Silvered Metal Duck-Form Ice Bucket by Mauro Manetti, Italian Work, circa 1970

This magnificent silvered metal duck is one of the most charming and functional objects in the Italian decorative arts tradition of the post-war period: an ice bucket conceived as a naturalistic sculpture. The entire form is that of a sitting duck — the head and neck sculpted with confident naturalism, the wings folded against the sides, the tail cleanly resolved — and the upper portion of the body lifts away to reveal the interior metal liner designed to hold ice and a bottle. Every surface is worked with a finely textured, scale-like pattern that evokes the individual feathers of the bird with great decorative effect, the silvered finish catching the light from every angle.

The piece bears the signature of Mauro Manetti, the celebrated Florentine metalwork atelier founded in the mid-20th century and renowned for producing silvered and gilded decorative objects of the highest quality. Working in the great Florentine tradition of fine metalwork, Mauro Manetti became one of the most prestigious names in Italian decorative arts, their pieces acquired by discerning collectors and displayed in the grandest interiors of Europe and beyond. Animal-form containers — ducks, geese, pheasants, boars — were among the firm’s most celebrated productions, combining sculptural ambition with the practical requirements of the table.

An ice bucket of this quality would have been the centrepiece of any drinks table or dining room sideboard, bringing a note of wit and luxury to the service of champagne or white wine. The juxtaposition of the naturalistically rendered duck and the cool practicality of the interior container is a typically Italian conceit — the belief that even the most utilitarian object deserves to be beautiful. In excellent condition with a warm, lustrous silver finish.

A distinguished and collectible piece of Italian decorative craft at its finest. Dimensions: W. 28 × D. 15.5 × H. 21.5 cm.