We are delighted to be offering a collection of Roberto Rigon's stylised animal works in our first Design auction of 2026, which takes place on Tuesday 27 January.
24 November 2025
VIEW COLLECTION REQUEST A VALUATION CONTACT A SPECIALIST
Roberto Rigon was born in 1929, in Friola di Pozzoleone, Vicenza province, in the Veneto region of northern Italy. He undertook studies at the Regia Scuola d’Arte di Nove, a school well‐known for ceramics. Whilst there, Rigon was influenced by Giovanni Petucco and Andrea Parini.
Roberto Rigon (Italian, b.1929), two cats (and a stoat) (£200-300)
In the early 1950s, Rigon made a venture with Gianni Tosin and Luigi Gheno called l’Etruria, which was not a success. He then worked for different companies including Alessi and Bertoncello Ceramiche of Schiavon, who were known for their modern, sculptural ceramic works in the 1960s‐70s.
After these collaborations, Rigon, along with his wife, founded his own ceramics studio ‘Ceramiche Rigon’ (Rigon Ceramics).
Roberto Rigon (Italian, b.1929) Left: a howling dog (a barking deer, a horse and an elephant) (£150-200) Right: a boar (a cat and a rhinoceros) (£150-200)
Our next highly anticipated Design auction will be held on Tuesday 27 January 2026. The sale will feature twenty-six animals, grouped in eight lots of his stylised animal works, with examples in the ‘Smalto sasso’ (stone enamel) glaze.
Roberto Rigon (Italian, b.1929), a lion, an elephant and a bull (£200-400)
Fun, stylish and cool; these will turn some heads in the depths of winter, and might just be your first auction purchase of the new year!
design@sworder.co.uk | 01279 817778
Our upcoming Design auction offers carefully crafted pieces by designers and brands that have collaborated to create distinctive, high‑quality furniture, such as Heal's and Fritz Hansen.
15 January 2026
We are proud to announce that The HALO Trust has been selected as our Charity of the Year for 2026, and throughout the year, we’ll be supporting HALO’s lifesaving work through fundraising and education, whilst championing their mission.
14 January 2025
With an enduring link between important designers and department stores, works from a variety of these stores often prove extremely popular at auction, and we are proud to present examples of these in our 27 January Design auction.
8 January 2026