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Clear glass torchon chandelier with gold inclusions, leaf crest and pine-cone pendant. 1950s Italian style, H 160 cm.
- Glass: clear Italian art glass with gold inclusions
- Structure: seven cylindrical torchon elements with double-curl (doppia mossa) finials, arranged in a circle to form a cage
- Top: cup crowned by a crest of small glass leaves
- Stem: small ribbed (baccellate) glass spheres ending in a bell
- Bottom: cup closure with a pendant shaped as a pine cone
- Style: 1950s Italian style
- Dimensions: H 63 in (160 cm), Ø 15.7 in (40 cm)
- Bulb fitting: to be specified
- Weight: to be specified
- Condition: slight imperfections possible
- Availability: pre-order
Seven torchon rods rise in a circle, catch the light along their spirals and close into a cage crowned by a crest of tiny leaves. Flecks of gold suspended in clear glass do the rest: warm, quiet, never decorative for its own sake.
Craft and technique
Every element is shaped by hand by Italian master glassmakers. The torchon technique twists the hot glass along its own axis, so light runs along each rod in a continuous spiral instead of resting on a flat surface. The gold inclusions are trapped inside the glass while it is being worked, which is why they never fade or wear away: they are part of the material itself. The small spheres of the stem are ribbed (baccellate) by hand, a detail you only notice up close, exactly the way the finest mid-century Italian glass was meant to be discovered.
Structure and composition
The composition reads from top to bottom like a vertical ornament. A cup edged with a crest of small leaves crowns the piece; below it, a stem of ribbed spheres ends in a bell, from which the seven twisted rods open in a circle, each finished with a double curl (doppia mossa) that softens the line. The cage closes at the base in a second cup, completed by a pendant modelled as a pine cone, a classical motif of welcome and abundance that anchors the whole silhouette.
Light behaviour
Clear glass with gold inclusions works on two registers. Lit, the spirals of the torchon rods break the light into fine, rhythmic highlights while the gold flecks glow warm from within the glass. Unlit, the piece keeps its presence as a transparent sculpture, catching daylight and reflections from the room around it.
Scale and installation
At 63 in (160 cm) tall and 15.7 in (40 cm) in diameter, this is a slender, markedly vertical chandelier. It is best suited to ceilings of around 11.5 ft (3.5 m) and above, to stairwells and double-height spaces, or above a dining table where its length can be read in full. Installation by a qualified electrician is recommended, with a ceiling fixing rated for the final weight of the piece.
Condition
Slight imperfections may be present, such as small bubbles or minor variations in the twist and in the distribution of the gold inclusions. They are part of the hand-made nature of the piece and do not affect its beauty or function.
Note: every element is formed by hand, so small variations in shape, tone and inclusions are to be expected. They are not defects but the signature of authentic Italian art glass, and the reason no two pieces are ever exactly alike.
