Elegant and very large pair of wall mirrors from Hotel Bristol, designed by Gio Ponti and produced by Fontana Arte in 1950
manufactured by Dassi arredamenti
This model was made to decorate the Bristol Hotel in Merano (Italy)
Pure and light curved shape
very good condition
mirrored glass and brass and compensato on the verso
metal label on the verso
Misure: 149 x70 cm h: 3,5 cm

Literature: Rivista dell’ Aredamento n°52 August 1957 p.21
Hotel Bristol , Merano
“Europe’s most modern and elegant hotel”—that is how the Bristol in Merano was described. It was a place where the aristocracy, the upper bourgeoisie, industrial magnates, and film stars would stay for extended periods, pampered and protected, with every need met by staff whose demeanor and courtesy belonged to a bygone era. Arnaldo Bennati—a wealthy Genoese shipowner who had moved to Venice, where he already owned the renowned Bauer-Grünwald—fell instantly in love with this valley-floor town, surrounded by enchanting mountains and a romantic atmosphere. He was seized by a powerful inspiration and ambition: to transform it into a second St. Moritz. Thus, born of his personal vision, the Bristol came into being—a hotel designed to dazzle every visitor. Bennati spared no expense to realize his dream, ensuring that everyone who visited would be captivated. Designed over the course of two years by the Venetian architect Marino Meo, the hotel opened in 1954. The sparkling Sophia Loren served as the event’s godmother, joined by the Falck family and other distinguished figures. Here, the social elite breathed an atmosphere of familiar refinement—accustomed as they were to being treated with deference—and enjoyed décor inspired by the finest design of the era, styles that remain highly sought-after today. According to the *New York Times*, it was a state-of-the-art, world-renowned hotel equipped with every comfort: television, a centralized sound system, air conditioning—a true luxury at the time—and a rooftop swimming pool. But what truly distinguished the Bristol was its furnishings: carpets imported from Persia for the onyx-walled lounge; the finest marbles and woods; exquisite silks adorning the rooms; Fontana Arte crystal; and sofas, armchairs, and side tables designed by Gio Ponti, Paolo Buffa, and Melchiorre Bega—while the blown Murano glass lamps were personally conceived by Archimede Seguso and Flavio Poli. It is hard to imagine anything more refined!