In 1881 Luigi Fontana starts his business in Milan, manufacturing float glass for the construction industry. As the century draws to a close, the company is producing refined bespoke and one-off glass furnishing accessories.
In 1906 the company exhibited at the International Fair of Milan, with a pharaonic pavilion, visited by personalities such as Vittorio Emanuele III and Queen Elena. The event was reported by the press at the time. Attentive to new trends in architecture and decoration, following the dictates of the prevailing Liberty style, Fontana produced polychrome stained glass windows, advertising signs, enamelled glass, ground and decorated mirrors besides pieces of furniture with glass parts and splendid shop windows with large curved glass, of great impact on the public.
In 1910, Saint-Gobain took a majority stake, transforming "Luigi Fontana" into "Società Anonima". The contribution of new substantial capital made it a driving force, making it possible, always under the guidance of Luigi Fontana, to carry out new projects. During the period of the Great War, due to the consequent reduction in glassmaking activity, a production of military flasks was added. New products were launched, still very contemporary, made with avant-garde methods for the time, such as the curvature of large pane; lighting and furniture with a large use of crystal. All supported by massive advertising campaigns.
Gio Ponti, former founding editor of Domus magazine, is invited to take over the company’s art direction in 1931. An eclectic character who is a key player in the cultural ferment of that period, Ponti is also one of the founders of ADI (the Italian Industrial Design Association). He curates the Milan Triennale events on various occasions, lectures at the Milan Polytechnic, and designs both public and private buildings, furnishings and objects that become part of the history of architecture and design. Among the numerous projects that he designed for FontanaArte, the iconic 0024, Bilia, Pirellina, and Pirellone lamps, and the Tavolino 1932 coffee table are still in the collection.