The young Sandro Vachetti was educated at Accademia Albertina and began his early career as an artist in Turin. In 1914 he continued in the United States: between Boston and New York, he developed and perfected his signature technique in female portraiture and fine ceramics. He created small female figurines that were very dear to a few American movie stars.

In 1919, back in Turin, he had the chance to meet Enrico Scavini, owner of the famous doll company Lenci, and his wife, Elena König. Vacchetti was Lenci’s artistic director from 1922 to 1934, then founded his own ceramics company, Essevi (mimicking the sound of his initials in Italian), which he led until 1952.