Venini & C. 1932–2001

In 1932, when both Martinuzzi and Zecchin left the company, Paolo Venini changed the name from Vetri Soffiati Muranesi Venini & Co. (V.S.M. Venini & Co.) to Venini & C.. Milanese architect Tommaso Buzzi became the new artistic director.

After 1934, artistic direction was taken on by Carlo Scarpa, who designed most of the company’s production through 1947. Side by side with Venini, who often intervened personally in design, Scarpa created numerous collections of objects characterized by refined colors. After World War II, Venini & C. sought numerous collaborations with artists such as architect Giò Ponti and the Swedish-born Tyra Lundgren. After 1948, Fulvio Bianconi, Massimo Vignelli, and Tobia Scarpa contributed significantly to the new direction of the company.

Paolo Venini died in 1959 and his son-in-law, Ludovico Diaz de Santillana, took over the management of Venini & C. He not only worked personally as a glass designer but also continued the collaboration started by Paolo Venini with various artists and designers. Starting in 1960, many other designers collaborated with the company, like Thomas Stearns, Toni Zuccheri, Tapio Wirkkala, Laura and Alessandro Diaz de Santillana, James Carpenter, Dan Dailey, Richard Marquis, Benjamin Moore, and Toots Zynsky. In 1986, the de Santillana family left the company, selling their stock to the Ferruzzi group, which guaranteed the fine quality Venini was known for by hiring new designers such as Timo Sarpaneva, Marco Zanini, Ettore Sottsass Jr., Alessandro Mendini, Mario Bellini, Barbara del Vicario, and others.

In 1988, Venini was acquired by Royal Scandinavian. Since 2001, Venini S.p.A. has been part of Italian Luxury Industries Group and is led by Giancarlo Chimento, Giuliano Tabacchi, and Giorgio Rizzo.

Photograph by Luca Vignelli
Carlo Scarpa, Venini & C., 1940
Carlo Scarpa
Cinesi, 1940

Carlo Scarpa   CinesiVenini & C., 1940

Two vases in red glass. The shapes in this series were influenced by Chinese porcelains, the finish inspired by oriental lacquers.

Acid stamped:
venini murano
MADE IN ITALY
and venini murano ITALIA.
13 3/4 in. high (35 cm)
9 1/8 in. high (23.2 cm)
Exhibitions:
1940, Venice, 22nd Biennale Internazionale d’Arte;
2000, New York, Venetian Glass, Museum of Arts & Design;
2001, Milan, Murano: Vetri dalla Collezione Olnick Spanu,
Spazio Oberdan.

Bibliography and comparative texts:
Venini, blue catalogue, n. 3933;
G. Ponti, 1940, p. 71;
F. Deboni, 1989, n. 67;
M. Barovier, 1991, n. 37;
M. Barovier, R. Barovier Mentasti,
A. Dorigato, 1995, n. 56;
M. Barovier, 1997, p. 215;
M. Barovier, 1998 (b), p. 26;
M. Barovier, 1999, p. 187;
Olnick Spanu, 2000, n. 59;
Olnick Spanu, 2001, n. 91.

Photograph by Luca Vignelli
Carlo Scarpa, Venini & C., 1940
Carlo Scarpa
Cinesi, 1940

Carlo Scarpa   CinesiVenini & C., 1940

Two vases, one in light blue, the other in red glass. The shapes in this series were influenced by Chinese porcelains, the finish inspired by oriental lacquers.

Acid stamped:
venini murano
MADE IN ITALY
; unsigned.
7 7/8 in. high (20 cm)
8 3/4 in. high (22.2 cm)
Exhibitions:
1940. Venice, 22nd Biennale Internazionale d’Arte;
2000, New York, Venetian Glass, Museum of Arts & Design;
2001, Milan, Murano: Vetri dalla Collezione Olnick Spanu,
Spazio Oberdan.

Bibliography and comparative texts:
Venini, blue catalogue, n. 3575;
G. Ponti, 1940, p. 71;
F. Deboni, 1989, n. 67;
M. Barovier, 1991, n. 37;
M. Barovier, R. Barovier Mentasti,
A. Dorigato, 1995, n. 56;
M. Barovier, 1997, p. 215;
M. Barovier, 1998 (b), p. 26;
M. Barovier, 1999, p. 187;
Olnick Spanu, 2000, n. 58;
Olnick Spanu, 2001, n. 90.

Photograph by Luca Vignelli
Carlo Scarpa, Venini & C., 1940
Carlo Scarpa
Iridati, 1940

Carlo Scarpa   IridatiVenini & C., 1940

Two iridized bowls, one in green glass cased in amethyst, the other in amethyst cased in light blue. These objects are very thin and part of an extremely rare series. Depending on the angle of light to which they are exposed, they transmit a different color. Acid stamped:
venini murano.

3 1/8 in. high (8 cm)
Ø; 5 in. (12.7 cm)
3 3/4 in. high (9.5 cm)
Ø; 7 3/4 in. (19.6 cm)
Exhibitions:
1940, Venice, 22nd Biennale Internazionale d’Arte;
1940, Milan, 7th Triennale;
2000, New York, Venetian Glass, Museum of Arts & Design;
2001, Milan, Murano: Vetri dalla Collezione Olnick Spanu,
Spazio Oberdan.

Bibliography and comparative texts:
Venini, blue catalogue, nn. 3920, 3767;
G. Ponti, 1940 a, p. 58;
G. Ponti, 1940 b, p. 71;
Lo Stile, 1941, p. 50;
Space Design, 1977, p. 70;
F. Deboni, 1989, pp. 27, 50;
M. Barovier, 1991, n. 34;
M. Barovier, R. Barovier Mentasti,
A. Dorigato, 1995, n. 60;
A. Venini Diaz de Santillana, 1996, n. 127;
M. Barovier, 1997, p. 217;
M. Barovier, 1998 (a), p. 27;
Olnick Spanu, 2000, n. 57;
Olnick Spanu, 2001, n. 89.

Photograph by Luca Vignelli
Carlo Scarpa, Venini & C., 1940
Carlo Scarpa
Granulare, 1940

Carlo Scarpa   GranulareVenini & C., 1940

A black bowl made of murrine with opaline core. The granular look was obtained by the difference in the cooling times of the black and the opaline glass: the opaline glass solidified first, thus remaining in
relief on the surface of the vessel.

Paper label: Venini n. 4116.
5 15/16 in. high (15.1 cm)
Ø; 8 3/4 in. (22.2 cm)
Exhibitions:
1940, Milan, 7th Triennale;
2000, New York, Venetian Glass, Museum of Arts & Design;
2001, Milan, Murano: Vetri dalla Collezione Olnick Spanu,
Spazio Oberdan.

Bibliography and comparative texts:
G. Ponti, 1940, p. 60;
F. Deboni, 1989, n. 64;
M. Barovier, 1991, n. 42;
L’arte del vetro…, 1992, p. 250;
A. Venini Diaz de Santillana, 1996, n. 96;
M. Barovier, 1997, p. 216;
A. Venini Diaz de Santillana, 2000, n. 132;
Olnick Spanu, 2000, n. 56;
Olnick Spanu, 2001, n. 88.

Photograph by Luca Vignelli
Carlo Scarpa, Venini & C., 1940
Carlo Scarpa
Laccati rossi e neri, 1940

Carlo Scarpa   Laccati rossi e neriVenini & C., 1940

Vase and bowl in black and red incalmo glass. In this series, the red glass was obtained by mixing small particles of prefinished glass into
the molten glass.

Acid stamped:
venini murano
MADE IN ITALY
and venini murano ITALIA. Paper label.
6 7/8 in. high (17.5 cm)
2 3/4 in. high (7 cm)
Ø; 9 3/4 in. (24.7 cm)

 

Exhibitions and Bibliography

Exhibitions:
1940, Venice, 22nd Biennale Internazionale d’Arte;
2000, New York, Venetian Glass, Museum of Arts & Design;
2001, Milan, Murano: Vetri dalla Collezione Olnick Spanu,
Spazio Oberdan.

Bibliography and comparative texts:
Venini, blue catalogue, nn. 3611, 3601;
C.A. Felice, 1941, pp. 54, 55;
F. Deboni, 1989, pp. 24, 27;
L’arte del vetro…, 1992, p. 251;
M. Barovier, R. Barovier Mentasti,
A. Dorigato, 1995, n. 55;
F. Deboni, 1996, p. 75;

A. Venini Diaz de Santillana, 1996
n. 97; H. Ricke, E. Schmitt, 1996, n. 26;
M. Barovier, 1997, p. 216;
M. Barovier, 1998 (a), p. 27;
A. Venini Diaz de Santillana, 2000,
n. 141;
Olnick Spanu, 2000, n. 55;
Olnick Spanu, 2001, n. 87;
R. Losch, 2002, cover and n. 33