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LINO SABATTINI

‘La Fenice’ Coffee & Tea Set

£5,200

An extremely rare four-piece coffee and tea service, the "La Fenice" set, designed by the masterful Italian silversmith Lino Sabattini around 1989. The set is made from silver-plated metal and features striking blue glass tops. This collection consists of a coffee pot, teapot, milk jug, and tray. Its style is a sophisticated fusion of sculptural modernism and the historically referential spirit of postmodernism.

We acquired this extremely rare “La Fenice” service because it is a definitive sculptural statement in late 20th-century decorative arts. Lino Sabattini was a masterful silversmith, and this four-piece set, complete with the striking blue glass top, perfectly encapsulates his genius. I see this set as a sophisticated fusion where the geometric purity of modernism meets a playful, organic form. The highly polished silverplate and clean lines command attention, yet the design subverts rigidity, functioning as a complete postmodern sculpture in metal and glass. This is not mere service ware; it is a commanding object for a discerning collection. Its rarity, confirmed by the Fenice, 1989 inscription, ensures its importance as a significant piece of Italian design history.

Designer: Lino Sabattini (1925–2016)
Model: ‘La Fenice’ Set Year Inscribed: 1989
Materials: Silver-Plated Metal, Blue Glass
Pieces: 4 (Coffee Pot, Teapot, Milk Jug, Tray)
Inscriptions: Maker’s mark, signature, Fenice, 1989
Condition: Minor surface scratching consistent with age