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Venini

Italian

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 in the centuries-old glass workshops on the Venetian island of Murano. While the company’s 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 Giò Ponti, Massimo Vignelli, Finnish designer Tapio Wirkkala, Thomas Stearnsof 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 took over the company as his own in 1925, and under his direction it produced mainly classical Baroque designs. In 1932, he 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 century — Venini has produced one of the truly great bodies of work in modern design.

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Creator: Venini
Dealer: Modest Designs
Vintage Fulvio Bianconi Pezzato Vase for Venini
By Fulvio Bianconi, Venini
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Model 1329 in the 'Paris' colorway of red, blue, green, and hay yellow glass. One of Bianconi's major contributions to the art of glassmaking, the Pezzato series premiered at the 195...
Category

1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Venini

Materials

Art Glass

Fulvio Bianconi Fasce Bottle for Venini, Signed
By Venini
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Beautiful early example of this Classic Venini design. Extra-long neck and bright yellow stripe on dark blue base. Venini label sticker covers most of the acid stamp.
Category

1950s Italian Vintage Venini

Materials

Glass

Large Massimo Vignelli Pendant Lamp for Venini
By Venini, Massimo Vignelli
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Largest size pendant in white, tan and orange fasce glass. Early example is in pristine condition.
Category

1950s Italian Vintage Venini

Venini Brass and Cased Glass Lantern
By Venini
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Cobolt blue and milk glass lantern-styled ceiling lamp with brass blade armature.
Category

1950s Italian Vintage Venini

Materials

Glass

Pair of 1940s, Venini Canister Lamps
By Venini
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Great early pair of glass rod canister lamps with nickeled brass hardware and glass ball finial. Internal light gives beautiful mood lighting. Original light-switch finishes to metal...
Category

1940s Italian Vintage Venini

Group of 3 Italian Murano Vases, including Venini
By Venini, Fulvio Bianconi
Located in Brooklyn, NY
c. 1950s, including a small Fazzoletto handkerchief vase retaining a Venini label to the underside byFulvio Bianconi (5" diameter, 3" high; $1500) ; a similar unmarked Zanfirico Fazzoletto bowl...
Category

1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Venini

Materials

Art Glass

Two Massimo Vignelli Pendant Lights for Venini
By Venini, Massimo Vignelli
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Striped cased glass pendants.
Category

1960s Italian Vintage Venini

Materials

Glass

Related Items
Venini Fungo Pendant Light in Gray and White by Massimo Vignelli
By Venini, Massimo Vignelli
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Glass hanging pendant or suspension light with an interesting shape and two-tone coloring. Its sleek design and muted color pallette make it a modern, simple and understated lighting...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Venini

Materials

Art Glass

Venini Fungo Table Lamp in Gray and White by Massimo Vignelli
By Venini, Massimo Vignelli
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Glass table lamp with an interesting shape and two-tone coloring. Its sleek design and muted color pallette make it a modern, simple and understated lighting option for any space. Al...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Venini

Materials

Art Glass

Set of 3 Murano Glass Pendant Lights by Massimo Vignelli for Venini, 1960
By Massimo Vignelli
Located in Rijssen, NL
A beautiful and unique set of three pendant lights, made in the 1960s by Massimo Vignelli for Venini. The set contains a yellow, orange/white and brown pendant. The lampshades are ...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Modern Venini

Materials

Art Glass, Opaline Glass

Venini Style Murano Glass Chandelier or Lantern
By Barovier&Toso, Fulvio Bianconi & Paolo Venini, Toni Zuccheri, Venini, Paolo Venini
Located in Houston, TX
Venini style Murano glass chandelier or lantern Hand blown Venini style Murano glass pendant, Murano chandelier or Murano glass chandelier with bronze fittings...
Category

1940s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Venini

Materials

Murano Glass

Orange Murano Glass Pendant Light by Massimo Vignelli for Venini, 1960
By Venini, Massimo Vignelli
Located in Rijssen, NL
A beautiful and unique orange and white glass pendant light, made in the 1960s by Massimo Vignelli for Venini. The lampshade is made of orange and white opaline glass with an inner ...
Category

1960s Italian Modern Vintage Venini

Materials

Blown Glass, Murano Glass, Opaline Glass

Massimo Vignelli Sigaro Pendant Lamps Venini, Italy, 1950s
By Massimo Vignelli
Located in San Francisco, CA
Yellow blown glass pendant lamp with colored bands also known as the "Sigaro" model 4035 Designed by Massimo Vignelli for Venini Murano glass 1954-1955.
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Venini

Materials

Blown Glass

21st Century Fungo Pendant Light in Grey/Milk-White by Massimo Vignelli
By Venini, Massimo Vignelli
Located in murano, IT
How can such a complex and sophisticated technique like "Canne" (canes) give life to such a natural and spontaneous shape? Only Massimo Vignelli knows. Designed in 1956, this unique ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Venini

Materials

Glass

Venini Art Glass Vase 'Bolle ' by Tapio Wirkkala for Venini, Murano
By Venini, Tapio Wirkkala
Located in Berghuelen, DE
Venini Art glass vase 'Bolle ' by Tapio Wirkkala for Venini, Murano A vintage art glass vase of the 'Bolle' series. Thin mouthblown grey and amethyst glass fused in incalmo technique. Designed by Tapio Wirkkala in 1966 and manufactured by Venini Murano Venice in 1997. Venini model number 502.02. Signed with incised signature 'venini 97 tw' on the base. In 1921 Paolo Venini and Giacomo Cappellin founded a company that would become world famous. Under the artistic directions of Vittorio Zecchin the Vetri Soffiati Cappellin Venini & C. become the whiz kid of the golden 1920s. Over the decades, countless world-renowned artists like Napoleone Martinuzzi, Carlo Scarpa, Tomaso Buzzi, Fulvio Bianconi, Tuni Zuccheri, Thomas Stearns...
Category

Late 20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Venini

Materials

Art Glass, Murano Glass

Massimo Vignelli for Venini Murano Italian Glass Brass Sconces Wall Lamps, 1950s
By Venini, Massimo Vignelli
Located in Reggio Emilia, IT
Italian Mid-Century Modern design set of three scones wall lamps designed by Massimo Vignelli and produced by Venini with Murano adjustable glass diffusers and brass frame, Italy, 19...
Category

1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Venini

Materials

Brass

Venini Sommersi Oro Vase, Italy, 1993
By Venini, Laura Diaz de Santillana
Located in New York, NY
Laura Diaz de Santillana (b. 1955) for Venini rare Sommersi Oro vase from "Laura" series, Italy, 1993. This elegant hand-blown Murano glass vase is an exquisite blue color with gold ...
Category

1990s Italian Mid-Century Modern Venini

Materials

Art Glass

Venini, Small Mid Century Murano Handkerchief Glass Vase, Italy, circa 1960's
By Venini
Located in Chatham, ON
Mid Century handkerchief glass vase - twisted yellow canes with copper aventurine and white latticino - rare small size - smooth polished ba...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Venini

Materials

Art Glass

Glass Polychrome Fasce Verticali Bottle by Fulvio Bianconi for Venini
By Fulvio Bianconi
Located in Montreal, QC
Blue and green striped "fasce verticali" glass bottle by Fulvio Bianconi for Venini .Three line acid stamp to underside 'Venini Murano Italia'. Italy: circa 1950. Literature: p. 296 Venini catalogue...
Category

1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Venini

Materials

Glass

Previously Available Items
Pair of Venini Pendant Lights by Massimo Vignelli
By Massimo and Lella Vignelli, Venini
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Red and white striped cased glass lights. Out of production. Venini sticker to one unit. Can be purchased separately.
Category

1960s Italian Vintage Venini

Egg Sculpture by Tapio Wirkkala for Venini
By Tapio Wirkkala, Venini
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Tapio Wirkkala's design for a series of egg sculptures venini produced in the mid-1960s. Gold-leaf yolk in a clear glass egg rests on a glass pedestal. Signed Venini Italia.
Category

1960s Italian Vintage Venini

Carlo Scarpa Mortar and Pestle for Venini
By Carlo Scarpa, Venini
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Beautiful example of 1930s Venetian glass. Emerald green glass with thick gold inclusions. Designed by one of the greatest Venini designers. Two line acid stamp on each piece dates ...
Category

1930s Italian Vintage Venini

Fulvio Bianconi Fasce Bottle for Venini-- Signed
By Fulvio Bianconi, Venini
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Beautiful and large early example of this classic Venini design. Extra-long flaring neck and bright red stripes on a dark blue base. Venini sticker labels covers most of the acid stamp.
Category

1950s Italian Vintage Venini

Venini furniture for sale on 1stDibs

Venini furniture are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive objects are often made of glass and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options in our Venini collection of furniture, although beige editions of this piece are particularly popular. In stock, we have 958 vintage editions of these items, while there are 481 modern editions to choose from as well. Many original furniture by Venini was created in Europe during the 20th century in the modern style. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider furniture by Barovier & Toso, Gaetano Sciolari and Stilnovo. The prices for Venini furniture can vary depending upon size, time period and other attributes. 1stDibs's price starts at $115 and tops out at $266,000, while pieces like these can sell for $3,203 on average.

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