FIAT – Art Deco Automobile Trophy – 1924

Luigi Fassino, Turin – Exceptional Double-Patinated Bronze Automobile Sculpture

Italy, circa 1924 – Art Deco Period

An exceptional Italian automobile trophy in bronze with a rich double brown patina, depicting a powerful allegory of Speed and Victory triumphantly rising above a FIAT racing car from the 1920s.

This remarkable sculptural composition features a winged mythological creature with a female torso and equine body, soaring above a racing automobile depicted at full speed.

With its dramatically outstretched wings, determined expression and upward movement, the figure conveys an extraordinary sense of power, freedom and triumph.

Beneath the winged figure, a racing automobile with its driver at the wheel evokes the pioneering years of motor racing and the heroic age of European motorsport.

The composition combines classical allegorical sculpture with the mechanical aesthetics of the modern automobile, creating a striking celebration of speed and technological achievement.

A Celebration of Speed and Italian Automotive History

During the 1920s, Turin was one of Europe's leading centres of automobile manufacturing. FIAT, founded in 1899, played a major role in the international development of Italian automotive engineering and motor racing.

Automobile competitions had become major public spectacles, celebrating daring drivers, mechanical performance and the pursuit of speed records.

This remarkable trophy reflects the fascination with modernity, technological progress and sporting achievement that defined the period.

The winged mythological figure, inspired by classical artistic traditions, symbolically dominates the racing machine, transforming automotive performance into a heroic representation of Victory.

Particular attention has been paid to the anatomical modelling, the movement of the wings and the mechanical details of the racing car, demonstrating the expressive quality of the sculptural composition.

Luigi Fassino – Turin, Italy

The bronze stands on its original rectangular black marble base with distinctive natural veining.

Preserved underneath the marble are two original period labels identifying Luigi Fassino of Turin, a specialist manufacturer of medals, distinctions, presentation cups and commemorative trophies.

The labels bear the following inscription:

FABBRICA DISTINTIVI E MEDAGLIE – COPPE – TARGHE – LUIGI FASSINO – TORINO – CORSO VITT. EM. N. 98.

These surviving historical labels provide valuable documentary evidence linking the sculpture to the Turin-based establishment.

The bronze displays a beautiful double brown patina, combining deep, warm tones with subtle golden highlights across the raised surfaces.

This original-looking aged finish enhances the modelling of the winged figure, the details of the racing automobile and the overall sense of movement.

The finely veined green and black marble base provides a distinguished and harmonious foundation for this highly decorative composition.

Technical Details

• Title: FIAT – Automobile Trophy, Allegory of Speed and Victory

• Period: Art Deco, circa 1924

• Origin: Italy

• Publisher / Manufacturer: Luigi Fassino, Turin

• Sculptor: Unidentified

• Material: Bronze with double brown and golden-brown patina

• Base: Original black veined marble

• Dimensions: 37 × 35 × 15 cm (to be confirmed)

• Identification: Two original Luigi Fassino period labels preserved underneath the marble base

• Condition: Beautiful aged patina, retaining the natural tonal variations and character of the period

Historical and Collectors' Interest

This exceptional automobile trophy is a remarkable example of Italian automotive-inspired decorative sculpture from the first quarter of the 20th century.

Its unusual subject, dramatic composition and striking combination of mythology and mechanical innovation make it particularly appealing to collectors of Art Deco bronzes, historic sporting trophies and early automobile memorabilia.

The presence of the original Luigi Fassino labels beneath the marble base adds further historical interest and provides an important element of identification.

A powerful and highly distinctive bronze sculpture, capturing the pioneering spirit, heroic ambition and fascination with speed that characterised the golden age of Italian motor racing.

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