Murano glass table lamp by Itre, cone and satin sphere, Venice 1980s

This table lamp was manufactured by Itre Murano in Venice during the 1980s, an Italian glassworks known for its sculptural lighting designs in blown Murano glass. The piece combines two clearly differentiated glass elements: a transparent conical base that supports a large sphere in pale-toned satin glass, with a small transparent glass tip rising from the top of the globe. The contrast between the transparent cone and the opaque sphere gives the lamp a very striking graphic silhouette, closer to a sculptural piece than a conventional lamp base. The manufacturer's mark, 'Itre made in Italy Murano Venezia, ' appears on the bottom of the cone next to a signature, confirming its origin. A lamp of this scale works well on a console, sideboard, or bedside table, and its geometric shape fits interiors that combine postmodern or Memphis-inspired accents with more traditional Murano glass pieces. Itre was active in Murano during the second half of the twentieth century, producing lighting that moved away from historical Venetian forms towards abstract and minimal compositions, and this combination of sphere and cone is representative of that design language. Height 27 cm (10.6 in), Diameter 18 cm (7.1 in).