A mid-century modern reference for today’s Murano glassmakers, Carlo Nason influenced the current tradition of glassmaking on an island renowned for it for hundreds of years. Celebrated for their exceptional designs, Nason’s lighting fixtures are sought after by collectors worldwide.
Learning to design and craft pieces from the family vetreria — rather than partaking in any formal training — Nason was working with the maestros at his family’s company furnace, V. Nason & C., attached to their family home by the time he was 11 years old. Although his roots are in Murano glassmaking, he took inspiration from the clean lines and natural colors of the Japanese metal vases he had seen in his youth at Milanese fairs.
Wanting to produce modern glass lamps, Nason worked with his family friend Gianni Mazzega of Mazzega Murano. For his Cascata chandelier (Italian for “waterfall”), which debuted in the 1960s, Nason achieved the effect of cascading water through an inverted pyramid of hanging glass plates, each individually mouth-blown and suspended from a chrome-plated frame for a dazzling, Art Deco–styled display.
The 1970s and 1980s were productive and creative years for Nason as the sole and independent designer at Mazzega Murano. His prolific career has also seen him design for other lighting manufacturers like I TRE, Murano Due and Kalmar.
After a mere four years as a glassmaker, Carlo Nason had his creations displayed at the Corning Museum of Glass in New York. The credit for the artisan’s pieces that were included in “Glass 1959” went to his family’s company, but the designs were all authored by Carlo.
Stepping away from the traditional, vibrant Murano stylings, Nason kept true to his inspiration, working with modern and simple forms that are relatively free of color. Nason told Palainco in a rare 2019 interview that his emotions inspired the shapes. And his legacy includes fixtures that are irreplicable and unreproducible, too — Nason made lighting pieces with multiple layers of glass that would be too costly or difficult to recreate today, and some designs were made with processes and materials now unavailable or banned in the glassmaking world.
Find an array of vintage Carlo Nason table lamps, floor lamps, decorative objects and more on 1stDibs.
Carlo Nason yellow artistic bottle in Murano glass, with original box
By Carlo Nason
Located in Milano, IT
∑Carlo Nason for Murano Glassworks Artistic Bottle / Small Decanter, 1980s Murano glass with original label and original box A refined artistic bottle, or small decanter, designed b...
Murano Glass
Carlo Nason Artistic bottle with Murano glass, signed at the base
By Lavorazione Arte Murano, Carlo Nason
Located in Milano, IT
Carlo Nason for Murano Glassworks Artistic Bottle / Small Decanter, 1980s Murano Glass, original label A highly refined artistic bottle, or small decanter, designed by Carlo Nason f...
Murano Glass
Vintage Rare Black and Red Glass Liqueur Drinking Set by Moretti & Nason, Italy
By Carlo Nason, Carlo Moretti
Located in Bresso, Lombardy
Made in Italy, 1930s. This is a very rare Moretti & Nason liqueur set, exhibited at the Glass Museum in Venice on the occasion of the company's centenary commemorative exhibition. Th...
Marble, Metal
Large Ovale Vase with Red and Black Detail by Carlo Moretti
By Carlo Moretti
Located in IT
Ever since the 1970s the Ovale has been one of the Carlo Moretti company’s exclusive and distinctive forms. Functional and elegant, over the years it has been embellished with applic...
Crystal
Small Sfera Vase in Black and Red by Carlo Moretti
By Carlo Moretti
Located in IT
The sphere is an archetype that has always been an object of desire. Offered in a variety of colors from the Moretti family’s secret book or in different transparencies, it is an eve...
Crystal
Carlo Scarpa for Venini Rare Murano Crystal Glass Bottle with Stopper
By Venini, Carlo Scarpa
Located in New York, NY
Designed by Carlo Scarpa for Venini, this rare and exquisite Murano crystal glass bottle with its original matching spherical stopper was created in Italy circa 1937. An exceptional ...
Glass, Art Glass
$8,702 / set
H 15.36 in Dm 14.57 in
Mid Century Modern Blue Table Lamps and Vase by Carlo Nason in Murano Glass
By Carlo Nason, Mazzega
Located in Madrid, ES
The Pair of lamps, mod LT 226, designed by Carlo Nason for Mazzega, showcases an exemplary blend of artistry and functionality. Created in Italy in 1960, these lamps are crafted from...
Glass
Opaline glass vase by Carlo Moretti, Italy, 1960
By Carlo Moretti
Located in Bastia Umbra, IT
Opaline glass vase by Carlo Moretti, Italy, 1960. Elegant Murano glass vase by Carlo Moretti made in Italy in the 1970s in white, orange and black opaline. The price of shipping is...
Murano Glass, Opaline Glass
Murano Glass Vase by Carlo Nason, Signed '99
By Carlo Nason
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Murano glass vase by Carlo Nason, signed '99. Triangle shaped, 3.25 in x 7.5 in high.
Art Glass, Blown Glass
$1,850 / item
H 14.18 in Dm 8.27 in
Small Ellisse Vase in Ivory, Red, and Black Streaks by Carlo Moretti
By Carlo Moretti
Located in IT
Created as the evolution of the Ogiva vase, Ellisse is an object that, thanks to its complex working while hot, achieves the perfect balance between its chromatic components, arousin...
Crystal
Murano Glass Hand-Cut Vase by Carlo Moretti, Italy, 1970s
By Carlo Moretti
Located in Miklavž Pri Taboru, SI
Beautiful murano glass vase by Carlo Moretti made in Italy in the 1970s. Carlo Moretti is a “factory of originals” founded in 1958 by Carlo and Giovanni Moretti, combining innovation...
Murano Glass
$8,688
H 15.36 in Dm 14.57 in
Mid Century Modern Yellow Table Lamps Designed by Carlo Nason in Murano Glass
By Carlo Nason, Mazzega
Located in Madrid, ES
Pair of lamps, mod LT 226, designed by Carlo Nason for Mazzega, showcases an exemplary blend of artistry and functionality. Created in Italy in 1960, these lamps are crafted from vib...
Glass
Large Sfera Vase in Black and Red Streaks by Carlo Moretti
By Carlo Moretti
Located in IT
The sphere is an archetype that has always been an object of desire. Offered in a variety of colors from the Moretti family’s secret book or in different t...
Crystal
$2,750 / item
H 16.54 in Dm 10.83 in
Large Ellisse Vase in Ivory, Red and Black Streaks by Carlo Moretti
By Carlo Moretti
Located in IT
Created as the evolution of the Ogiva vase, Ellisse is an object that, thanks to its complex working while hot, achieves the perfect balance between its chromatic components, arousin...
Crystal
Italalian Murano Glass Vase by Carlo Nason for A. V. Mazzega
By AVMazzega, Carlo Nason
Located in Asti, Piemonte
Glass vase designed by Carlo Nason and produced by A.V. Mazzega, 1975s. With original label. Biography The Italian designer Carlo Nason was born in 1935 in Murano, into a family of ...
Murano Glass