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
Fulvio Bianconi, Paolo Venini, Venini & C., ca. 1950
Fulvio Bianconi
Paolo Venini
Fazzoletto, ca. 1950

Fulvio BianconiPaolo Venini   FazzolettoVenini & C., ca. 1950

A handkerchief shaped vessel crafted with zanfirico lattimo canes of glass.

Acid stamped:
venini murano ITALIA.
11 1/4 in. high (28.6 cm)
Exhibitions:
1952, Venice, 26th 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, grey catalogue, n. 2986;
Domus, October, 1951, p. 29;
R. Aloi, 1952, n. 29;
G. Ponti, 1959, p. 38;
Mille anni…, 1982, n. 649;
R. Barovier Mentasti, 1982, n. 323;
W. Neuwirth, 1987, n. 75;
R. Bossaglia, 1993, nn. 17, 20;
M. Barovier, 1994, nn. 14, 15;
F. Deboni, 1996, nn. 206, 207;
A. Venini Diaz de Santillana, 1996, nn. 130, 132;
M. Heiremans, 1996, n. 84;
H. Ricke, E. Schmitt, 1996, n. 69;
M. Barovier, 1998 (b), p. 231;
Venini Venezia, 1998, p. 68;
M. Barovier, 1999, p. 231;
Olnick Spanu, 2000, n. 82;
Olnick Spanu, 2001, n. 117.

Photograph by Luca Vignelli
Fulvio Bianconi, Paolo Venini, Venini & C., ca. 1950
Fulvio Bianconi
Paolo Venini
Fazzoletto, ca. 1950

Fulvio BianconiPaolo Venini   FazzolettoVenini & C., ca. 1950

A handkerchief shaped vessel crafted with zanfirico lattimo canes of glass.

Acid stamped:
venini murano ITALIA.
11 1/4 in. high (28.6 cm)
Exhibitions:
1952, Venice, 26th 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, grey catalogue, nn. 4217, 1158;
Domus, October, 1951, p. 29;
R. Aloi, 1952, n. 29;
G. Ponti, 1959, p. 38;
Mille anni…, 1982, n. 649;
R. Barovier Mentasti, 1982, n. 323;
W. Neuwirth, 1987, n. 75;
R. Bossaglia, 1993, nn. 17, 20;
M. Barovier, 1994, nn. 14, 15;
F. Deboni, 1996, nn. 206, 207;
A. Venini Diaz de Santillana, 1996, nn. 130, 132; M. Heiremans, 1996, n. 84; H. Ricke, E. Schmitt, 1996, n. 69; M. Barovier, 1998 (b), p. 231;
Venini Venezia, 1998, p. 68;
M. Barovier, 1999, p. 231;
Olnick Spanu, 2000, n. 82;
Olnick Spanu, 2001, n. 116.

Photograph by Luca Vignelli
Giò Ponti, Venini & C., 1955
Giò Ponti
A canne, 1955

Giò Ponti   A canneVenini & C., 1955

Vase crafted with the use of multicolored canes of glass.

Original paper label: venini murano Venezia n. 3703 MADE IN ITALY.
6 3/4 in. high (17.2 cm)

Exhibitions:
2001, Milan, Murano: Vetri dalla Collezione Olnick Spanu, Spazio Oberdan.

Bibliography and comparative texts:
Domus, 1957, June, advertising insert;
G. Ponti, 1959, p. 41;
Neuwirth, 1987, n. 177;
M. Cousins, 1995, p. 95;
Venini. Catalogo…, p. 99, n. 46.
Olnick Spanu, 2001, n. 115.

 

Three fazzoletti (handkerchiefs) vases. The one on the left is composed of lattimo glass incamiciato in red glass; the one in the center is turquoise opaline glass; the one on the right is iridescent green glass.

Acid stamped:
venini murano ITALIA, venini murano (circular signature), and venini murano ITALIA.
4 1/2 in. high (11 cm)
3 in. high (8 cm)
5 in. high (12 cm)

 

Two fazzoletti (handkerchiefs) vases. One composed of lattimo glass incamiciato in black glass; the other is in lattimo glass incamiciato in red glass with a slightly iridized surface.

Acid stamped:
venini murano ITALIA.
10 in. high (25.5 cm)
10 in. high (25.5 cm)

Bibliography and comparative texts:
R. Linzeler, 1922, p. 666;
C. Carrà, 1923, p. 67;
R. Linzeler, 1923, p. 83;
R. Papini, 1930, n. 570;
G. Mariacher, 1967, p. 98;
R. Barovier Mentasti, 1982, n. 252;
Mille anni…, 1982, n. 503;
F. Deboni, 1984, p. n. 70;
W. Neuwirth, 1987, nn. 7, 104;
A. Dorigato, 1986,
p. 71;
F. Deboni, 1989, n. 1;
L’arte del vetro, 1982, n. 307;
M. Heiremans, 1993, n. 191;
M. Barovier, R. Barovier Mentasti,
A. Dorigato, 1995, n. 15;
A. Venini Diaz de Santillana, 1996, n. 1;
R. Barovier Mentasti, 1998, n. 25;
A. Venini Diaz de Santillana, 2000, n. 1;
Olnick Spanu, 2000, n. 8;
Olnick Spanu, 2001, n. 13.

Photograph by Luca Vignelli
Giò Ponti, Venini & C., 1946-1950
Giò Ponti
Bottiglie morandiane, 1946-1950

Giò Ponti   Bottiglie morandianeVenini & C., 1946-1950

Three stoppered decanters from the Morandiane series composed of multicolored vertical glass canes. The canes on the stoppers match the canes on the bottles.

Acid stamped:
venini murano ITALIA.
18 1/4 in. high (46.4 cm)
14 1/2 in. high (36.8 cm)
18 in. high (45.7 cm)

Exhibitions:
2000, New York, Venetian Glass, Museum of Arts & Design;
2001, Milan, Murano: Vetri dalla Collezione Olnick Spanu, Spazio Oberdan.

Bibliography and comparative texts:
Venini, green catalogue, nn. 526.10, 526.12, 526.08;
G. Ponti, 1959, p. 41;
A. Gasparetto, 1960, n. 43;
W. Neuwirth, 1987, n. 39, pp. 218, 220;
G. Duplani Tucci, 1989, pp. 54, 55, n. 27;
F. Deboni, 1989, n. 88;
M. Heiremans, 1993, n. 207;
M. Heiremans, 1996, n. 165;
H. Ricke, E. Schmitt, 1996, n. 110;
Venini Venezia, 1998, p. 68;
Olnick Spanu, 2000, n. 77;
Olnick Spanu, 2001, n. 114.

 

Two incalmo bottles. One has the base and stopper in lattimo, the other base and stopper are blue pasta vitrea. Both have the neck in grey transparent grey glass.

Acid stamped:
venini murano ITALIA.
13 3/4 in. high (35 cm)
13 3/4 in. high (35 cm)

Bibliography and comparative texts:
R. Linzeler, 1922, p. 666;
C. Carrà, 1923, p. 67;
R. Linzeler, 1923, p. 83;
R. Papini, 1930, n. 570;
G. Mariacher, 1967, p. 98;
R. Barovier Mentasti, 1982, n. 252;
Mille anni…, 1982, n. 503;
F. Deboni, 1984, p. n. 70;
W. Neuwirth, 1987, nn. 7, 104;
A. Dorigato, 1986,
p. 71;
F. Deboni, 1989, n. 1;
L’arte del vetro, 1982, n. 307;
M. Heiremans, 1993, n. 191;
M. Barovier, R. Barovier Mentasti,
A. Dorigato, 1995, n. 15;
A. Venini Diaz de Santillana, 1996, n. 1;
R. Barovier Mentasti, 1998, n. 25;
A. Venini Diaz de Santillana, 2000, n. 1;
Olnick Spanu, 2000, n. 8;
Olnick Spanu, 2001, n. 13.

 

Two stoppered incalmo bottles from the Morandiane series. One is straw and light aubergine glass with a straw colored stopper, the other is straw and blue glass witha a blue stopper.

Acid stamped:
venini murano ITALIA.
13 1/2 in. high (34 cm)
13 1/2 in. high (34 cm)

Bibliography and comparative texts:
R. Linzeler, 1922, p. 666;
C. Carrà, 1923, p. 67;
R. Linzeler, 1923, p. 83;
R. Papini, 1930, n. 570;
G. Mariacher, 1967, p. 98;
R. Barovier Mentasti, 1982, n. 252;
Mille anni…, 1982, n. 503;
F. Deboni, 1984, p. n. 70;
W. Neuwirth, 1987, nn. 7, 104;
A. Dorigato, 1986,
p. 71;
F. Deboni, 1989, n. 1;
L’arte del vetro, 1982, n. 307;
M. Heiremans, 1993, n. 191;
M. Barovier, R. Barovier Mentasti,
A. Dorigato, 1995, n. 15;
A. Venini Diaz de Santillana, 1996, n. 1;
R. Barovier Mentasti, 1998, n. 25;
A. Venini Diaz de Santillana, 2000, n. 1;
Olnick Spanu, 2000, n. 8;
Olnick Spanu, 2001, n. 13.

Photograph by Luca Vignelli
Carlo Scarpa, Venini & C., 1942
Carlo Scarpa
Conchiglie, 1942

Carlo Scarpa   ConchiglieVenini & C., 1942

Three seashells. The shell on the top is composed of clear cristallo, the middle of straw-colored glass, and the bottom one is in pink glass.
All three are strongly iridized.

All acid stamped:
venini murano
MADE IN ITALY
and venini murano ITALIA.
Original paper label.
6 in. long (15.2 cm)
9 13/16 in. long (25 cm)
7 in. long (17.8 cm)

Exhibitions:
1942, Venice, 23rd 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, grey catalogue, n. 4556;
R. Aloi, 1945, n. 23;
F. Deboni, 1989, nn. 77, 79;
M. Barovier, 1991, n. 57;
M. Barovier, R. Barovier Mentasti,
A. Dorigato, 1995, p. 52;
H. Ricke, E. Schmitt, 1996, n. 49;
M. Barovier, 1997, p. 224;
Olnick Spanu, 2000, n. 76;
Olnick Spanu, 2001, n. 113.