Skip to main content

Fulvio Bianconi & Paolo Venini Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass

Glassware designer Paolo Venini’s best creations are thought to be his two-color Clessidre hourglasses, produced from 1957 onward, and the Fazzoletto (“handkerchief”) vase, designed with Fulvio Bianconi in 1949. 

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.

For a range of work that includes everything from illustrating thousands of books and other publications to his role as a visionary glassmaker, Bianconi is remembered as one of the most innovative cross-disciplinarian artists of the postwar era. He was an apprentice decorator in his youth at the Murano glass furnaces, where he first discovered the art of glassmaking.

Following the war, Bianconi went to work designing perfume bottles for the Milan perfume house Giviemme at Venini, where he worked with glass masters Ermete and Arturo Biassuto. Bianconi became one of Venini’s most influential glass designers — and was appointed artistic director following Carlo Scarpa — known for his bold use of color, modern style and unique, playful designs. 

Among Bianconi's most iconic works in glass are the series of glass figures from the Commedia dell’Arte, his remarkably fluid bowls, and the patchwork “Pezzato” technique — his colorful vases created with this technique feature patterns that resemble those of a patchwork quilt. Works made in this fashion caused a sensation at the 25th Venice Biennale in 1950. Bianconi worked with several other glass studios, including Cenedese in 1954 and Vistosi in 1963, creating decorative vessels, bowls, hourglasses and sculptures

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).

Bianconi’s glassworks are held in museum collections worldwide, including London’s Victoria and Albert Museum, the Museum of Modern Art and the Corning Museum of Glass in New York.

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. 

Find antique Paolo Venini and Fulvio Bianconi serveware, vases and other decorative objects on 1stDibs.

4
2
to
5
1
6
4
4
2
2
4
2
3
1
1
1
6
2
1
1
5
5
84
926
635
478
429
Creator: Fulvio Bianconi & Paolo Venini
Salviati Venini Bianconi Venetian Murano Zanfirico Latticino Bowl Saucer, Pair
By Fulvio Bianconi & Paolo Venini, Salviati
Located in Miami, FL
Salviati Venini Bianconi Venetian Murano Zanfirico Latticino Bowl Saucer, Pair Offered for sale is a pair of delicately created Venetian Murano Zanfiri...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Fulvio Bianconi & Paolo Venini Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass

Materials

Blown Glass

Venini Fazzoletto Large Vase in Milk White by Fulvio Bianconi & Paolo Venini
By Venini, Fulvio Bianconi & Paolo Venini
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Fazzoletto glass vase, designed by Fulvio Bianconi and Paolo Venini and manufactured by Venini, is available in three different sizes. Original designed in 1948. Indoor use only. ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Fulvio Bianconi & Paolo Venini Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass

Materials

Glass

Venini Fazzoletto Large Glass Vase in Gray by Fulvio Bianconi and Paolo Venini
By Venini, Fulvio Bianconi & Paolo Venini
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Fazzoletto glass vase, designed by Fulvio Bianconi and Paolo Venini and manufactured by Venini, is available in three different sizes. Original designed in 1948. Indoor use only. ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Fulvio Bianconi & Paolo Venini Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass

Materials

Glass

Fulvio Bianconi for Venini Fasce Orizzontale Bottle w/ Stopper
By Fulvio Bianconi & Paolo Venini
Located in East Hampton, NY
Extremely rare large blue striped hand blown Murano glass bottle and stopper. Decorated with two hot applied vivid blue bands. Listed in the Venini archives under the reference 4315,...
Category

1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Fulvio Bianconi & Paolo Venini Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass

Materials

Murano Glass

Large Fazzoletto Vase by Fulvio Bianconi for Venini Murano
By Venini, Fulvio Bianconi & Paolo Venini
Located in Vienna, AT
Fulvio Bianconi for Venini Fazzoletto glass-vase Murano from 1981. Colorless glass with tape paterns. Signed on the buttom: Venini Italia 81. Dimensions approx. Height 19.5 cm, width...
Category

1980s Italian Vintage Fulvio Bianconi & Paolo Venini Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass

Materials

Art Glass

Fulvio Bianconi Fasce Orizzontali Murano Bottles with Stoppers for Venini, Pair
By Fulvio Bianconi & Paolo Venini
Located in San Diego, CA
Beautiful pair of matching Fasce Orizzontali bottles with stoppers by Fulvio Bianconi for Venini. Seldom seen color. Both bottle have faint hairline cracks that almost appear to be o...
Category

Mid-20th Century Fulvio Bianconi & Paolo Venini Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass

Materials

Art Glass

Related Items
Fazzoletto Glass Vase in Aquamarine by Fulvio Bianconi & Paolo Venini
By Venini, Fulvio Bianconi & Paolo Venini
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Venini glass vase with pinched rim in aquamarine and mint designed by Fulvio Bianconi and Paolo Venini in 1948. Perfect for indoor home decor as container, vide-poche or statement pi...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Fulvio Bianconi & Paolo Venini Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass

Materials

Art Glass

Venini Murano Pink & White Glass Zanfirico Bowl by Carlo Scarpa
By Carlo Scarpa
Located in Bolton, GB
Here is an exquisite 1950's Venetian pink and white glass bowl, made with alternating stripes of lattice criss cross zanfirico filigree stran...
Category

1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Fulvio Bianconi & Paolo Venini Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass

Materials

Glass, Art Glass, Blown Glass, Murano Glass

Venini Vase 'Fazzoletto Opalino', by Fulvio Bianconi, 1950s
By Venini, Fulvio Bianconi
Located in Berghuelen, DE
Venini Vase 'Fazzoletto Opalino', by Fulvio Bianconi 1950s A Fazzoletto vase in opaline and rose glass with clear glass overlay. It was manufactured in the 1950s by Venini, Venice a...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Fulvio Bianconi & Paolo Venini Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass

Materials

Art Glass, Murano Glass

Venini Fulvio Bianconi Murano Blown Glass "Fazzoletto" Medium Vase, Italy, 2022
By Venini, Fulvio Bianconi & Paolo Venini
Located in Cagliari, IT
The iconic Fazzoletto Vase in red and green color. An exclusive new take on the Opalini technique from the 15th century makes its colour unique. The creative genius of Fulvio Biancon...
Category

2010s Italian Modern Fulvio Bianconi & Paolo Venini Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass

Materials

Murano Glass

Murano Venetian Glass Salviati Ruby Red Dolphin Candlesticks Candle Holders
By Salviati
Located in Nuernberg, DE
A beautiful set of two Venetian art glass dolphin candle holders. These Murano glass candle holders on display add a touch of luxury to any occasion. Th...
Category

1960s Italian Baroque Vintage Fulvio Bianconi & Paolo Venini Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass

Materials

Murano Glass

Antonio Salviati Venetian Revival Murano Glass Pedestal Bowl
By Antonio Salviati
Located in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire
A very fine antique Murano Venetian Revival art glass pedestal bowl by renowned Italian glass maker Antonio Salviati (Italian, 1816 – 1890) probably d...
Category

Late 19th Century Italian Late Victorian Antique Fulvio Bianconi & Paolo Venini Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass

Materials

Blown Glass

Venini Vase 'Fazzoletto Opalino', Venice Murano, 2015
By Fulvio Bianconi, Venini
Located in Berghuelen, DE
A Fazzoletto vase in green and light green opaline glass with clear glass overlay. It was manufactured in 2015 by Venini, Venice after a design of Fulvio Bianconi. On the base there ...
Category

Late 20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Fulvio Bianconi & Paolo Venini Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass

Materials

Art Glass

Fulvio Bianconi, "Epipedos", 1999
By Fulvio Bianconi
Located in Paris, FR
Fulvio Bianconi 'Epipedos' Vase, c. 1989 Execution: Venini, blown glass, green. Signed: Venini murano. H : 26 cm (10.23") Overall Very good condition Epipedos comes from the...
Category

1990s Italian Post-Modern Fulvio Bianconi & Paolo Venini Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass

Materials

Glass

Fulvio Bianconi, "Epipedos", 1999
Fulvio Bianconi, "Epipedos", 1999
H 10.24 in W 4.53 in D 4.34 in
Vase Forato by Fulvio Bianconi for Venini, Murano, 1950s
By Venini, Fulvio Bianconi
Located in Berghuelen, DE
Tan France Auction Pick A Forato vase in green, and amber colored glass designed by Fulvio Bianconi in 1951, manufactured by Venini, Venice, Italy ca. 195...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Fulvio Bianconi & Paolo Venini Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass

Materials

Art Glass

Venini Vase 'Fazzoletto Zanfirico Lattimo", Venice Murano 1950s
By Fulvio Bianconi, Venini
Located in Berghuelen, DE
A large Fazzoletto (handkerchief) vase in transparent glass with white rod decorations called "Zanfirico Lattimo". Manufactured ca. 1950s by Venini, Venice after a design of Fulvio B...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Fulvio Bianconi & Paolo Venini Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass

Materials

Art Glass, Murano Glass

Fulvio Bianconi (Italien, 1915-1996) "Fasce Orizzontale", Venini, Murano
By Fulvio Bianconi
Located in Boden, SE
Beautiful vintage vase Murano hand blown cobalt blue and red ribbon. Documented to designer Fulvio Bianconi for Venini circa 1960s. He worked for the company between 1953-1965. Would...
Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Fulvio Bianconi & Paolo Venini Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass

Materials

Sommerso, Blown Glass, Art Glass, Glass

Fazzoletto Zanfirico Vase by Fulvio Bianconi for Venini, Venice Murano, 1950s
By Fulvio Bianconi, Venini
Located in Berghuelen, DE
Fazzoletto Zanfirico Vase by Fulvio Bianconi for Venini, Venice Murano 1950s A rare Fazzoletto (handkerchief) vase in transparent glass with whit...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Fulvio Bianconi & Paolo Venini Serveware, Ceramics, Silver and Glass

Materials

Art Glass, Murano Glass

Fulvio Bianconi & Paolo Venini serveware, ceramics, silver and glass for sale on 1stDibs.

Fulvio Bianconi & Paolo Venini serveware, ceramics, silver and glass are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of glass and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Fulvio Bianconi & Paolo Venini serveware, ceramics, silver and glass, although gray editions of this piece are particularly popular. We have 3 vintage editions of these items in-stock, while there is 2 modern edition to choose from as well. Many of the original serveware, ceramics, silver and glass by Fulvio Bianconi & Paolo Venini were created in the modern style in italy during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider serveware, ceramics, silver and glass by Tomaso Buzzi, Karim Rashid, and Andrea Barra. Prices for Fulvio Bianconi & Paolo Venini serveware, ceramics, silver and glass can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $1,470 and can go as high as $5,800, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $1,980.

Recently Viewed

View All