Pair of Venini Wall Sconces in Lattimo and Reticello Murano Glass, 1950s

The sconces present themselves as small cylindrical glass chalices, held slightly forward from the wall by a compact metal bracket. The body of the glass is a cylinder with a subtly tapered profile, opening again into a narrow transparent band at the base; the wall attachment is small, a nickel-plated arm carrying the glass through a little carved fan-shaped ornament. Unlit, the piece is a discreet object, entirely built on the contrast between the matte white of the cup and the optical grid of the lower band; lit, the reticello band comes alive in backlight and throws a shadow on the wall that carries the texture of the glass itself.

The upper cup is in lattimo glass, the opalescent white of Murano obtained by adding tin and lead compounds to the batch. The lower band is in reticello, a technique that crosses two sets of filigree canes leaning in opposite directions, trapping a minute air bubble in each cell of the grid: it is one of the most demanding Murano techniques, requiring the preliminary construction of two filigree cylinders and their fusion into a single blown body. The mounting hardware is in nickel-plated metal: a rectangular wall plate, a shaped arm, a small glass-retaining ornament modelled as a stylised fan, and a small spherical finial below.

Venini is the glassworks founded on Murano in 1921 by Paolo Venini and Giacomo Cappellin, and through the 1930s and 1940s it became the central site of the renewal of modern Venetian glass, thanks to its collaborations with designers such as Carlo Scarpa, Tomaso Buzzi, Gio Ponti and Fulvio Bianconi. Lattimo and reticello are two of the historic glass techniques that Venini revived in the twentieth century, returning them to an essential modern formal language. Wall lights of this kind, small in scale and intended for domestic interiors, belong to a quieter chapter of Venini's 1950s production, not produced for publication but made for private commission and hotel interiors.

Excellent vintage condition. The glass shows no chips, cracks or flaws. The nickel-plated hardware carries the patina of age, with light surface marks that do not affect function. The electrical system is the original one.

Dimensions: Height 20 cm (7.9 in) x Width 17 cm (6.7 in) x Depth 16 cm (6.3 in)

Power Source: Hardwired
Voltage: 220-240v
Lampshade: Included