Panizza

A fine example of Italian Art Deco commercial illustration, this original 1938 lithograph was created for Panizza, one of Italy's most prestigious hatmakers. Founded in 1879 in Ghiffa on the shores of Lake Maggiore by Giovanni Panizza and Natale Gamba, the house built its reputation on handcrafted felt hats of exceptional quality — up to 90 individual steps go into the making of a single hat.

By the late 1930s, Panizza was already synonymous with Milanese elegance, and commissioning a large-format advertising poster was entirely in keeping with the brand's ambition. The company continues to produce hats to this day from its workshop in Montevarchi, Tuscany, under the fifth generation of the founding family.

The poster was illustrated by Noel Tolmar, a commercial artist active in Italy during the interwar period whose graphic style sits comfortably within the streamlined, confident aesthetic of 1930s Italian poster art. The combination of bold typography, refined figure work, and the luxury associations of the hat trade made for a naturally strong advertising image.

This piece is sold unframed, carefully rolled and shipped in a rigid tube to ensure it arrives in pristine condition.