Italian Blue Murano Glass Trumpets Sputnik

Demonstrative of a unique marriage between artistry and technical excellence, Vistosi lighting fixtures were born from a rich Italian glassmaking tradition. The prolific glass manufacturer came to prominence after World War II for its modernist lighting designs, and today Vistosi is known for opulent chandeliers, lamps and sconces.

The history of Vistosi reaches as far back as 1640, when the Gazzabin family of Murano opened a furnace for producing Murano glass art. "Vistoso," which was originally a nickname, became part of the family's surname and eventually the name “Vistosi” was used to refer to the family’s glass creations.

Vistosi would be recognized by the glassmakers’ guild in Murano during the late 18th century — with Gio-Batta Vistosi becoming head of the guild — but Napoleon dissolved the Venetian state and closed the region’s glass factories by 1807. The modern iteration of the Vistosi company was founded in Murano in 1945 by Guglielmo Vistosi, a Gazzabin family heir.

During the 1950s, Vistosi's grandchildren, Gino and Luciano Vistosi, began specializing in lighting. In the 1960s and ‘70s, the company worked with renowned Italian furniture designers like Adalberto Dal Lago, Ettore Sottsass and Gae Aulenti. One of Vistosi's most famous collaborations was with Italian architect and designer Angelo Mangiarotti. In 1967, Mangiarotti designed a modular crystal-hook lighting system called Giogali that has enjoyed popularity and acclaim to this day.

In 1989, Vistosi was taken over by businessman Giancarlo Moretti, who had an extensive background in the lighting industry. Moretti's son, Matteo Moretti, reinvigorated the business with a series of new design collaborations in 1993. Some of the most notable partnerships included Chiaramonte and Marin, Mauro Olivieri and Michele De Lucchi.

Vistosi has participated in every Euroluce showcase since the lighting exhibition began in 1976. In 2005, the company won the ADI Design Index award for Mangiarotti's Giogali system. In 2007, Vistosi won the Eurispes award and participated in a Compasso d'Oro competition.

Today, Vistosi is still a leader in the lighting industry, shifting to LED and creating new types of lead-free crystal glass for its stunning range of lighting fixtures.

Find a collection of vintage Vistosi lighting and decorative objects on 1stDibs.

Born in the northern Italian town of Salò on the sparkling shores of Lake Garda, Fabio Bergomi (b. 1977) was surrounded by beautiful objects from an early age, an upbringing that led to Fabio Ltd.’s elegantly innovative lighting.

The son of antique and vintage dealers, Bergomi would often tag along on visits to workshops and museums. In 1998, after completing his studies in international business management, he opened his first showroom in London, the well-received Rainbow London. A decade later, he opened his eponymous showroom in Palm Springs, California.

Fabio Ltd. may not be a household name, but Bergomi’s bespoke chandeliers, wall lights and other fixtures have been covered by The World of Interiors, Financial Times and British Vogue, and added atmosphere to sets for the FX TV series American Horror Story: Hotel. Bergomi makes his lights the old-fashioned way, combining handcrafted metalwork with the ancient Murano glassmaking techniques of Venice. The union of colorful glass with bronze and chrome gives Fabio Ltd.’s lights a vintage and glamorous feel as if they came from a movie set. One piece with crystal bars on a chrome metal frame is even called the Hollywood floor lamp (and had its star turn on American Horror Story).

The Sputnik chandelier, designed by Bergomi with glass globes on a metal frame, looks like a relic from the space age, while the brass Hive Flush Mount, complete with amethyst handblown bubbles, would fit in Don Draper’s office on the meticulously well-appointed set of Mad Men. Along with these mid-century modern throwbacks are contemporary statements, such as his sleek Uno sconce with a Murano glass shade dotted with bubbles. The right lighting is essential to creating an attractive room, and Fabio Ltd. fixtures bring both style and function to any interior through a sculptural aesthetic and fine craftsmanship.

Find Fabio Ltd. table lamps, lanterns and other lighting on 1stDibs.