Heraldic tray table by Piero Fornasetti 1950

Made in Italy in the 1950s, this extraordinary tray table by Piero Fornasetti represents one of the highest moments of his decorative production. Entirely in silk-screened and painted iron, the work depicts a visual encyclopedia of power and history: a grid of heraldic coats of arms of the rulers of the world, each meticulously illustrated with vivid colours and subtle shading, arranged in a regular composition that conveys the idea of a universal catalogue. The heraldic theme, dear to Fornasetti for its dual symbolic and ornamental nature, is here reinterpreted with irony and graphic precision, blending the language of ancient engraving with the modernity of industrial printing. Each coat of arms tells a fragment of identity, a territory, a dynasty: together they construct a global, almost utopian vision, where the cartography of power is transformed into total decorative art. The tray, supported by a light folding wooden structure covered in red velvet and enriched with decorative tassels, combines functionality and theatricality, fully embodying the Fornasettian aesthetic that turns every object into a poetic microcosm. The patina of time on the metal surface amplifies the charm of a piece that today stands as a rare and precious testimony of Italian design of the 1950s, halfway between art, craftsmanship, and visual culture. A quintessential collectible object, this tray synthesises Piero Fornasetti’s ability to create a universe made of encyclopaedic curiosity, intellectual irony, and timeless beauty — a celebration of knowledge translated into art form. The wooden base showed signs of woodworm, which was properly treated by microwave in a specialised centre, with documentation and certification provided and included with the piece.