Venini Chandelier With Tridri Crystal Cascades, Circa 1960

The Venini chandelier from 1960 that I am offering you is an exceptional piece, decorated with trilobe-shaped pendants of two sizes, entirely transparent. This chandelier stands out for its modular elements, all hand-blown, creating a shimmering cascade of Triedri crystals from Venini. The frame is in golden brass, bringing a touch of elegance and refinement to the whole. Venini's archives, including vintage catalogs and designer documents, attest to the authenticity and origin of this remarkable piece. Venini, the famous Italian glass company, was founded in 1921 by Paolo Venini, a Milanese lawyer from a family of glassmakers, and Giacomo Cappellin, a Venetian antiques dealer. Together they launched the Cappellin Venini & C. glass factory on the island of Murano, under the artistic direction of Vittorio Zecchin. The company then specialized in the production of high quality Renaissance style goblets, jugs and vases. In 1925, after a breakup with Zecchin, the founders separated, creating two separate companies. Paolo Venini then founded Vetri Soffiati Muranesi Venini & C., with Napoleone Martinuzzi as artistic director. Venini quickly distinguished itself through its innovations in colored glass and contemporary lighting. From 1927 to 1932, the company explored new techniques like pasta vitrea, vetro incamiciato and vetro pulegoso, introducing forms that were avant-garde for the time. Venini's reputation was strengthened through exhibitions at national fairs such as the Venice Biennale, Monza and the Milan Triennale. It was during this period that Venini collaborated with renowned designers and architects like Gio Ponti, Pietro Chiesa, Emilio Lancia, and Tomaso Buzzi, forming Il Labirinto to promote modern design. In 1932, Tomaso Buzzi and Carlo Scarpa took over as artistic directors of Venini, bringing an innovative modernist vision. Scarpa, in particular, was fascinated by the interaction of light with glass, contributing to the development of techniques such as batteto, tessuto, granulare and murina. After World War II, Venini continued to collaborate with renowned designers such as Carlo Scarpa, Gio Ponti, BBPR, Fulvio Bianconi, Roberto Menghi, Tobia Scarpa, Massimo Vignelli, and Tapio Wirkkala, creating works marked by modernism. After the death of Paolo Venini in 1959, his son-in-law Ludovico Diaz De Santillan took over the reins of the company. In the 1970s, Ludovico's daughter Laura managed Venini until the Gardini and Ferruzzi families took over the company in the 1980s. Venini continued to collaborate with talented designers such as Gae Aulenti, Mario Bellini, Alessandro Mendini, Timo Sarpaneva, and Ettore Sottsass until the end of the 20th century. Acquired by Italian Luxury Industries in 2001, Venini has commissioned creations from renowned contemporary designers such as Tadao Ando, Atelier Biagetti, Atelier Oï, Barber Osgerby, the Bouroullec brothers, the Campana brothers, Gaetano Pesce, Matteo Thun and Studio Job. In 2011, Venini celebrated its 90th anniversary with a traveling exhibition. Venini glass is now present in the permanent collections of prestigious museums such as the Louvre, the V&A, and the MoMA. This Venini chandelier from 1960, measuring 48 cm in diameter and 65 cm in height, can be adjusted by removing chain links, thus integrating perfectly into your space while providing an incomparable historical and aesthetic touch.