Alfredo Barbini Murano Scavo Glass Pendant Fixture 1960's

Renowned for his innovation, and considered one of the greatest glass makers of the 20th century, Barbini’s contributions to the artistry of glass making are unparalleled. During an 82 year career that included partnerships with Seguso, Canedese and Vistosi the Meastro is credited with developing the vetro sommerso technique, where color or additional glass is seamlessly introduced into a larger body and the technique applied to this pendant, known as Scavo.



Italian for “excavate”, Scavo is the technique that imitates the effects caused on glass by long periods of time buried underground. The dusty patina, typical of the ancient glass found at archeological digs is the result of minerals within passing ground warter that gently etch the surface of the glassin their wake. Scavo reproduces this process during manufacture by dispersing a mixture of nitrates, carbonates, silica and talcum over the surface of the glass. When heated the melting silica and talcum irreversibly adhere to the glass and render it opaque. Further heat causes the decomposition of the nitrates and carbonates, leaving what appears as corrosion on the surface of the glass. When introduced in the early 1950’s and applied to archaic forms of vases and sculptures, the pieces were nearly indistinguishable from those of classical antiquity, excavated after a millennium underground. Applied to simple, more ordinary forms like these pendants in the 60’s and 70’s the “scavo” technique visually enhanced the work and gave it a distinct abstract-modern quality.

Antique bronze finish stem and canopy made by Venfield. There are 3 availabe in our NYC showroom. Priced and sold separately