{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O97000"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O97000/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AU8846/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AU8846/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AU8846","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O97000","accessionNumber":"M.55C-1988","objectType":"Sugar bowl","titles":[{"title":"Sugar bowl","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"This is a prototype for a series of 11 tea and coffee services. Officina Alessi, a subdivision of Alessi s.p.a. of Milan, commissioned the series from international architects. It was made in silver in a limited edition of 99.\r\n\r\nThe economic recessions of the 1970s and 1980s permanently altered the manufacturing industries of Europe. The optimism of the immediate post-war period was swept away. After the Second World War, design had been concerned with changing society. By the 1980s, it was associated merely with marketing and ‘lifestyle’. Silversmiths could no longer subsidise their craft by design consultancies. Nor could they claim that they were part of the mainstream culture. The individual silversmith returned to operating in a niche market. In some respects, this had a curiously liberating effect. In Europe from the 1970s, there was increasing attention on personal expression, often using curved, sensual surfaces. There was less emphasis on a unified aesthetic philosophy and the range of work became more diverse.\r\n\r\nIn Italy, postmodern experiments redefined the public perception of modernism. With their Tea & Coffee Piazza series, Alessi created a group of startling tableaux that excited world attention. Barely functional, some incorporated obvious historical references. All show a degree of deconstruction, an architectural and sculptural movement that surfaced during the 1980s.","physicalDescription":"Sugar bowl, electroplated silver on copper.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Mendini, Alessandro","id":"A796"},"association":{"text":"designer","id":"x36960"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[{"name":{"text":"Alessi","id":"A5411"},"association":{"text":"maker","id":"AAT251917"},"note":""}],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"electroplate","id":"x42319"}],"techniques":[{"text":"plated","id":"AAT53991"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Electroplated silver","categories":[{"text":"Metalwork","id":"THES48920"},{"text":"Tea, Coffee & Chocolate wares","id":"THES48886"}],"styles":[{"text":"Post Modern","id":"AAT22208"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"MET","id":"THES48599"},"images":["2006AU8846"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"68","id":"THES49730"},"free":"","case":"5","shelf":"1","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Sugar bowl","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Milan","id":"x29007"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1983","earliest":"1983-01-01","latest":"1983-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[{"object":{"text":"M.55A-1988","id":"O96997"},"association":""},{"object":{"text":"M.55B-1988","id":"O96999"},"association":""},{"object":{"text":"M.55-1988","id":"O95624"},"association":""},{"object":{"text":"M.55D-1988","id":"O97002"},"association":""},{"object":{"text":"M.55E-1988","id":"O97005"},"association":""}],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Depth","value":"11","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Height","value":"8","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"Whole service: Height 23 cm on tray, Length 45 cm on tray","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"Inscribed: Officina Alessi Italy P.A. TE. 22 (-25)\nTray inscribed: (eagle above ) Officina Alessi, Alessi, Italy Inox 18/10, Epss P.A.","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":"A8728"},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":""}],"objectHistory":"Acquisition RF: 87/279\nMax Protech Inc.\n560 Broadway\nNew York\nPurchased for $10000\nA prototype for the series of eleven tea and coffee services commissioned from architects by Officina Alessi s.p.a., Milan and made of limited edition of silver.\nMeasurements of individual pieces:\nCoffee Pot: W 21.5  D 12.5  H 24.0; Tea pot: W 23.0  D 13.5  H 21.5; Cream Jug: W 9.0  D 7.0  H 18.0; Sugar Bowl: D 11.0  H 8.0; Spoon: L 11.0; Tray: D 45.0  H 3.0","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Sugar bowl, Tea and Coffee Service, electroplated silver on copper. Designed by Alessandro Mendini and made by Officina Alessi, Milan, Italy, 1983\r\n","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"TEA & COFFEE SERVICE\r\nElectroplated silver on copper\r\nItaly, Milan, 1983\r\nMade by Officina Alessi, A division of Alessi spa, Milan\r\nDesigned by Alessandro Mendini\r\nInscribed OFFICINA / ALESSI / ITALY / PA / TE 22 (-25) / INOX 18/10 / EPSS / PA\r\nA prototype for a series of eleven tea and coffee services commissioned from international architects by Officina Alessi  and made in a limited edition of 99 in silver.\r\nM.59-e,-1988","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null}},{"text":"Tea and Coffee Service\r\nElectroplated silver on copper\r\nDesigned by Alessandro Mendini and made by Officina Alessi\r\nMilan, Italy, 1983\r\nMuseum no. M.55-E-1988\r\n\r\nIn the early 1980s, the Italian design company Alessi commissioned eleven tea and coffee services to be designed by international architects and encouraged them to put forward experimental forms and approaches. This service was a prototype developed by Alessandro Mendini and a limited edition of 99 were then made in silver. Mendini was a postmodern designer who specialised in playfully reinventing ordinary objects. \r\n","date":{"text":"12.12.2023","earliest":"2023-12-12","latest":"2023-12-12"}}],"partNumbers":["M.55C-1988"],"accessionNumberNum":"55","accessionNumberPrefix":"M","accessionYear":1988,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-12","recordCreationDate":"2004-03-17","availableToBook":false}}