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.
While the company’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.
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 Venini chandeliers, serveware, table lamps, decorative objects and other furniture on 1stDibs.
21st Century Anni Trenta Luce Small Table Lamp in Straw-Yellow by Venini
By Venini
Located in murano, IT
Art Nouveau, Charleston, the dawn of a new design era. The 1930s, celebrated by VENINI in 1997 and wistfully recalled with essential and innovative shapes like those that marked the ...
21st Century Monofiori Carnevale Glass Vase in Aquamarine by Venini
By Venini
Located in murano, IT
Like the icons that inspired them, these pieces are made using the Balloton technique. Every Monofiore Carnevale vase is a small handcrafted creation; glass is blown using traditional metal molds...
Blown Glass
21st Century, Balloton Pendant Light Cluster in Crystal / Grey /Indigo
By Venini
Located in murano, IT
The latest re-edition features bright new elements, complex shapes and different uses. But it stays true to the Balloton technique, which lends a unique ...
Glass
21st Century Labuan Large Glass Vase in Green Rio by Venini
By Venini
Located in murano, IT
It draws inspiration from faraway places, halfway between fantasy and reality. Paolo Venini opted for a unique palette of Aquamarine, Horizon and other fine hues to present it to the...
Glass
21st Century Where Are My Glasses, Under Vase in Aquamarine/crystal by Ron Arad
By Ron Arad, Venini
Located in murano, IT
Aquamarine, Red and Grass Green with hints of Crystal. Placed at the base of a rounded glass shape are the glasses, as if they had just slipped down its nose. Sketches, models, rende...
Glass
21st Century Gemme Glass Vase in Aquamarine by Venini
By Venini
Located in murano, IT
In the expert hands of the blowers, glass turns into precious gemstones of various colours – Green, Grass Green, Purple, Red, Aquamarine, Sapphire, Tea and Grey. Unique and sparkling...
Glass
21st Century Deco Small Glass Vase in Aquamarine by Napoleone Martinuzzi
By Napoleone Martinuzzi, Venini
Located in murano, IT
"Rhythm" is the watchword for the vases from the Dèco line by VENINI. An endless series of rings, one after the other. They alternate at a pace that rises and falls, then rises again...
Glass
21st Century Dama Glass Vase in Black/Milk-White by Venini
By Venini
Located in murano, IT
She challenges others with her beauty. Austere in white, elegant in black. An endless series of murrine forms her checkerboard, always creating a new motif, like a new chess game. ...
Glass
21st Century Rhythm Extra Small Chandeliers in Milk-White by Alessandro Isola
By Venini, I M Lab
Located in murano, IT
Like notes breaking through the silence and creating rhythm, glass flows through metal structures, turning into lanterns. Rhythm, designed by I M Lab, is the quintessence of the art ...
Glass
21st Century Rhythm Small Chandeliers in Milk-White by Alessandro Isola
By Venini, I M Lab
Located in murano, IT
Like notes breaking through the silence and creating rhythm, glass flows through metal structures, turning into lanterns. Rhythm, designed by I M Lab, is the quintessence of the art ...
Glass
21st Century Where Are My Glasses, Single Lens Vase in Red by Ron Arad
By Venini, Ron Arad
Located in murano, IT
Intense hues of Aquamarine, Red and Grass Green. Glass flows through a single lens, unexpectedly creating a vase. Sketches, models, renders and iron frames. The master glassblowers c...
Glass
21st Century Abaco Shape 2, 5 Sphere Suspension Light in Multicolour
By Venini
Located in murano, IT
Calculations, numbers, man’s endless attempt to rationalize an otherwise intuitive world. All this enclosed in a unique work by Monica Guggisberg and Philip Baldwin. Crafted with sph...
Glass
21st Century Ettore Sottsass Darpanah Table Lamp in LightPink/MilkWhite/Sapphire
By Venini, Ettore Sottsass
Located in murano, IT
Appealing in shape and glow, it is tinged with a hint of Sapphire and Pink. Darpanah fascinates the viewer. Its powerful aesthetics urged Ettore Sottsass to turn to Sanskrit for insp...
Glass
21st Century Opalino Medium Glass Vase in Sapphire by Venini
By Venini
Located in murano, IT
The Opalino vase is all about sophisticated and unique colors, thanks to the use of the traditional Opalino technique. This method was first introduced in the 15th century to make gl...
Glass
21st Century Diamantei Medium Chandeliers in Gold Leaf Crystal/Crystal by Venini
By Venini
Located in murano, IT
Exquisitely Baroque in style, regal in appearance, and available in a variety of sizes and colors, it is the undisputed star of any setting. A series of alternating soft and sharp cu...
Glass
21st Century Ando Time Hourglass in Alexandrite/Grape/Red by Tadao Ando
By Tadao Ando, Venini
Located in murano, IT
A colorful hourglass enclosed in glass. Space meets time in its architecture. The sand flow carries with it the thoughts of the past and the future that Tadao Ando wished to capture ...
Glass
21st Century Fazzoletto Small Glass Vase in Black by Fulvio Bianconi E Paolo
By Venini, Fulvio Bianconi & Paolo Venini
Located in murano, IT
An exclusive new take on the Opalini technique from the 15th century makes its colour unique. The creative genius of Fulvio Bianconi makes its shape inimitable, recalling skirts sway...
Glass
21st Century Happy Pills Testosterone in Horizon/Straw-Yellow by Fabio Novembre
By Venini, Fabio Novembre
Located in murano, IT
The most active androgen hormone turns into a tiny glass pill. A design placebo created by Fabio Novembre in VENINI’s workshop. Indications and dosage: admi...
Glass
21st Century Occhi Medium Glass Vase in Coral/Crystal by Tobia Scarpa
By Venini, Tobia Scarpa
Located in murano, IT
Tobia Scarpa creates a fine exchange of glances: glass lenses with thin coloured rims form an interplay of softly rounded volumes. Tall or short, rounded or slender, this vase never ...
Glass
21st Century Rotondo 893.50 Pendant Light in Black/Crystal/Tea
By Peter Marino, Venini
Located in murano, IT
Bold shades of Black blend together with the hues of Crystal or Tea of the sphere. They enclose it, surrounding it with thin and thick lines, alternating in a seemingly random fashio...
Glass
21st Century Diamantei Small Chandeliers in Gold Leaf Crystal/Crystal by Venini
By Venini
Located in murano, IT
Exquisitely Baroque in style, regal in appearance, and available in a variety of sizes and colors, it is the undisputed star of any setting. A series of alternating soft and sharp cu...
Glass
$18,246 / item
21st Century Circo Di Lune Sculpture in Multicolour
By Venini
Located in murano, IT
One after the other, alternating spheres run along metal wires, arranged in order of size and colour. This unique piece by Guggisberg and Philip Baldwin reflects the delicate balance...
Glass
21st Century Argea Large Table Lamp in Straw-Yellow by Venini
By Venini
Located in murano, IT
Through the power of fire, glass encloses silver or golden leaves, glowing brightly and creating unique optical illusions that evoke the sea. Argea shines its inner light, and become...
Glass
21st Century Opalino Small Glass Vase in Red by Venini
By Venini
Located in murano, IT
The Opalino vase is all about sophisticated and unique colors, thanks to the use of the traditional Opalino technique. This method was first introduced in the 15th century to make gl...
Glass
21st Century Deco Medium Glass Vase in Sapphire by Napoleone Martinuzzi
By Napoleone Martinuzzi, Venini
Located in murano, IT
"Rhythm" is the watchword for the vases from the Dèco line by VENINI. An endless series of rings, one after the other. They alternate at a pace that rises and falls, then rises again...
Glass
21st Century Deco Medium Glass Vase in Grey by Napoleone Martinuzzi
By Napoleone Martinuzzi, Venini
Located in murano, IT
DE'CO 707.07 Ø23 H24,5 TP/LA/TP Additional Information: Material: Glass Color: Grey Dimensions: Ø 23 x H 24.5 cm Available in other color options: Orange, aquamarine, black, s...
Glass
21st Century Labuan Small Glass Vase in Indigo by Venini
By Venini
Located in murano, IT
It draws inspiration from faraway places, halfway between fantasy and reality. Paolo Venini opted for a unique palette of Aquamarine, Horizon and other fine hues to present it to the...
Glass
21st Century Fazzoletto Large Vase in Rosa Cipria by Fulvio Bianconi E Paolo
By Fulvio Bianconi & Paolo Venini, Venini
Located in murano, IT
An exclusive new take on the Opalini technique from the 15th century makes its colour unique. The creative genius of Fulvio Bianconi makes its shape inimitable, recalling skirts swaying in the breeze. Every Fazzoletto Opalini is truly unique: there's not another one like it anywhere. Additional Information: Material: Glass Color: Rosa cipria Dimensions: Ø 23 x H 31 cm Available in other color options: Black, sapphire, orange, indigo, Green rio, blood red/rosa cipria, Amber, indigo/orange, grey/indigo, opaque pink/red, grey, apple green, aquamarine/horizon, horizon, apple green/red, red, milk-white...
Glass
21st Century Opalino Large Glass Vase in Amber by Venini
By Venini
Located in murano, IT
The Opalino vase is all about sophisticated and unique colors, thanks to the use of the traditional Opalino technique. This method was first introduced in the 15th century to make gl...
Glass
21st Century Anatra Sculpture in Multicolour by Toni Zuccheri
By Toni Zuccheri, Venini
Located in murano, IT
Exuberant and lively, the duck gazes at the viewers and catches their attention, almost inviting them to stare back: it is so beautiful they can’t look away. If only Toni Zuccheri’s ...
Crystal
21st Century Doge Shape 2 Short Chandeliers in Straw-Yellow
By Venini, Napoleone Martinuzzi
Located in murano, IT
From the Latin term "dux", meaning "duke" or "commander", the Doge was the chief magistrate and leader of La Serenissima. Today his authority is celebrated in glass, in hues of Cryst...
Glass
21st Century Labuan Small Glass Vase in Green Rio by Venini
By Venini
Located in murano, IT
It draws inspiration from faraway places, halfway between fantasy and reality. Paolo Venini opted for a unique palette of Aquamarine, Horizon and other fine hues to present it to the...
Glass
21st Century Opalino Small Glass Vase in Blood Red/Rosa Cipria by Venini
By Venini
Located in murano, IT
The Opalino vase is all about sophisticated and unique colors, thanks to the use of the traditional Opalino technique. This method was first introduced in the 15th century to make gl...
Glass
21st Century Gio Ponti 99.81 12-Light Chandeliers in Grey
By Gio Ponti, Venini
Located in murano, IT
A work of art. More than that, a myth. Gio Ponti 99.81 owes its undisputed modernity and originality to the boundless creativity of its creator, Gio Ponti. Its uniqueness lies in its...
Glass
21st Century Cilindro 893.70 Pendant Light in Black / Crystal by Peter Marino
By Peter Marino, Venini
Located in murano, IT
Cilindro 893.70 Ø15 H30 CR/NE Additional information: Material: glass Colour: black / crystal Light Source: 1 x max 8W LED E14 - Dimmable Finishes: Black nickel metal Dimensi...
Glass
21st Century Carlo Scarpa 99.37 Large Table Lamp in Crystal Blown Glass
By Carlo Scarpa, Venini
Located in murano, IT
An innovative designer with a passion for experimentation, Carlo Scarpa turned this work into the utmost expression of his artistic and artisanal knowledge. The linearity of glass me...
Blown Glass
21st Century Rotondo 893.50 Pendant Light in Black/Crystal
By Peter Marino, Venini
Located in murano, IT
Bold shades of Black blend together with the hues of Crystal or Tea of the sphere. They enclose it, surrounding it with thin and thick lines, alternating in a seemingly random fashio...
Glass
21st Century Gemme Glass Vase in Sapphire by Venini
By Venini
Located in murano, IT
In the expert hands of the blowers, glass turns into precious gemstones of various colours – Green, Grass Green, Purple, Red, Aquamarine, Sapphire, Tea and Grey. Unique and sparkling...
Glass
21st Century Pigmenti Large Blown Opal Glass Vase in Amber by Venini
By Venini
Located in murano, IT
With the Pigmenti collection, Venini aims to send out a sign of renewal through the development of a classic form as the expression of a contemporary interior design accessory. Pigme...
Glass
21st Century Monofiori Balloton Medium Glass Vase in Blood Red/Green Rio
By Venini
Located in murano, IT
It looks soft, but it’s not; it’s glass. The optical illusion of Monofiori by VENINI from 1970 lies in its name: Balloton, a special technique that lends a unique matelassé effect to...
Glass
21st Century Opalino Medium Glass Vase in Grey by Venini
By Venini
Located in murano, IT
The Opalino vase is all about sophisticated and unique colors, thanks to the use of the traditional Opalino technique. This method was first introduced in the 15th century to make gl...
Glass
21st Century Fazzoletto Medium Glass Vase in Grey by Fulvio Bianconi E Paolo
By Venini, Fulvio Bianconi & Paolo Venini
Located in murano, IT
An exclusive new take on the Opalini technique from the 15th century makes its colour unique. The creative genius of Fulvio Bianconi makes its shape inimitable, recalling skirts sway...
Glass
21st Century Bottiglie Incise Glass Bottle in Blue Iron by Paolo Venini
By Paolo Venini, Venini
Located in murano, IT
A multitude of shapes and colours. Every bottle has its own, chosen with care by Paolo Venini in 1956. Skilfully etched to conceal their imaginary content, they pique the curiosity o...
Glass
21st Century Black Belt Triangolo Extra Small Vase in Black/Crystal/Tea
By Venini, Peter Marino
Located in murano, IT
Appealing to the eye, to the touch and to the mind. This work by Peter Marino was designed to be the most provocative one in the Fornace (Kiln). Striking beauty. The Triangolo collec...
Glass
21st Century Monofiori Balloton Medium Glass Vase in Grey-Red by Venini
By Venini
Located in murano, IT
It looks soft, but it’s not; it’s glass. The optical illusion of Monofiori by VENINI from 1970 lies in its name: Balloton, a special technique that lends a unique matelassé effect to...
Glass
21st Century Cilindro 893.71 Pendant Light in Black/Crystal by Peter Marino
By Venini, Peter Marino
Located in murano, IT
Cilindro 893.71 H92 CR/NE Additional information: Material: Glass Colour: Black/Crystal Light Source: 1 x max 12W LED E27 - Dimmable Finishes: Black nickel metal Dimensions: ...
Glass
21st Century Battuti/Canoe Small Vase in Aquamarine by Tobia Scarpa
By Venini, Ludovico Diaz de Santillana and Tobia Scarpa
Located in murano, IT
It recalls a graceful tulip, in tones of Crystal, Aquamarine and shaded pink Alexandrite. Its translucent appearance is the result of the skill and ha...
Glass
21st Century Battuto Bicolore Glass Vase in Light Green/Red by Carlo Scarpa
By Venini, Carlo Scarpa
Located in murano, IT
The liveliness of sea bubbles meets the murmur of bright red sand waves on the surface of this work. The raw power of the elements enclosed in an archaic shape recalling a small tali...
Blown Glass
21st Century Satin Small Glass Vase in Crystal/Green Rio by Venini
By Venini
Located in murano, IT
Sheer glass is hand-blown and crafted by the master glassblowers using the sophisticated Satinatura technique, which lends it the exquisite opaque appearance to which it owes its nam...
Glass
21st Century Fazzoletto Medium Glass Vase in Opaque Pink/Red.
By Venini, Fulvio Bianconi & Paolo Venini
Located in murano, IT
An exclusive new take on the Opalini technique from the 15th century makes its colour unique. The creative genius of Fulvio Bianconi makes its shape inimitable, recalling skirts swaying in the breeze. Every Fazzoletto Opalini is truly unique: there's not another one like it anywhere. Additional Information: Material: Glass Color: Opaque pink/red Dimensions: Ø 20 x H 24 cm Available in other color options: Black, sapphire, orange, indigo, Green rio, rosa cipria, blood red/rosa cipria, Amber, indigo/orange, grey/indigo, grey, apple green, aquamarine/horizon, horizon, apple green/red, red, milk-white...
Glass
21st Century Balloton Suspension Lamp in Grey by Venini
By Venini
Located in murano, IT
The latest re-edition features bright new elements, complex shapes and different uses. But it stays true to the Balloton technique, which lends a unique ...
Glass
21st Century Zoe Small Pendant Light in Violet by Doriana E Massimiliano Fuksas
By Doriana and Massimiliano Fuksas, Venini
Located in murano, IT
From the ancient tracks of desert rocks to present-day Venice. Zoe – designed by Doriana and Massimiliano Fuksas in 2014 – is a paradigm, a place where different times and spaces com...
Glass
21st Century Anni Trenta Luce Small Wall Light in Straw-Yellow by Venini
By Venini
Located in murano, IT
Art Nouveau, Charleston, the dawn of a new design era. The 1930s, celebrated by VENINI in 1997 and wistfully recalled with essential and innovative shapes like those that marked the ...
21st Century Trizebao Suspension Lamp in Aqua Marine / Crystal by Venini
By Venini
Located in murano, IT
Modular elements skilfully handcrafted from sheer glass. A three-dimensional vertical light flows through its core. Trizebao is the utmost expression of...
Glass
21st Century Deco Large Glass Vase in Red by Napoleone Martinuzzi
By Napoleone Martinuzzi, Venini
Located in murano, IT
"Rhythm" is the watchword for the vases from the Dèco line by VENINI. An endless series of rings, one after the other. They alternate at a pace that rises and falls, then rises again...
Glass
21st Century Balloton Ceiling Lamp Shape 3 in Tea by Venini
By Venini
Located in murano, IT
The latest re-edition features bright new elements, complex shapes and different uses. But it stays true to the Balloton technique, which lends a unique texture – pleasant to the eye...
Glass
21st Century Pigmenti Small Blown Opal Glass Vase in Amber by Venini
By Venini
Located in murano, IT
With the Pigmenti collection, Venini aims to send out a sign of renewal through the development of a classic form as the expression of a contemporary interior design accessory. Pigme...
Glass
21st Century Doge Shape 2 Short Chandeliers in Grey by Napoleone Martinuzzi
By Napoleone Martinuzzi, Venini
Located in murano, IT
DOGE 839.12 H.80 TP Additional information: Material: glass Colour: grey Light source: 1 x max 12W LED E27 Finishes: gold plated metal Dimensions: Ø 45 x H 80 cm Available i...
Glass
21st Century Tolboi - Belboi - Stilboi Table Lamp in Milk-White/Red by Venini
By Venini
Located in murano, IT
It rests quietly on its shelf, waiting to shine its light. It’s Belboi. Light passes through Milk White glass, spreading its soft yet strong glow, and revealing the tones of Red and ...
Glass
21st Century Murrine Opache Centerpiece in Black/Coral by Carlo Scarpa
By Carlo Scarpa, Venini
Located in murano, IT
Countless black and coral pieces are woven together to form a symmetric yet imperfect pattern on slanted surfaces. VENINI’s glass grinding technique creates a typical shading effect ...
Glass