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.
Iridescent glass by Venini & Co. attributed to Carlo Scarpa - Nautilus shell?
By Venini, Tyra Carolina Lundgren, Fulvio Bianconi, Carlo Scarpa
Located in Lugo, IT
Iridescent glass by Venini & Co. attributed to Carlo Scarpa. Possible Nautilus shell. Acid stamp Venini Murano Ars. This signature was used from 1930 to 1943. Good condition. Thank you.
Murano Glass
Venini Canoe Acquamare Murano Glass Sculpture Tobia Scarpa - Damiani
By Ludovico Diaz de Santillana and Tobia Scarpa, Venini
Located in Varedo, MB
Brand: Venini Designer: Tobia Scarpa & Ludovico Diaz De Santilliana Model: Canoe 516.14 Collection: Beats / Canoes Made in: Italy Add an artistic and sophisticated touch to your int...
Glass
Venini Murrine Opache 488.13 Murano Glass Centerpiece Carlo Scarpa - Damiani
By Carlo Scarpa, Venini
Located in Varedo, MB
Brand: Venini Designer: Carlo Scarpa Model: Opaque Murrine 488.13 Collection: Murrine Made in: Italy Add an artistic and sophisticated touch to your interior with this unique Murano...
Glass
Venini Ando Time 032.98 Grape/Red/Alessand. Glass Hourglass Tadao Ando - Damiani
By Tadao Ando, Venini
Located in Varedo, MB
Brand: Venini Designer: Tadao Ando Model: Ando Time 032.98 Collection: Tadao Ando Collection Made in: Italy Add an artistic and sophisticated touch to your interior with this unique...
Glass
Venini Murrine Opache 488.10 Murano Glass Centerpiece Carlo Scarpa - Damiani
By Carlo Scarpa, Venini
Located in Varedo, MB
Brand: Venini Designer: Carlo Scarpa Model: Opaque Murrine 488.10 Collection: Murrine Made in: Italy Add an artistic and sophisticated touch to your interior with this unique Murano...
Glass
Venini Murrine Opache 488.11 Murano Glass Centerpiece table Carlo Scarpa Damiani
By Carlo Scarpa, Venini
Located in Varedo, MB
Brand: Venini Designer: Carlo Scarpa Model: Opaque Murrine 488.11 Collection: Murrine Made in: Italy Add an artistic and sophisticated touch to your interior with this unique Murano...
Glass
Venini Ando Time 032.98 Rosato/Violet/Amber Glass Hourglass Tadao Ando - Damiani
By Tadao Ando, Venini
Located in Varedo, MB
Brand: Venini Designer: Tadao Ando Model: Ando Time 032.98 Collection: Tadao Ando Collection Made in: Italy Add an artistic and sophisticated touch to your interior with this unique...
Glass
Venini Ando Time 032.98 Green/Aquamarine Glass Hourglass Tadao Ando - Damiani
By Tadao Ando, Venini
Located in Varedo, MB
Brand: Venini Designer: Tadao Ando Model: Ando Time 032.98 Collection: Tadao Ando Collection Made in: Italy Add an artistic and sophisticated touch to your interior with this unique...
Glass
Venini Ando Time 032.98 Grape/Orizzonte/Bamboo Glass Hourglass Tadao Ando Damiani
By Tadao Ando, Venini
Located in Varedo, MB
Brand: Venini Designer: Tadao Ando Model: Ando Time 032.98 Collection: Tadao Ando Collection Made in: Italy Add an artistic and sophisticated touch to your interior with this unique...
Glass
Venini Ando Time 032.98 Crystal/Red/Grape Glass Hourglass Tadao Ando Damiani
By Tadao Ando, Venini
Located in Varedo, MB
Brand: Venini Designer: Tadao Ando Model: Ando Time 032.98 Collection: Tadao Ando Collection Made in: Italy Add an artistic and sophisticated touch to your interior with this unique...
Glass
Clessidra Glass Hourglass in Grey and Red by Venini
By Venini
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Venini glass hourglass in grey and red. Perfect for indoor home decor or as a statement piece for any room. Limited edition of 199 pieces. Also availab...
Art Glass
Clessidra Hourglass in Gray and Red Glass by Venini
By Venini
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Perfectly balanced between two different colours, the sand flows through the sleek glass chambers made using the Incalmo technique, taking on its colour and becoming a part of it. Grains of sand, impalpable and imperceptible as a whole, yet so real, like time passing. Fulvio Bianconi and Paolo Venini sealed it in the Clessidra in 1957 Little grains of sand, impalpable and unnoticeable as a whole yet so real, like time ticking away. Clessidra – designed by Fulvio Bianconi and Paolo Venini in 1957 – evolves in 2015, taking on a more sinuous, feminine appearance. Perfectly balanced between two different colors, sand flows through sleek glass, crafted using the Incalmo technique; as it flows, it gradually colors and becomes an integral part of the glass. Additional Information: Material: Glass, sand Color: Gray/red Dimensions: Ø 15 x H 28 cm Available in other color options: Green river /Powder pink...
Glass
$1,386 / item
H 9.85 in Dm 3.94 in
Venini Clessidre Glass Hourglass in Pink and Gray by Fulvio Bianconi
By Venini, Fulvio Bianconi
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Clessidre Hourglass, designed by Paolo Venini and Fulvio Bianconi, was originally designed in 1957. Available in different colors, the grey / mint green version is a limited edition ...
Glass
Venini Clessidra Hourglass in Grape and Pink Murano Glass
By Venini, Paolo Venini
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Clessidra hourglass in grape and pink Murano glass by Paolo Venini and Riedizione. Limited edition in 99 art pieces each. Little grains of sand, impalpable and unnoticeable as a whol...
Murano Glass
Venini Murrine Romane Multicolor Bowl by Carlo Scarpa
By Carlo Scarpa, Venini
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Venini Murrine Romane bowl in multicolor by Carlo Scarpa. Numbered Edition. These Murrine are called “roman” due to their graphic signs and because they...
Glass
$936
H 9.85 in Dm 5.91 in
VENINI 90th Opachi Ivory Murano Glass Vase by Tobia Scarpa, Signed 2012, Italy
By Venini, Tobia Scarpa
Located in Venezia, IT
Venini Opachi vase 90th anniversary, model 513.00, in Ivory Murano opaline glass, designed by Tobia Scarpa in 1960 and produced in 2012. Part of Venini’s refined Opachi collection, ...
Blown Glass, Murano Glass
Green Venini & C., Murano Sommero a Bollicine Bowl by Carlo Scarpa c.1930s
By Venini, Carlo Scarpa
Located in Oakland, CA
Venini & C., Murano glass Sommero a Bollicine bowl c.1930s designed by architect Carlo Scarpa (1902-1978). Bubbly overlaid glass colorless and green with bursts of bubbles. A rounded...
Art Glass
Vetro Sommerso Bowl by Carlo Scarpa for Venini Murano ca. 1930s
By Carlo Scarpa, Venini
Located in Berghuelen, DE
Vetro Sommerso Bowl by Carlo Scarpa for Venini Murano ca. 1930s A vetro sommerso bollicine bowl designed by Carlo Scarpa ca. 1936. Manufactured by Venini Murano Venice in the 1930s....
Art Glass
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
$7,200
H 5 in W 9.5 in D 8.5 in
Carlo Scarpa for Venini Turquoise Shell Glass Dish, Murano, Italy, 1940s
By Carlo Scarpa, Venini
Located in New York, NY
Rare and highly collectible sculptural shell glass dish designed by Carlo Scarpa for Venini, Murano, Italy, 1940s. Hand-blown in luminous turquoise glass, this exceptional work is el...
Blown Glass, Murano Glass
Venini & C., Murano Sommero a Bollicine Bowl by Carlo Scarpa c.1930s
By Carlo Scarpa, Venini
Located in Oakland, CA
Venini & C., Murano glass Sommero a Bollicine bowl c.1930s designed by architect Carlo Scarpa (1902-1978). Bubbly overlaid glass colorless and red with bursts of gold foil. A rou...
Blown Glass, Art Glass
$41,579 / set
H 22.05 in W 7.49 in D 8.27 in
Limited Edition Set of 3 Monumental Murano Glass Vases by Tadao Ando
By Tadao Ando
Located in London, England
For Vetreria Venini Murano, 2011 'Rosetta', 'Ghiaccio', & 'Velato': 3 glass sculptural vases, each acid-stamped ’90 Venini 2011 Ando’ and engraved ‘Venini 2011 8/30’ Each vase limi...
Blown Glass
Sold
H 11.03 in Dm 11.03 in
Murrine Plate by Laura de Santillana for Venini Murano Limited Early Edition
By Laura Diaz de Santillana, Venini
Located in Uccle, BE
Wonderful Murrine plate designed and produced circa 1975, on his original steel foot. Issued from the first serie produced by Venini.
Glass