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.
$11,778Sale Price|20% Off
Napoleone Martinuzzi, a 'Pianta Grassa' sculpture, ca. 1930
By Venini, Napoleone Martinuzzi
Located in Zurich, CH
Napoleone Martinuzzi, a 'Pianta Grassa' sculpture, ca. 1930 green pulegoso glass, iridescent surface executed by Venini & C., Murano, Italy 18 cm (height) signed with two-line acid ...
Murano Glass
Napoleone Martinuzzi Attr. for Venini 'A Bolle' Vase, ca. 1927
By Venini, Napoleone Martinuzzi
Located in Berghuelen, DE
Napoleone Martinuzzi attr. for Venini 'A Bolle' Vase ca. 1927 A large 'soffiato a bolle' vase in amber glass with regular air bubbles. Attributed to Napoleone Martinuzzi, manufactur...
Art Glass, Murano Glass
1930's Aqua Blue Glass Tile of Gazelle by Napoleone Martinuzzi
By Venini, Napoleone Martinuzzi
Located in London, GB
Aqua blue molded glass tileby Napoleone Martinuzzi (1892-1977) circa 1930 for Venini, molded mark 'NM', depicting a wounded gazelle . An example of this model was employed in a flo...
Art Glass, Murano Glass
Venini Deco Glass Vase in Aquamarine by Napoleone Martinuzzi
By Venini, Napoleone Martinuzzi
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Venini glass vase in aquamarine designed by Napoleone Martinuzzi in 1930. Perfect for indoor home decor as container or statement piece for any room. Dimensions: 26 cm diameter x...
Art Glass
$58,400
H 6.5 in W 18.12 in D 3.55 in
Napoleone Martinuzzi, Bassotto Giallo Sculpture, White & Gold Venini Murano 1930
By Venini, Napoleone Martinuzzi
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Napoleone Martinuzzi, Bassotto Giallo (Yellow Dachsund) sculpture, white & gold Venini Murano 1930 Exceedingly rare example of a signed Venini large-scale Dachsund Dog Sculpture by N...
Gold
$168,400
H 33.08 in W 17.72 in D 5.91 in
Napoleone Martinuzzi for Venini Red Cactus Succulent Sculpture, Signed, 1929
By Napoleone Martinuzzi, Venini
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Napoleone Martinuzzi for Venini red Cactus Succulent sculpture, Signed, 1929. Exceedingly rare example of a signed Venini succulent by Matinuzzi. Museum-worthy masterwork by Martinuzzi during his groundbreaking tenure as artistic director of Venini. Large-scale. Original brass frame. This stunning pulegoso glass and gold leaf “pianta grassa” is in very good antique condition with no apparent signs of repair. Acid etched Venini signature is at bottom. Lovely contrasting white glass rim on pot. Playful use of co lot with the green pot...
Glass, Art Glass, Blown Glass, Murano Glass
Deco Small Vase in Red Glass by Napoleone Martinuzzi
By Napoleone Martinuzzi, Venini
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Historic vase designed by Napoleone Martinuzzi in opalino glass characterized by round horizontal ribs. The model is proposed in three shades of colour and in three sizes. Rhythm"...
Glass
Deco Medium Vase in Sapphire by Napoleone Martinuzzi
By Venini, Napoleone Martinuzzi
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Historic vase designed by Napoleone Martinuzzi in opalino glass characterized by round horizontal ribs. The model is proposed in three shades of colour and in three sizes. Rhythm"...
Glass
$5,130Sale Price|25% Off
H 3 in W 4.5 in D 4 in
Napoleone Martinuzzi for Venini Green Apple Glass Sculpture, Italy, 1926, signed
By Paolo Venini, Vittorio Zecchin, Venini
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Napoleone Martinuzzi for Venini Murano Art Glass Green Apple Sculpture, Italy, c. 1926. acid-etched signature; Murano green cased glass with app...
Gold Leaf
Deco Medium Vase in Orange by Napoleone Martinuzzi
By Venini, Napoleone Martinuzzi
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Historic vase designed by Napoleone Martinuzzi in opalino glass characterized by round horizontal ribs. The model is proposed in three shades of colour and in three sizes. Rhythm"...
Glass
Pulegoso vase by Napoleone Martinuzzi for Venini
By Venini, Napoleone Martinuzzi
Located in Busnago, IT
Pulegoso vase by Napoleone Martinuzzi for Venini. Murano glass vase, 1920s. Cm 37 x30 in diameter Green color This is a very important vase, executed between 1925 and 1931, when ma...
Glass
Deco Medium Vase in Acquamarine by Napoleone Martinuzzi
By Venini, Napoleone Martinuzzi
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Historic vase designed by Napoleone Martinuzzi in opalino glass characterized by round horizontal ribs. The model is proposed in three shades of colour and in three sizes. Rhythm"...
Glass
Deco Medium Vase in Red by Napoleone Martinuzzi
By Venini, Napoleone Martinuzzi
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Historic vase designed by Napoleone Martinuzzi in opalino glass characterized by round horizontal ribs. The model is proposed in three shades of colour and in three sizes. Rhythm"...
Glass