Mid-Century Paolo Venini Ribbed Murano Glass Sconces, 50s Italy, Set of 3
View Similar Items
Mid-Century Paolo Venini Ribbed Murano Glass Sconces, 50s Italy, Set of 3
About the Item
- Creator:Paolo Venini (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 9.45 in (24 cm)Width: 5.91 in (15 cm)Depth: 6.7 in (17 cm)
- Sold As:Set of 3
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1950
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:Palermo, IT
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU4535228676672
Paolo Venini
While Venini & Co.'s co-founder, Paolo Venini (1895–1959), was himself a highly talented glassware designer, his true genius was to invite forward-thinking Italian and international designers to Murano’s hallowed workshops to create Venini pieces — among them Gio Ponti, Massimo Vignelli, Finnish designer Tapio Wirkkala, Thomas Stearns of the United States and Fulvio Bianconi.
Beginning in the 1930s — and throughout the postwar years especially — Venini & Co. played a leading role in the revival of Italy’s high-end glass industry, pairing innovative modernist designers with the skilled artisans who created extraordinary chandeliers, sconces and other lighting in the centuries-old glass workshops on the Venetian island of Murano.
Paolo Venini trained and practiced as a lawyer for a time, though his family had been involved with glassmaking for generations. After initially buying a share in a Venetian glass firm — he and antiques dealer Giacomo Cappellin established Vetri Soffiati Cappellin Venini & C. in 1921 — Venini took over the company as his own in 1925, and under his direction, it produced mainly classical Baroque designs.
In 1932, Venini hired the young Carlo Scarpa— who would later distinguish himself as an architect — as his lead designer. Scarpa, working in concert with practiced glass artisans, completely modernized Venini, introducing simple, pared-down forms; bright primary colors; and bold patterns such as stripes, banding and abstract compositions that utilized cross sections of murrine (glass rods).
Paolo Venini’s best designs are thought to be his two-color Clessidre hourglasses, produced from 1957 onward, and the Fazzoletto (“handkerchief”) vase, designed with Bianconi in 1949. Bianconi’s masterworks are considered by many to be his Pezzato works — colorful vases with patterns that resemble those of a patchwork quilt.
Other noteworthy and highly collectible vintage Venini works include Ponti’s dual-tone stoppered bottles (circa 1948); rare glass sculptures from the Doge series by Stearns, the first American to design for the firm; Vignelli’s striped lanterns of the 1960s; the Occhi vases with eyelet-shaped patterns by Tobia Scarpa (son of Carlo); and, with their almost zen purity, the Bolle (“bubbles”) bottles designed by Wirkkala in 1968.
With these works — and many others by some of the creative titans of the 20th and 21st centuries — Venini has produced one of the truly great bodies of work in modern design.
Find antique and vintage Paolo Venini chandeliers, serveware, table lamps, decorative objects and other furniture on 1stDibs.
- Mid-Century Barovier & Toso Murano "rugiada" Glass Sconces, 60s Italy, Set of 2By Barovier&TosoLocated in Palermo, ITVery stylish set of 2 shell sconces in "rugiada" Murano glass with vertical ribbing and gold fusion, embellished with wavy side applications in relief. Golden brass support and finis...Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces
MaterialsBrass
- Mid-Century Barovier Green Murano Glass with Gold Leaf Candle Holder, Italy 50sBy BarovierLocated in Palermo, ITVery fine Murano glass candle holder with green leaves above and transparent below, all with inclusions of gold leaf. Venetian manufacture attributed to Barovier from the 1950s. Wear...Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Candlesticks
MaterialsMurano Glass
- Mid-Century G. Descalzi High Espalier Dining Chairs Brass Set of 6, Italy 50sBy Chiavari, Giuseppe Gaetano DescalziLocated in Palermo, ITVery stylish set of 6 dining chairs with high back in gilded brass with seat in white fabric. Straight lines, curves and decorative elements embellish the design of the entirely bras...Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chairs
MaterialsBrass
- Mid-Century G. Descalzi High Espalier Dining Chairs Set of 2, Chiavari 50s ItalyBy Chiavari, Giuseppe Gaetano DescalziLocated in Palermo, ITPrestigious pair of dining chairs with high back in gilded brass with seat in beige satin with floral design. Straight lines, curves and decorative elements embellish the design of t...Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chairs
MaterialsBrass
$503 Sale Price / set35% Off - Mid-Century Ezio Minotti Set of 6 Wood and Blue Fabric Chairs Italy 50sBy Ezio MinottiLocated in Palermo, ITRare and wonderful set of six chairs with a geometric design with a shaped wooden structure, continuous padding of the seat and back, upholstered in fine blue fabric with white geome...Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chairs
MaterialsMetal, Brass
$3,045 Sale Price / set50% Off - Mid-Century Cesare Lacca Wood and Glass Magazine Rack, Italy 50sBy Cesare LaccaLocated in Palermo, ITBeautiful and original dark wooden magazine rack with four inclined glass shelves with brass finishes, restored. For the particular curvilinear and shaped profiles, the piece of furn...Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Magazine Racks and Stands
MaterialsBrass
$597 Sale Price40% Off
- Italian Mid-Century Venini Murano Glass SconcesBy VeniniLocated in North Bergen, NJStunning Italian Mid-Century Modern sconces by Venini. Having a brass frame and beautiful glass prisms. Each of the prisms are solid glass, measuring 8 inches each. Three available.Category
Vintage 1960s Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces
$2,000 / item - Italian Mid-Century Venini Murano Glass SconcesBy VeniniLocated in North Bergen, NJStunning Italian Mid-Century Modern sconces by Venini. Having a brass frame and beautiful glass prisms. Each of the prisms are solid glass, measuring 11 inches each. Three available.Category
Vintage 1960s Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces
$2,100 / item - 1970s Paolo Venini Chrome and Glass Sconces, Italy, a PairBy Paolo VeniniLocated in BARCELONA, ESVery beautiful duo of appliques produced in Italy in the 70s. Cut glass and two separate structures, one in gilded metal and chrome-plated. Unique design object that will illuminate ...Category
Vintage 1970s Wall Lights and Sconces
MaterialsCrystal
$3,410 Sale Price / set30% Off - Pair of Venini Style Murano Glass SconcesBy Toni Zuccheri, Paolo Venini, Fulvio Bianconi & Paolo Venini, VeniniLocated in Houston, TXPair of Venini style Murano glass sconces. Pair of Italian Mid-Century Modern Venini style Murano glass sconces with chrome b...Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces
MaterialsChrome
$2,675 / set - Mid-Century Modern Signed Pair of Murano 'Asta Triedo' Glass Sconces by VeniniBy Paolo Venini, VeniniLocated in Merida, YucatanPair of Mid-Century Modern sconces 'Asta Triedo' model designed by Paolo Venini for Venini and manufactured circa 1960, in three different lenghts of spears in amber and clear colore...Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces
MaterialsMurano Glass
- Arredoluce Monza Style, Mid-Century Italian Set of Five Sconces from 50sBy ArredoluceLocated in Catania, CTGreat vintage condition with normal trace of age and use for this set of five Italian sconces produced during the 50s and reminiscent of Arredoluce Monza style. Made from solid brass...Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces
MaterialsBrass
