The Golden Age of Italian Bathroom Fixtures: Iconic Brands and Their Famous Series
We’re looking back at the years immediately following Italy’s industrial “boom.” Small artisan workshops transformed into major industrial enterprises. In the bathroom furniture and sanitaryware sector, true Big Players emerged, including giants like Ideal Standard, Pozzi Ginori, Dolomite, and Cesame.
Today, we’re diving into the most famous and distinctive series from each of these ceramic pioneers.
Pozzi Ginori Sanitaryware and Their Toilet Seats
Pozzi Ginori was the industry benchmark for decades. The quality of its ceramics and creative ingenuity were admired by countless customers and rival ceramic companies alike.
Some of their legendary ceramic series include: MITO, YDRA, 500, EASY, Q3, ASTRO, PIEMONTESINA, STILE, SELNOVA, MONTEBIANCO, BAIA, SQUARE, ITALO DUO.
Key Innovations from Pozzi Ginori:
- They were the first company to produce and sell large-sized sanitaryware, creating substantial forms to enhance the increasingly spacious bathrooms of the 1970s and beyond.
- They were the first to produce and sell back-to-wall sanitaryware with an integrated flush cistern.
- They were the first to truly bring distinct style and shapes to sanitary fixtures.
- They, later joined by Ideal Standard, were pioneers in introducing colored sanitaryware (previously only available in white). Their most notable colors included: Whisky, brown, fern green, and black.
- They introduced many other innovations that are still considered turning points in bathroom furnishing history.
Ideal Standard Sanitaryware and Their Toilet Seats
The undisputed queen of that era was certainly Ideal Standard. It overtook Pozzi Ginori and expanded rapidly, winning contracts for the massive construction projects springing up in Italian cities.
Widely distributed ceramic series from that period include: TESI, LIUTO, MONVAS, VELARA, PONTI Z, CONCA, LINDA, ESEDRA, TONDA, AQUATONDA, ELLISSE.
Key Innovations from Ideal Standard:
- They were the first to produce a toilet with a 45° inclined surface.
- They were the first to offer wall-hung sanitaryware to the mass market.
- They were, along with Pozzi Ginori, a pioneer in introducing color to sanitaryware. Their most famous colors included: Castoro (Beaver), Visone (Mink), and the Whisper colors (light blue, pink, green, and grey).
- They were the first to present small/compact sanitaryware.
- They were the first to propose a toilet only 27 cm wide.
Dolomite Sanitaryware and Their Toilet Seats
The third major player of the period was undoubtedly Ceramica Dolomite.
Widely distributed ceramic series from that period include: CRISTALLO, CLODIA, EBLA, DAHLIA, NOVELLA, FLEO, ALPINA, ZAGARA, RIO, MAIA, ANTALIA, PERLA, LAGO.
Key Innovations from Dolomite:
- They were the first to propose D-shaped sanitaryware.
- They were the first to carry out a restyling of retro/antique sanitaryware, following the path started by Pozzi Ginori’s Montebianco.
- They popularized toilets with a stepped rim on the top surface.
- They introduced the first large-sized toilet.
- They created the first rectangular toilet shape with 90° corners.
- This company also launched very distinctive color schemes, such as Manhattan grey and olive green.
- They produced the first sanitaryware designed for people with disabilities in public spaces.
How to Find the Right Replacement Toilet Seat
You may have recognized your own toilet from these iconic series—perhaps it’s a model that is large, unusually shaped, or features complicated or top-fixings.
If you are unsure of the model or measurements, the simplest solution is to ask the Sintesibagno team to find the toilet seat for you. Just send two simple images via WhatsApp +39 3341288978 or email to info@sintesibagno.it.
