Overview
An elegant thermos glacette produced by Macabo in Cusano Milanino, Italy, circa 1950s, featuring a sculptural body covered in grey mottled parchment, a removable glass liner and refined brass-toned metal details. Its classical urn-like form and richly varied surface make it a distinctive example of Italian mid-century decorative barware.
 
Description
This thermos glacette combines the natural richness of parchment with the formal elegance of gilt metal.
The rounded body is covered in carefully arranged parchment panels, distinguished by an expressive grey, charcoal and ivory mottled finish. The irregular tonal variations give the surface depth and movement, while the polished coating enhances the natural texture of the material.
The vessel rests on a raised brass-toned pedestal base and is completed by two geometric drop handles. A removable domed metal lid, decorated with a finely embossed border and topped by a pointed finial, reinforces the object’s elegant, almost neoclassical character.
Inside, the piece retains its glass liner, designed to hold ice or keep a bottle cool. Functional yet highly decorative, it can be displayed on a bar cabinet, drinks trolley or dining-room sideboard.
 
Design & Function
Conceived as an insulated glacette or ice bucket, the piece features a removable lid and an internal glass liner.
The two articulated side handles allow the vessel to be lifted and repositioned, while the elevated pedestal base gives the object stability and a refined vertical presence. The removable lid helps maintain the temperature inside and can be lifted easily by means of its sculptural finial.
It may be used as an ice bucket, wine cooler or decorative bar accessory. Due to its age, its insulating performance has not been tested, and it is offered primarily as a collectible vintage object.
 
Materials & Aesthetic
The body is constructed around a rigid structure and covered in polished grey parchment. Its surface ranges from pale ivory and warm grey to deep charcoal, creating a naturally varied and almost stone-like appearance.
The individual parchment panels remain visible, highlighting the artisanal construction and giving the rounded body a subtle geometric rhythm.
The brass-toned metal base, handles and lid provide a warm contrast to the cooler colouring of the parchment. The lid is enriched by an embossed leaf-like border and a pointed finial, while the rectangular drop handles introduce a clean architectural detail.
The internal glass liner adds a further contrast of transparency and lightness to the richly textured exterior.
 
Technical Details
Product: Macabo Grey Parchment and Brass Thermos Glacette, circa 1950s
Designer: Macabo
Manufacturer: Macabo, Cusano Milanino
Country of Manufacture: Italy
Period: Circa 1950s
Materials: Grey parchment; wood; brass-toned metal; glass
Dimensions: Height 26cm | Diameter 10cm 
Condition: Please note that this item is in good vintage condition. The parchment presents natural tonal variations, visible panel joins, surface marks, scratches and a developed patina consistent with the material and the period. The brass-toned metal elements show oxidation, tarnishing, rubbing and signs of previous use. The internal glass liner may present light surface marks consistent with age. We kindly invite you to examine the photographs carefully and take these characteristics into consideration before purchasing.
Functionality: Thermos glacette, ice bucket and wine cooler; insulating performance has not been tested
 
Collectibility
Macabo objects are appreciated for their refined use of parchment, metal and sculptural mid-century forms.
This glacette is particularly distinctive for its unusual grey mottled finish, which gives the parchment an almost mineral quality. The contrast between the expressive surface, the classical pedestal form and the richly detailed metal lid creates a sophisticated decorative object with a strong visual presence.
Its complete composition, including the removable lid and internal glass liner, makes it an attractive collectible for interiors dedicated to Italian mid-century design and vintage barware.
 
Designer & Manufacturer
Macabo was an independent Italian manufacturer based in Cusano Milanino, known for producing decorative and functional objects using parchment, wood and metal.
This glacette reflects the company’s approach to luxurious domestic accessories, combining an urn-like silhouette with refined materials and carefully executed details. The mottled grey parchment transforms the surface into a richly textured composition, while the brass-toned fittings give the object structure and elegance.
 
JF Gallery Design, as the team behind the creation and curation of the official Aldo Tura Archive, wishes to clarify that Macabo is frequently and incorrectly associated with Aldo Tura and Tura Milano because both companies produced objects covered in parchment. Macabo was, however, an entirely independent manufacturer and had no connection with either the designer Aldo Tura or the Tura Milano company. This glacette must therefore be attributed exclusively to Macabo of Cusano Milanino.