Flying Machine - Alitalia

Name: Flying Machine
 
Type: None
 
Year: Mid to late 20th century (likely 1970s–1980s)
 
Set: No
 
Mark: Alitalia - Richard Ginori for Alitalia
 
History: This small porcelain dish, decorated with a sepia-toned image of Leonardo da Vinci's flying machine design, is a piece of airline-branded porcelain made by the esteemed Italian porcelain manufacturer Richard Ginori for Alitalia, Italy's national airline. The inscription "Una macchina per volare" references one of Da Vinci's famous conceptual drawings for human flight.
 
 
The backstamp indicates post-1950s production, with this style and branding most common during the 1970s–1980s, when branded serviceware was popular in first-class airline cabins. Richard Ginori is known for supplying high-quality porcelain to luxury hospitality sectors, and this dish would likely have been part of a collectible in-flight set or a promotional souvenir linked to Italian innovation and art.
 
 
The gold rim, now partially worn, and the clean, modernist form suggest this was designed as a stylish piece, possibly used as a small snack or decorative dish in Alitalia’s upper-class cabins.
 
 
Despite some rim wear, this item remains collectible due to the crossover appeal between aviation memorabilia, Italian design, and Richard Ginori porcelain. A collector of airline ephemera or mid-century porcelain might find it particularly appealing.
 
Flaws: None