Barovier&Toso

Few brands that exist today can claim to predate the Italian Renaissance, but Murano, Italy-based lighting company Barovier&Toso is one such brand. Founded in 1295 by the Barovier family, Barovier&Toso is credited as the world’s sixth-oldest business still in operation.

For over 20 generations, these glassmakers have become masters in the art of Venetian glass. Many of the family’s early creations reside in museums and private art collections all over the world.

In the 13th century, Jacobello Barovier became the first member of the family to begin working in glass. Around this time, an edict required all glassmakers in Venice to move to Murano, as all the glass furnaces were concentrated there. It is believed that the Barovier family established themselves in Murano in the early 1290s, and later records indicate the Toso family became a notable presence in Murano around 1350.

The Barovier and Toso families joined forces in 1939, on the cusp of WWII, to become the glass powerhouse Barovier&Toso. At the time of the merger, the Barovier business was thriving under the creative direction of the legendary Ercole Barovier, employing new glassmaking techniques and unique types of glass. His designs are still in use today, including the Rostrato technique, which can be seen on the brand’s iconic Venezia 1295 chandelier. Erocles’ innovative approach to glassmaking still inspires Barovier&Toso’s designs for new pieces and collections.