Overview
An exceptional hand-decorated insulated thermos carafe by Aldo Tura, model 968D made in Italy in the 1960s–1970s. The flared, conical body is covered in emerald-green lacquered goatskin parchment and painted by hand with a golden architectural cityscape, finished with a brass cup-stopper and a brass handle.
Description
This carafe represents Aldo Tura's celebrated barware at its most pictorial and ambitious.
The tapering, conical body is covered in lacquered goatskin parchment dyed a deep emerald green, with the translucent depth and fine grain typical of the material. Wrapping right around it is a beautifully hand-painted architectural capriccio of an Italian city — domes, bell-towers, classical palazzi, arcades and pediments, animated by tiny figures — rendered in warm gold and black. A brass collar tops the body, fitted with an angled brass cup that doubles as a stopper, and a shaped brass handle arcs from the side.
Design & Function
Conceived as an insulated thermos carafe for serving drinks at the bar or table, it combines practicality with theatrical elegance: the brass cup-stopper lifts off to serve, the handle gives a secure grip, and the insulated interior keeps liquids at temperature. Equally, it stands as a striking sculptural object on a bar cart, console or sideboard.
The wraparound cityscape makes it rewarding to view from every angle.
Materials & Aesthetic
The carafe showcases Tura's signature pairing of lacquered goatskin parchment and brass, here elevated by the elaborate hand-painted cityscape. The luminous emerald parchment, the golden architectural decoration and the warm brass fittings combine into the theatrical, luxurious aesthetic that defines the best of Aldo Tura's production.
The parchment preserves a beautiful, luminous surface, with the natural variations, veining and minor signs of age inherent to the material.
Technical Details
Product: Aldo Tura Hand-Decorated Green Goatskin Parchment Thermos Carafe with Golden Cityscape, Italy, 1960s–1970s
Designer: Aldo Tura
Manufacturer: Aldo Tura, Milano
Period: 1960s–1970s
Materials: Lacquered goatskin parchment; brass (collar, cup-stopper and handle); insulated interior
Dimensions: Height 28cm | Diameter 13cm
Condition: Please note that this item is in good vintage condition. The lacquered parchment is intact, with a warm patina; natural variations, veining and minor age-related marks may be present, consistent with the material and the period. The brass shows light surface wear and patina, and the hand-painted golden cityscape is well preserved. We kindly invite you to take these characteristics into consideration before purchasing.
Functionality: Insulated thermos carafe with brass cup-stopper and handle
Collectibility
Aldo Tura's parchment barware is highly collectible, and elaborately hand-decorated examples such as this — with their painted golden cityscapes — are among the rarest and most desirable of his production. The combination of the emerald parchment, the wraparound architectural scene and the sculptural conical form makes it a true conversation piece. It is sold with a certificate of authenticity issued by the Aldo Tura Archive, of which JF Gallery Design is the current custodian, confirming its attribution and its historical and collectible importance.
A refined, theatrical object, ideal for serious collectors of 20th-century Italian design and for the most sophisticated interiors.
Designer & Manufacturer
Aldo Tura (Milan) is among the most distinctive figures of 20th-century Italian decorative arts. His atelier is renowned for its exceptional work with parchment and luxurious materials, creating highly recognizable, theatrical pieces — barware, boxes and furniture — in which craftsmanship, decorative refinement and material experimentation merge into an unmistakable Italian design language. Hand-painted, pictorial parchment pieces like this represent his work at its most elaborate and collectible.