1970s Italian Brillo Lamp | By Carlo Nason

A wonderful vintage Italian table lamp by Carlo Nason for Mazzega, produced in Murano during the 1970s. Crafted from chrome and hand-blown glass, the lamp beautifully showcases Nason’s celebrated craftsmanship and sculptural approach to lighting design. Its striking tiger-like striping reveals the remarkable skill of the Murano glassblower, with alternating bands of opalescent and beige glass creating depth, movement, and warmth. Resting on a polished chrome base, the lamp emits a soft ambient glow when illuminated, bringing a distinctly retro-chic atmosphere to any mid-century or contemporary interior.

A pioneering figure in modern Murano glass design, Carlo Nason helped reshape the island’s centuries-old glassmaking tradition through his clean-lined, futuristic forms and restrained palette. Raised within his family’s glassmaking business, V. Nason & C., Nason began working alongside master artisans from the age of eleven, learning through hands-on experience rather than formal training. Inspired by the minimalist silhouettes and natural tones of Japanese metalwork he encountered at Milanese fairs, he moved away from traditional ornate Murano styles in favour of modern, architectural lighting.

Nason’s long-standing collaboration with family friend Gianni Mazzega led to some of the most distinctive lighting designs of the 1970s and 1980s. His innovative use of layered glass, organic forms, and experimental production techniques made his work highly collectible internationally, with pieces now sought after by design collectors worldwide. Many of his creations are considered impossible to truly reproduce today due to the complexity of the techniques, materials, and craftsmanship involved.