Danese - Enzo Mari - Sugar bowl - Java - Melamine - Container, plastic design

Designer: Enzo Mari (1932–2020)
Model: Java container, model 3088B
Manufacturer: Danese
Origin: Italy
Date: 1969–1970
Material: Melamine
Color: Blue
Dimensions: 8 cm (H) × 14 cm (Ø)
Condition: Very good vintage condition

This iconic Java container (model 3088B) was designed by Enzo Mari for Danese Milano at the height of Italian radical modernism. The piece exemplifies Mari’s uncompromising design philosophy: clarity of form, functional purity, and an ethical approach to industrial production.
Executed in blue melamine, the container features a minimalist cylindrical form with a precisely fitted lid, making it both visually striking and highly functional. The restrained geometry and durable material reflect Danese’s forward-thinking approach to design in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
The underside of the bowl is cast with the original manufacturer’s mark:
“Danese Milano Enzo Mari 1969 Made in Italy”, confirming authenticity and period production.
Provenance:
Acquired directly from Danese by the previous owner.
Literature:
– Danese Milano, manufacturer’s catalog, 1976, p. 7
– Enzo Mari, Instituto Italiano di Cultura, exhibition catalog, p. 29
– Enzo Mari: L’arte del Design, Galleria Civica d’Arte Moderna e Contemporanea di Torino, exhibition catalog, p. 180

An example of this design is held in the permanent collection of Museum of Modern Art, New York, underscoring its importance within the canon of 20th-century design.

A rare opportunity to acquire an original, museum-recognized work by one of Italy’s most influential designers—highly sought after by collectors of modern design, Italian post-war objects, and Danese Milano productions.