Carlo Illario
Carlo Illario e Filli was founded in 1920 by brothers; Carlo, Vincenzo and Luigi Illario. The three brothers established their eponymous workshop in Valenza, a town north west of Milan, Italy. From here they manufactured a glittering array of exceptional quality jewellery.
Their skilled craftsmanship soon caught the attention of well established retailers. Illario soon began manufacturing for fellow Italian jewellery houses, Fasano, Faraone and Bvlgari. The company’s partnership with Bvlgari was particularly long standing, running from the 1950s through until the 1970s. Illario was entrusted to create Bvlgari’s now iconic Serpenti watch bracelet.
Elizabeth Taylor was a consistent patron, whose personal style and love of dramatic jewels found its home in Illario’s creations. As well as manufacturing for other brands, Illario produced a vibrant assortment of jewellery under their own name.
Style/Major Collections
In 2018 Sotheby’s auctioned three vanity cases by Illario. The cases are superb examples of Illario’s understanding of craftsmanship. One was made in the 1950s, and the other two were dated in the 1960s. They are fine examples of mid-century fashion, and yet their sleek, minimalist designs stretch beyond the boundaries of time. Their enduring appeal as collectable items was attested to by each reaching above their low estimates at auction.
Illario skilfully worked gemstones and precious metals, but also embraced the increasingly popular ‘non-precious’ natural materials such as mother-of-pearl and tortoiseshell. Innovation was a key driving force in the Illario workshop, and they were adept at complex polychrome enamelling and experimented with black rhodium plating. The third vanity case sold at Sotheby’s in 2018 was decorated with a deep blue enamel with delicate gold flower buds and brilliant cut diamonds scattered over the case’s surface like stars in the night sky.