Murano Glass Vase By Toni Zuccheri

Italian glassmaker and master Murano craftsman Toni Zuccheri’s lifelong passion for nature and animals contributed to the development of some of the finest modernist works in Murano glass history. His mid-century-era chandeliers, wall sconces, table lamps and vases showcase his penchant for experimentation and exceptional skill in color and form.

Zuccheri was born in 1936 in San Vito al Tagliamento. His father was Luigi Zuccheri (1904–74), a renowned painter known for his depictions of animals (and friend of artist Giorgio De Chirico). Toni not only inherited his father’s love of the animal kingdom — particularly birds — but also his artistic talents, demonstrating an intuitive skill for drawing at an early age.

In 1945, the Zuccheri family moved to Venice. At the city’s University Institute of Architecture, Toni studied under esteemed Italian architects Franco Albini, Ignazio Gardella and Carlo Scarpa.

During the early 1960s, Zuccheri focused on the art of glassmaking and collaborated with Venini. While working with the celebrated Italian Murano glass factory, he developed an innovative type of thick window glass sheets called Vetrate Grosse with prolific Italian architect and furniture designer Gio Ponti. The glass was made of dense, vitreous pastes mixed with murrine, raw pigment, shards of filigrana cane and fine wire mesh.

Zuccheri exhibited a group of elaborate bird and farm animal sculptures at the 1964 Venice Biennale. The birds, which were accented with gold leaf, included vibrantly hued guinea fowl-shaped works with murrine bodies, turkeys, owls and hoopoes (colorful birds known for their crown of feathers). Zuccheri employed an ingenious glass layering technique to create the birds’ feathers, while their realistic-looking legs and feet were made of bronze.

Throughout his career, Zuccheri’s love of birds and animals was a recurring theme in many of his glassworks, which he created for Venini and other Italian Murano glass manufacturers such as VeArt and Barovier & Toso. Today, his work lives on in galleries and private collections worldwide.

On 1stDibs, discover a range of vintage Toni Zuccheri lighting, decorative objects and serveware.

Every time you move into a house or an apartment — or endeavor to refresh the home you’ve lived in for years — life for that space begins anew. The right home accent, be it the simple placement of a decorative bowl on a shelf or a ceramic vase for fresh flowers, can transform an area from drab to spectacular. But with so many materials and items to choose from, it’s easy to get lost in the process. The key to styling with decorative objects is to work toward making a happy home that best reflects your personal style. 

Ceramics are a versatile addition to any home. If you’ve amassed an assortment of functional pottery over the years, think of your mugs and salad bowls as decorative objects, ideal for displaying in a glass cabinet. Vintage ceramic serveware can pop along white open shelving in your dining area, while large stoneware pitchers paired with woven baskets or quilts in an open cupboard can introduce a rustic farmhouse-style element to your den.

Translucent decorative boxes or bowls made of an acrylic plastic called Lucite — a game changer in furniture that’s easy to clean and lasts long — are modern accents that are neutral enough to dress up a coffee table or desktop without cluttering it. If you’re showcasing pieces from the past, a vintage jewelry box for displaying your treasures can spark conversation. Where is the jewelry box from? Is there a story behind it?

Abstract sculptures or an antique vessel for your home library can draw attention to your book collection and add narrative charm to the most appropriate of corners. There’s more than one way to style your bookcases, and decorative objects add a provocative dynamic. “I love magnifying glasses,” says Alex Assouline, global vice president of luxury publisher Assouline, of adding one’s cherished objects to a home library. “They are both useful and decorative. Objects really elevate libraries and can also make them more personal.”

To help with personalizing your space and truly making it your own, find an extraordinary collection of decorative objects on 1stDibs.