- Glass: Mouth-blown Murano glass, transparent multicolour poliedri, faceted
- Frame: Gold-finished circular metal structure with matching gold chain
- Number of elements: 107 total; single and double poliedri alternating across concentric tiers
- Structure: Multiple concentric levels, alternating single and double polyhedron configuration
- Style period: Late 20th century
- Weight: approx. 53 lb (24 kg)
- Dimensions with chain: H 42.6 in (110 cm)
- Height without chain: H 17.4 in (45 cm)
- Diameter: 23.25 in (60 cm)
- Element dimensions: H 5.9 in (15 cm) × Ø 2.75 in (7 cm)
- Bulb fitting: 6 × E14 (bulbs not included); EU electrical system; US-compatible lampholders available on request
- Condition: Perfect vintage condition. Glass elements are perfect; the brass glazing bead shows minor natural patina consistent with age.
There are chandeliers that fill a space with light. And then there are pieces that fill it with movement, colour, and a kind of optical generosity that changes the character of everything around them.
This multicolour poliedri Murano glass chandelier is the second kind, entirely and without reservation.
Craft and technique
Poliedri are among the most technically demanding forms in the Murano glassmaking tradition. Each element is a multifaceted blown glass solid: a precise three-dimensional form whose angled surfaces are designed to refract, split, and redirect light simultaneously in multiple directions. The technique demands exceptional control from the glassmaker ,the geometry of each facet must be established during the blowing process itself, while the glass is still molten and responsive, without the possibility of correction after the fact. The result, when done well, is a glass element with an almost mineral quality: dense, precise, and optically active in a way that smooth or curved glass cannot achieve.
Structure and composition
What distinguishes this chandelier within the poliedri tradition is the deliberate structural logic of its arrangement. 107 elements are distributed across multiple concentric tiers in an alternating pattern: single poliedri and double poliedri ; pairs of elements mounted together, positioned in sequence around the circular gold frame. This alternation is not purely decorative. The double elements introduce a layering within each position on the tier that the single elements do not have: light passing through a double poliedro is refracted twice, producing a more complex and diffuse output than a single element alone. The result across all 107 pieces is a composition with genuine visual depth; the eye does not resolve it immediately, but moves through it, discovering new configurations of colour and reflection as the angle of observation or the quality of the ambient light shifts.
Colour and light behaviour
The poliedri are transparent and multicolour: not a single applied tone, but a range of chromatic values distributed across the elements; clear, pale amber, soft blue, rose, green, and variations between them. When lit, the chandelier does not produce a single coloured glow: it produces a dispersed field of coloured light points and reflections that play across the surrounding walls, floor, and ceiling, shifting as the chandelier moves and as the light source changes. This behaviour is unique to transparent faceted glass of this quality; it cannot be replicated by painted, frosted, or industrially produced glass elements.
Scale and installation
At approximately 53 lb (24 kg), this chandelier requires structural mounting: a ceiling rose and fixing system rated for the load, installed by a qualified electrician. The gold chain allows installation height to be calibrated on-site to suit the ceiling clearance of the specific space. Six E14 sockets provide a clean and controllable light output; dimmable LED bulbs are recommended to exploit the full chromatic range of the poliedri elements at varying light intensities.
The chandelier is supplied with an EU electrical configuration. On request, the lampholders can be replaced with US-compatible fittings prior to shipping,please specify at the time of enquiry.
Condition
This piece is in perfect vintage condition. The glass elements are flawless. The brass that serves as glazing bead shows minor natural opacity consistent with age, a characteristic patina that confirms the piece's history without affecting its structural integrity or visual presence.
Note: As with every authentic piece of hand-blown Murano glass, minor variations in the faceting, colour distribution, and surface character of individual poliedri elements are an intrinsic characteristic of the handcrafting process; not a defect, but confirmation of the piece's authenticity and singularity.
