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.
$448 / set
Pair of Murano Art Glass Vases
By Venini
Located in Auribeau sur Siagne, FR
Pair of Murano art glass vases in the tradition of great Italian glass manufacturers like Venini.
Art Glass
Venini Hourglass 420.06 Glass Hourglass Pagliesco & Apple Green - Damiani
By Fulvio Bianconi & Paolo Venini, Venini
Located in Alcamo, IT
Brand: Venini Design: Fulvio Bianconi & Paolo Venini Model: Hourglass 420.06 Collection: Hourglass Year: 1957 Made in: Italy Create a magical atmosphere with a unique piece of Muran...
Glass
Venini Clessidra 034.90 Glass Hourglass, Talpa & Red - Design Venini - Damiani
By Venini
Located in Alcamo, IT
Brand: Venini Design: Venini Model: Hourglass 034.90 Collection: Hourglass Made in: Italy Create a magical atmosphere with a unique piece of Murano glass. The Clessidra (hourglass) ...
Glass
Venini Hourglass 420.06 Glass Hourglass Aquamarine & Talpa - Damiani
By Fulvio Bianconi & Paolo Venini, Venini
Located in Alcamo, IT
Brand: Venini Design: Fulvio Bianconi & Paolo Venini Model: Hourglass 420.06 Collection: Hourglass Year: 1957 Made in: Italy Create a magical atmosphere with a unique piece of Muran...
Glass
Venini Hourglass 420.06 Glass Hourglass Lilac Mint & Crystal - Damiani
By Fulvio Bianconi & Paolo Venini, Venini
Located in Alcamo, IT
Brand: Venini Design: Fulvio Bianconi & Paolo Venini Model: Hourglass 420.06 Collection: Hourglass Year: 1957 Made in: Italy Add an artistic touch to your home with this iconic Mura...
Glass
Venini Hourglass 420.06 Glass Hourglass, Snow & Crystal - Damiani
By Fulvio Bianconi & Paolo Venini, Venini
Located in Alcamo, IT
Brand: Venini Design: Fulvio Bianconi & Paolo Venini Model: Hourglass 420.06 Collection: Hourglass Year: 1957 Made in: Italy Add an artistic touch to your home with this iconic Mura...
Glass
Venini Hourglass 420.06 Glass Hourglass, Moka & Crystal - Damiani
By Fulvio Bianconi & Paolo Venini, Venini
Located in Alcamo, IT
Brand: Venini Design: Fulvio Bianconi & Paolo Venini Model: Hourglass 420.06 Collection: Hourglass Year: 1957 Made in: Italy Add an artistic touch to your home with this iconic Mura...
Glass
Venini Hourglass 420.06 Glass Hourglass, Pagliesco & Red - Damiani
By Fulvio Bianconi & Paolo Venini, Venini
Located in Alcamo, IT
Brand: Venini Design: Fulvio Bianconi & Paolo Venini Model: Hourglass 420.06 Collection: Hourglass Year: 1957 Made in: Italy Create a magical atmosphere with a unique piece of Muran...
Glass
Collectable Vintage Carlo Scarpa Murano Murrine Millefiori, Glass Vase Amphora
By Carlo Scarpa, Venini
Located in Paris, France
Vintage small vase green, burgundy and white runoff inlay in a form of amphora, design Carlo Scarpa Fratelli Toso Murano Murrine Millefiori. Murrine...
Art Glass, Murano Glass
Wonderful Aquamarine Venini Opalino Art Glass Signed Dated Vase
By Venini
Located in Roslyn, NY
A Wonderful Venini Art Glass Aquamarine Vase, Signed And Dated On Bottom Of Vase: Venini 2008 H: 14 1/8", W: 6 3/8"
Art Glass
Monofiore Carnevale Short Glass Vase in Aquamarine by Venini
By Venini
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Venini glass vase with full body and thin funneled neck with textured hexagonal shaped pattern atop surface of glass in aquamarine. Featured in aquamarine colored glass and designed ...
Art Glass
Venini Clessidra Hourglass in Amber and Pink Murano Glass
By Paolo Venini, 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, im...
Murano Glass
$3,465 / item
H 12.6 in Dm 7.88 in
Venini Veronese Glass Vase in Apple Green and Crystal by Vittorio Zecchin
By Vittorio Zecchin, Venini
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Venini glass vase with cylindrical body and crystal decorative base. Featured in apple green colored class with crystal designed in 1921. Perfect for indoor home decor as container o...
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
Venini Clessidra Hourglass in Grey Acquamarine Murano Glass
By Paolo Venini, Fulvio Bianconi, Venini
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Clessidra hourglass in amber murano glass by Paolo Venini and Fulvio Bianconi. Little grains of sand, impalpable and unnoticeable as a whole yet so...
Murano Glass
Venini Idria Large Glass Vase in Red
By Venini
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Idria glass vase series, designed and manufactured by Venini, features three different shaped vases. Indoor use only. Dimensions: Ø 26, H 36 cm.
Glass
Venini Small Clessidra Hourglass in Grey & Red
By Venini
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Venini Clessidre glass vase in Gray/red. Limited edition in 199 art pieces for each color. Color: Gray/Red Technique: Incalmo Dimensions: Ø 13.5 ...
Glass
Venini Monofiore Apple Green Glass Vase by Laura de Santillana
By Laura de Santillana, Venini
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Venini Monofiori glass vase in apple green by Laura de Santillana. “Monofiori” blown handmade glass with stoppers in various forms and colors. Item ...
Blown Glass
Opalino Glass Vase in Tea and Crystal by Venini
By Venini
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Venini glass vase with slim, oval shaped body and funnel shaped neck. Featured in tea and crystal colored glass. Perfect for indoor home decor as container or strong statement piece ...
Art Glass
Venini Clessidra Hourglass in Amber Horizon Murano Glass
By Paolo Venini, Fulvio Bianconi, Venini
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Clessidra hourglass in amber Murano glass by Paolo Venini and Fulvio Bianconi. Little grains of sand, impalpable and unnoticeable as a whole yet so...
Murano Glass
Venini Veronese Glass Vase in Grey and Crystal by Vittorio Zecchin
By Venini, Vittorio Zecchin
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Venini glass vase with cylindrical body and crystal decorative base. Featured in grey colored class with crystal designed in 1921. Perfect for indoor home decor as container or stron...
Art Glass
Fazzoletto Handkerchief Vase by Fulvio Bianconi
By Venini, Fulvio Bianconi
Located in Uccle, BE
This "Fazzoletto" (handkerchief) vase is in light gray and white two-tone Zanfirico glass. Our exmple, designed in 1951 and manufactured in the decade of the 50s is referenced in t...
Art Glass, Murano Glass
Pair of Murano Art Glass Vases
By Venini
Located in Auribeau sur Siagne, FR
Pair of Murano art glass vases in the tradition of great Italian glass manufacturers like Venini.
Art Glass