Deda vase | Giotto Stoppino | Heller, Italy | 1972 | UPDATE

Here is an update to my post of January 20, 2009, the Deda vase by Giotto Stoppino for Heller. It is something I never expected to see.  On eBay a few weeks ago, while doing some research for my daily Facebook post, I came across an item described as, “ANTIQUE Vintage MID-CENTURY MODERNISM Red PLASTIC VASE,1950s”.  I was definitely intrigued, especially when I saw the pictures  in the listing.  This Deda vase is red!

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But why no mention of “Heller / design Giotto Stoppino / Made in Italy” signed in the mold at the bottom of the vase?  I originally suspected that the vase might have been painted, and the raised lettering either sanded off or covered during the painting process.  I didn’t mind.  I figured if it were painted I would go over it again in orange.  I have always wanted a Deda in orange.  It turns out that none of the usual keywords were in the description because they weren’t there to begin with.

It turns out this vase was not painted.  It is made of red plastic and does not bear the imprinted signature normally found on this vase.  Yet is has all of the same mold release seams as the signed Deda.  I had previously thought the Deda vase was only made in white, yellow, green, and black.  Now red can be added to the list.  Why was this vase made and in what other colors can it be found?

There are some subtle differences between the signed Deda vase and this red vase. For the purposes of comparison I chose a white vase.

The interior bottom of the vases, opposite the injection molding stubs.  On the marked Deda vase, there is a slightly raised dome about the size of a penny.  On the red vase, there is only a small depression, about the size of a pencil eraser.  The locations are the same on each vase.

The exterior bottom of the vases.  Here are the injection molding stubs.  On the signed Deda vase, there is a circular, hollowed out depression 5/8” in diameter surrounding the stub.  On the red vase, the stub has a 5/8” diameter circle scribed lightly around it.  The stub extends slightly beyond the flat base of the vase.  The locations are the same on each vase.

Is this red vase a test piece, made prior to the final finishing of the mold?

Below are some additional views of the red vase.

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