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Collection

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Trophy and plaque for Emenegildo Zegna

Made by Vital, Not in Switzerland, 2001-2002.
The trophy represents the aspiration and ongoing endeavours of wool growers to produce sheep with softer, finer, luxurient fibres. It is significant because Ermenegildo Zegna has encouraged, supported and rewarded the efforts of the Australian wool industry since 1963. The Zegna Group is one of the largest buyers of Australian superfine Merino wool and all fleeces entered in the competition are purchased by Zegna and turned into the finest quality menswear and accessories. The Ermenegildo Zegna family is also very supportive of the fine arts and, hence, commission all their trophies from leading artists. English artist, Graham Sutherland, and Australian sculptor, Steven Walker, were commissioned to make the earlier trophies.

Summary

Object No.

2004/51/1

Object Statement

Trophy and plaque, 'Ermenegildo Zegna Vellus Aureum', plaster / bronze / silver / gold, trophy designed and made by Not Vital for Ermenegildo Zegna, Switzerland, 2001, plaque made by Ermenegildo Zegna, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 2002

Physical Description

Trophy and plaque, Ermenegildo Zegna Vellus Aureum trophy and plaque, plaster / bronze / silver / gold, trophy designed and made by Not Vital for Ermenegildo Zegna, Switzerland, 2001, plaque made by Ermenegildo Zegna, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 2002

The trophy is a winding golden shape that is suggestive of rams' horns. The maker's mark is engraved into the horns. The plaque is gold coloured and rectangular with text stating the name of the trophy and the name of the artist who made and designed the trophy.

Marks

The trophy is engraved with a maker's mark in cursive script, 'Not Vital 02'

Short URL

https://ma.as/345179

Production

Made

Vital, Not Switzerland 2001-2002

Made

Zegna, Ermenegildo Switzerland 2001-2002

Notes

The sculpture was designed and made by Swiss sculptor, Not Vital, in 2001. Because Not Vital lives and works in New York, USA, Lucca, Italy and in Sent, Switzerland we cannot be sure that the sculpture was actually made in Switzerland.

The Ermenegildo Zegna Vellus Aureum Trophy for the finest of fine wool was launched at the 23rd annual Ermenegildo Zegna Awards that were held at a gala dinner in Sydney on February 16 2002. The plaque would have been presented with the trophy.

History

Owned

Zegna, Ermenegildo Sydney, New South Wales, Australia 2002

Notes

Ermenegildo Zegna commissioned Not Vital to make the sculpture in 2001. The Ermenegildo Zegna Vellus Aureum Trophy for the finest of fine wool was launched at the 23rd annual Ermenegildo Zegna Awards that were held at a gala dinner in Sydney on February 16, 2002. The winner of the award received a replica of the sculpture plus the weight of the prize-winning fleece in gold. The Vellus Aureum (Golden fleece) trophy is the most recent of a number of awards sponsored by Zegna. In 1963 the first ermenegildo Zegna Perpetual Trophy was presented in Tasmania for growers of "Superfine skirted Merino fleece." In 1980, a national award, the Ermenegildo Zegna Trophy for Extrafine Wool Production was launched. (In 2004 this award is now known as the Ermenegildo Zegna Unprotected Wool Trophy.) In 1998, an Ermenegildo Zegna Protected Wool Trophy was launched for fleece from sheep coated for around nine months of the year. In 2002 the Ermenegildo Zegna Vellus Aureum Trophy was launched for wool that is 13.9 micron and finer. Wool from Australia, New Zealand, Argentina and South Africa can be entered and a winner is named from each country. In 2003 an international award was created: The Ermenegildo Zegna Vellus Aureum International Trophy, which is open to all countries but there is only one winner.

Source

Credit Line

Gift of Ermenegildo Zegna, 2004

Acquisition Date

16 March 2004

Cite this Object

Harvard

Trophy and plaque for Emenegildo Zegna 2020, Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences, accessed 8 July 2020, <https://ma.as/345179>

Wikipedia

{{cite web |url=https://ma.as/345179 |title=Trophy and plaque for Emenegildo Zegna |author=Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences |access-date=8 July 2020 |publisher=Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences, Australia}}
Creative Commons Licence

Text is released under Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives licence

Incomplete

This object record is currently incomplete. Other information may exist in a non-digital form. The Museum continues to update and add new research to collection records.

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