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Barovier

Italian

The Barovier dynasty began in 1295, when Jacobello Barovier, mentioned in historical documents as a master glassblower, began pinching, cutting, blowing and twisting a molten mixture of sand and minerals into incandescent works of art. It remained entirely family-owned until the mid-20th century, when it merged with another glassworks to become Barovier&Toso.

Partnerships come and go within the community of glass-making artisans on the Venetian island of Murano, where business relationships seem as complex as the shifting alliances in the notoriously acrimonious Italian parliament. Formed in 1942 by members of families with centuries of experience in the craft, Barovier&Toso has proven to be one of the most enduring and prosperous Italian glass manufactories of recent decades. Under the nearly 50-year artistic directorship of cofounder Ercole Barovier (1889–1974), the company created buoyant traditional pieces such as chandeliers, sconces and other lighting fixtures, and it pioneered an array of innovative modernist glass designs with bold colors, patterns and surfaces.

To appeal to gentler, more conservative tastes, Barovier&Toso produced a range of lilting, sinuous lighting pieces that are often described as embodying “Liberty Style” — the Italian term for Art Nouveau, taken from the name of famed London department store Liberty & Co., which promoted 19th-century organic textile designs and Arts and Crafts-style furniture in the manner of William Morris. The hallmarks of the style in Barovier&Toso works are elements of glass in the shape of thick leaves, fronds and flower petals, deployed along with other naturalistic ornament in sconces, pendants and chandeliers.

Ercole Barovier began his personal aesthetic transition toward modernism in the 1930s with his Primavera series of vases and animal sculptures — idiosyncratic milky-white and clear glass filled with tiny bubbles and hairline interior fissures that he produced for Artisti Barovier, a firm headed by his father and uncle (the company also traded under Fratelli Barovier and Vetreria Artistica Barovier & C. throughout its history). Later, with Barovier&Toso, Ercole would explore such novel styles as the mosaic-like Pezzato glass; fluid Spiral patterns; the pebbly textured Barbarico line and the complex, layered and highly colored abstractions of the Oriente series of vases and bowls.

Traditional or modern, Barovier&Toso — still under family control — has produced one of the finest and most diverse catalogues of Murano glass in the last 100 years.

Shop antique Barovier chandeliers, sconces and other lighting and decorative objects on 1stDibs.

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Creator: Barovier
Transparent Murano Glass Vase By Barovier & Toso, Italy 1930's
By Barovier
Located in Hellouw, NL
The illustrious company Barovier & Toso was one of the great leaders of a creative change in the second half of the nineteenth century in the Venetian glass industry. This industry h...
Category

1930s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Barovier

Materials

Murano Glass

Ercole Barovier Art Deco Pulegoso Sconces 1930 Set of Two
By Ercole Barovier, Barovier
Located in Munich, DE
Rare and authentic large pair of Italian Art Deco wall lights (1930-1940) deigned by Ercole Barovier for the House of BAROVIER in Venice (Murano). These sconces are designed in the p...
Category

1930s Italian Art Deco Vintage Barovier

Materials

Brass

1930s Ercole Barovier Rostrato Glass Floor Lamp
By Barovier
Located in IT
Ercole Barovier rostrato glass floor lamp from the 1930s. The lamp is handcrafted by Venetian masters. The characteristic of this process means that the light multiplies infinitely,...
Category

1930s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Barovier

Materials

Glass

Medium, Barovier and Toso picture frame c1940
By Barovier&Toso, Barovier
Located in London, GB
Original 1940s Barovier and Toso 'Torchon' technique twisted glass picture frame with brass detailing. In very good condition..
Category

1940s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Barovier

Materials

Brass

2000's Smoked Grey Twisted Murano Glass and Brass Photo Frame by Barovier e Toso
By Barovier
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
This beautiful vertical photo frame is purely in the vénitien glass manufacturing tradition.The technique uses to get this rich twisted rope effect is called "torciglione" and requi...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Barovier

Materials

Brass

2000's Black Twisted Murano Glass and Brass Photo Frame by Barovier e Toso
By Barovier
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
This beautiful vertical photo frame is purely in the vénitien glass manufacturing tradition.The technique uses to get this rich twisted rope effect is called "torciglione" and requi...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Barovier

Materials

Brass

2000's Emerald Green Twisted Murano Glass and Brass Picture Frame by Barovier
By Barovier
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
This beautiful vertical photo frame is purely in the vénitien glass manufacturing tradition.The technique uses to get this rich twisted rope effect is called "torciglione" and requi...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Barovier

Materials

Brass

Pair of Barovier & Toso Leaf Sconces Murano Art Glass Clear Golden, 1970s
By Barovier
Located in Roma, IT
Fabulous pair of Barovier & Toso wall or ceiling lamps in Murano artistic glass with floral leaf, Italy, circa 1970s. They have a gorgeous hand crafted floral leaf shape and are made...
Category

1970s Vintage Barovier

Materials

Murano Glass

Bowl Barovier Man. Glass Italy 1940s
By Barovier
Located in Milano, IT
Iridescent glass bowl modeled with large ribs. Barovier manufacture.
Category

1940s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Barovier

Materials

Blown Glass

Art Deco Murano Glas Pendant Lamp by Barovier & Toso, 1930s with brass
By Barovier
Located in Hamburg, DE
Elaborately designed Art Deco pendant lamp by Barovier & Toso from the 1930s. The Barovier family business has been in existence for over 800 years, since the 1940s they have been kn...
Category

1930s Italian Art Deco Vintage Barovier

Materials

Brass

Green and Gold Murano Glass Lamp by Barovier
By Angelo Barovier, Barovier&Toso, Salviati, Barovier, Archimede Seguso
Located in Houston, TX
Green and gold Murano glass lamp by Barovier. Green and gold Murano lamp by Barovier stunning green and gold vintage Murano glass lamp by B...
Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Barovier

Materials

Murano Glass, Blown Glass

Barovier furniture for sale on 1stDibs.

Barovier furniture are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of glass and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Barovier furniture, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. We have 116 vintage editions of these items in-stock, while there is 3 modern edition to choose from as well. Many of the original furniture by Barovier were created in the mid-century modern style in europe during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider furniture by VeArt, Sciolari Lighting, and Sergio Asti. Prices for Barovier furniture can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $195 and can go as high as $38,480, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $2,781.

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