Attributed to Bonacina, Italy, circa 1960s

Product Description

This round serving trolley showcases the sophisticated simplicity that made Italian bamboo furniture coveted worldwide. The circular form provides both aesthetic grace and practical functionality, while the curved bamboo handle demonstrates the material’s flexibility in skilled hands.
Key Features:
∙ Two-tier design: Upper serving surface with integrated bamboo handle for easy maneuvering
∙ Four bottle holders: Purpose-built lower tier with individual holders - perfect for wine service or cocktail hour
∙ Three wheels: Smooth mobility for indoor entertaining
∙ Handcrafted construction: Natural bamboo canes with woven rattan detailing
∙ Organic variations: Each piece bears unique natural color variations and hand-woven patterns

Dimensions:

∙ Height: 63 cm
∙ Diameter: 46 cm

Condition:

Great vintage condition with mild wear consistent with age and use - the authentic patina that comes from six decades of gracious entertaining.

Versatility

Perfect for:
∙ Bar service: Display spirits, glassware, and cocktail accessories
∙ Tea service: Traditional afternoon tea presentation
∙ Entertaining: Mobile beverage station for gatherings
∙ Plant display: Repurpose as a distinctive multi-level plant stand
∙ Bedside storage: Unconventional nightstand with character
∙ Outdoor dining: Alfresco drink service (undercover areas)

Design information

• The Italian Riviera Renaissance

This exquisite serving trolley embodies the golden age of Italian Riviera design, when master craftsmen transformed humble natural materials into sculptural furniture pieces that captured the essence of Mediterranean leisure. The 1960s marked the zenith of bamboo and rattan furniture production in Italy, particularly in the Brianza region where Vittorio Bonacina’s workshops operated.

• About Bonacina

Founded in Lurago d’Erba in the heart of Brianza, Vittorio Bonacina became synonymous with exceptional handcrafted bamboo and rattan furniture. The company collaborated with Italy’s most celebrated designers including Franco Albini, Franca Helg, Tito Agnoli, and others who defined the organic modernist movement. Each piece from their workshops represented hours of skilled handwork, where artisans bent, shaped, and wove natural materials using techniques passed down through generations.

• The Franco Albini Connection

While not definitively attributed to a specific designer, this trolley exemplifies the aesthetic championed by Franco Albini and his contemporaries. Albini’s collaboration with Bonacina produced some of the most iconic furniture of the mid-century period, and pieces “in the style of Franco Albini” command respect in the vintage market for their adherence to his principles: organic materials, sculptural forms, and honest craftsmanship.