A mid-century modern reference for today’s Murano glassmakers, Carlo Nason influenced the current tradition of glassmaking on an island renowned for it for hundreds of years. Celebrated for their exceptional designs, Nason’s lighting fixtures are sought after by collectors worldwide.
Learning to design and craft pieces from the family vetreria — rather than partaking in any formal training — Nason was working with the maestros at his family’s company furnace, V. Nason & C., attached to their family home by the time he was 11 years old. Although his roots are in Murano glassmaking, he took inspiration from the clean lines and natural colors of the Japanese metal vases he had seen in his youth at Milanese fairs.
Wanting to produce modern glass lamps, Nason worked with his family friend Gianni Mazzega of Mazzega Murano. For his Cascata chandelier (Italian for “waterfall”), which debuted in the 1960s, Nason achieved the effect of cascading water through an inverted pyramid of hanging glass plates, each individually mouth-blown and suspended from a chrome-plated frame for a dazzling, Art Deco–styled display.
The 1970s and 1980s were productive and creative years for Nason as the sole and independent designer at Mazzega Murano. His prolific career has also seen him design for other lighting manufacturers like I TRE, Murano Due and Kalmar.
After a mere four years as a glassmaker, Carlo Nason had his creations displayed at the Corning Museum of Glass in New York. The credit for the artisan’s pieces that were included in “Glass 1959” went to his family’s company, but the designs were all authored by Carlo.
Stepping away from the traditional, vibrant Murano stylings, Nason kept true to his inspiration, working with modern and simple forms that are relatively free of color. Nason told Palainco in a rare 2019 interview that his emotions inspired the shapes. And his legacy includes fixtures that are irreplicable and unreproducible, too — Nason made lighting pieces with multiple layers of glass that would be too costly or difficult to recreate today, and some designs were made with processes and materials now unavailable or banned in the glassmaking world.
Find an array of vintage Carlo Nason table lamps, floor lamps, decorative objects and more on 1stDibs.
Carlo Nason ‘Ala’ Light Sculpture, Italy 1970
By Carlo Nason, Linea Gb Milano
Located in Rotterdam, ZH
Carlo Nason ‘Ala’ table lamp for Linea GB Milano, Italy 1970s. Interesting sculptural design consisting a high gloss black lacquered cylinder base and...
Aluminum
1970s Abstract Glass Sculpture by Carlo Nason for Mazzega, Murano
By Carlo Nason
Located in London, England
A free-form undulating sculpture in clear and moss green glass, by Carlo Nason for Mazzega, Murano.
Art Glass
$2,089
H 6.3 in W 5.32 in D 2.37 in
Ermanno Nason Vintage Mid-Century Italian Murano Pink Glass Koi Fish Sculpture
By Ermanno Nason, Cenedese
Located in Landau an der Isar, Bayern
Stunning, rare and vintage midcentury centrepiece glass sculpture by Ermanno Nason (1928-2014) for Cenedese of Murano, Venice, Italy. An absolutely stunning piece of Mid-Century Mura...
Blown Glass, Murano Glass
$8,591 / set
H 15.36 in Dm 14.57 in
Mid Century Modern Blue Table Lamps and Vase by Carlo Nason in Murano Glass
By Mazzega, Carlo Nason
Located in Madrid, ES
The Pair of lamps, mod LT 226, designed by Carlo Nason for Mazzega, showcases an exemplary blend of artistry and functionality. Created in Italy in 1960, these lamps are crafted from...
Glass
$1,578 / set
H 5.52 in W 1.58 in D 1.58 in
Set of Murano glass objects by Carlo Nason for V.Nason&Co, 1970s
By Vincenzo Nason & Cie, Carlo Nason
Located in Rotterdam, NL
Carlo Nason designed these objects in the 1970s for V.Nason&Co, the company of his father Vincenzo Nason. They are made of Murano glass in four striking colours. The items could be ...
Murano Glass
$882 / set
H 3.15 in W 2.37 in D 2.37 in
Set of Murano glass objects by Carlo Nason for V.Nason&Co, 1970s
By Vincenzo Nason & Cie, Carlo Nason
Located in Rotterdam, NL
Carlo Nason designed these objects in the 1970s for V.Nason&Co, the company of his father Vincenzo Nason. They are made of Murano glass in three striking colours. The items could be...
Murano Glass
$1,230 / set
H 3.15 in W 2.37 in D 2.37 in
Set of Murano glass objects by Carlo Nason for V.Nason&Co, 1970s
By Carlo Nason, Vincenzo Nason & Cie
Located in Rotterdam, NL
Carlo Nason designed these objects in the 1970s for V.Nason&Co, the company of his father Vincenzo Nason. They are made of Murano glass in four striking colours. The items could be ...
Murano Glass
$60,000
H 32 in W 23.5 in D 22.5 in
Ayala Serfaty, Soma Series: Adaptation Handmade Light Sculpture, Israel, 2014
By Ayala Serfaty
Located in New York, NY
Soma Series includes lights sculptures, crafted by applying a self-webbing membrane over a unique structure made of thin glass rods in the traditional lampwork technique. As inspirat...
Glass, Plastic
$1,300Sale Price|20% Off
H 7.09 in W 10.63 in D 9.45 in
Murano glass sculpture bowl by Carlo Nason for Mazzega 1970s clear glass
By Carlo Nason, Mazzega
Located in Milano, IT
Murano glass sculpture made by the great designer Carlo Nason born in Murano itself in 1935, who in the 70s made a series of wonderful and very exclusive sculptures with pleasant fre...
Glass, Art Glass, Murano Glass
Art Glass Dove by Aldo Nason Murano ca. 1968
By Aldo Nason
Located in Berghuelen, DE
Art Glass Dove by Aldo Nason Murano ca. 1968 A rare Murano art glass dove designed and manufactured by Aldo Nason in the late 1960s. Dark handblown glass with colorful zanfirico and gold leave inclusions covered with a clear glass overlay. The dove is similar to the famous Yokohama glasses which Nason produced in his own workshop after he left A.V.E.M. in 1967. The Yokohama vases...
Gold Leaf
$4,179
H 10.63 in W 13.39 in D 3.94 in
Huge Ermanno Nason Vintage Mid-Century Italian Blue Murano Glass Fish Sculpture
By Cenedese, Ermanno Nason
Located in Landau an der Isar, Bayern
Huge, stunning, rare and vintage midcentury centrepiece glass sculpture by Ermanno Nason (1928-2013) for Cenedese of Murano, Venice, Italy, somewhere between the years 1965-1972. An ...
Blown Glass, Murano Glass
$7,546
H 11.23 in W 3.55 in D 3.71 in
Important & Rare Ermanno Nason for Cenedese Italian Murano Glass Sculpture 1970s
By Cenedese, Ermanno Nason
Located in Landau an der Isar, Bayern
Absolutely breathtaking, stunning, rare and important vintage midcentury centrepiece multi-coloured pink, orange, lilac blue and yellow glass abstract "Pulcinella" ( a 17th century a...
Blown Glass, Murano Glass
Italalian Murano Glass Vase by Carlo Nason for A. V. Mazzega
By Carlo Nason, AVMazzega
Located in Asti, Piemonte
Glass vase designed by Carlo Nason and produced by A.V. Mazzega, 1975s. With original label. Biography The Italian designer Carlo Nason was born in 1935 in Murano, into a family of ...
Murano Glass
$8,591
H 15.36 in Dm 14.57 in
Mid Century Modern Yellow Table Lamps Designed by Carlo Nason in Murano Glass
By Carlo Nason, Mazzega
Located in Madrid, ES
Pair of lamps, mod LT 226, designed by Carlo Nason for Mazzega, showcases an exemplary blend of artistry and functionality. Created in Italy in 1960, these lamps are crafted from vib...
Glass
Murano Glass Sculpture by Carlo Nason for Mazzega, Italy, 1970s
By Mazzega, Carlo Nason
Located in Benalmadena, ES
Murano glass sculpture made by the great designer Carlo Nason born in Murano itself in 1935, who in the 70s made a series of wonderful and very exclusive sculptures with pleasant fre...
Glass, Murano Glass
Carlo Nason Glass and Steel Vase by Mazzega
By Carlo Nason
Located in New York, NY
Sculpturally stunning is this Carlo Nason glass vase or sculpture set in steel, circa mid seventies. Beautiful round lines of the glass compliment the st...
Stainless Steel
1960s by Carlo Nason for Mazzega Murano Glass Design Sculpture Vase
By Mazzega, Carlo Nason
Located in Brescia, IT
Green and clear Murano glass Perfect condiction.
Murano Glass
Carlo Nason Murano Glass Table Lamp
By AVMazzega, Carlo Nason
Located in Dronten, NL
Spectacular handblown Murano square glass lamp comprised of three stacking layers, designed by Carlo Nason for Mazzega. Excellent fast and affor...
Steel
Mazzega Vetreria Murano Sculptural Lamp
By Carlo Nason
Located in Auribeau sur Siagne, FR
A sculptural table lamp, made of white Murano glass inside, that can be turned . The lamp has been designed by Carlo Nason for Mazzega in the 1960s.
Murano Glass
Mazzega Cascading Floor Lamp, 1970s
By AVMazzega, Carlo Nason
Located in New York, NY
A large cascading clear with iridescent blue glass illuminated floor sculpture. Each 17" glass rectangle locks onto the accompanying segme...
Steel