and distinguished pair from one of Italy's most admired twentieth-century decorative metalwork workshops.
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