Salviati Martini Glasses

Not only did Salviati support the revival of Venice’s flagging Murano glass industry in the 19th century, but the company also became world-renowned for its innovative glassmaking techniques, revolutionizing the art of mosaics and glassware design.

The story of Salviati glass begins with Vicenza-born lawyer and entrepreneur Antonio Salviati. His love of Murano glass art and mosaics inspired him to establish his own mosaic and glass manufacturing firm, the Salviati Dott. Antonio fu Bartolomeo company, in Venice in 1859. Glassmakers in the region had been weathering a dismal political climate and growing competition in neighboring countries, and Salviati had initially hoped to revive Murano glassmaking in order to restore deteriorating mosaics in local cathedrals.

In 1864, Salviati exhibited a monumental glass mosaic at the “First Glassmakers’ Exhibition,” which won the gold medal. His award-winning mosaic solidified his company’s reputation as a first-rate glassmaker, which soon drew the attention of international investors, particularly investors from Great Britain.

In 1866, Salviati and C. opened in London with the support of historian William Drake and diplomat Sir Austen Henry Layard. Meanwhile, the Salviati company established its headquarters on the Rio dei Vetrai in Murano.

Throughout the late 1800s, Salviati and C. expanded its production to include household glassware and serveware and decorative objects such as cups, glasses, amphoras and vials. Salviati also received commissions to produce mosaics for St Paul’s Cathedral and the Houses of Parliament in London, the Paris Opera House and the Viceroy of Egypt’s Palace in Alexandria.

After Antonio Salviati died in 1890, his sons Giulio and Silvio took over the company. The Barovier family — a dynasty that stretches as far back as 1295 — bought the manufacturer in 1883, and a glass master named Maurizio Camerino, who had honed his skills at Salviati, was appointed to lead the company. Camerino’s children took the reins following the glass master’s death in 1931 and launched a successful lighting line of table lamps and chandeliers after World War II.

Throughout the 20th century, Salviati participated in several Venice Biennale exhibitions from 1958 to 1972. In 1962, the company was awarded the Compasso d’Oro prize for the Marco vase, designed by architect Sergio Asti.

Since its acquisition by the Umana group in 2015, Salviati has collaborated with numerous renowned designers such as Federico Peri, Davide Bruno, Renzo Stellon, Alberto Lago and Anna Gili. Salviati's pieces can be found in the collections of the Museum August Kestner in Hanover, Germany, the Museum of Modern Art and Corning Museum of Glass in New York, the Eretz Museum in Tel Aviv, Israel, and the Murano Glass Museum in Venice.

Find antique Salviati glass that includes bowls, vases, lighting and more.

Your dining room table is a place where stories are shared and personalities shine — why not treat yourself and your guests to the finest antique and vintage glass, silver, ceramics and serveware for your meals?

Just like the people who sit around your table, your serveware has its own stories and will help you create new memories with your friends and loved ones. From ceramic pottery to glass vases, set your table with serving pieces that add even more personality, color and texture to your dining experience.

Invite serveware from around the world to join your table settings. For special occasions, dress up your plates with a striking Imari charger from 19th-century Japan or incorporate Richard Ginori’s Italian porcelain plates into your dining experience. Celebrate the English ritual of afternoon tea with a Japanese tea set and an antique Victorian kettle. No matter how big or small your dining area is, there is room for the stories of many cultures and varied histories, and there are plenty of ways to add pizzazz to your meals.

Add different textures and colors to your table with dinner plates and pitchers of ceramic and silver or a porcelain lidded tureen, a serving dish with side handles that is often used for soups. Although porcelain and ceramic are both made in a kiln, porcelain is made with more refined clay and is more durable than ceramic because it is denser. The latter is ideal for statement pieces — your tall mid-century modern ceramic vase is a guaranteed conversation starter. And while your earthenware or stoneware is maybe better suited to everyday lunches as opposed to the fine bone china you’ve reserved for a holiday meal, handcrafted studio pottery coffee mugs can still be a rich expression of your personal style.

“My motto is ‘Have fun with it,’” says author and celebrated hostess Stephanie Booth Shafran. “It’s yin and yang, high and low, Crate Barrel with Christofle silver. I like to mix it up — sometimes in the dining room, sometimes on the kitchen banquette, sometimes in the loggia. It transports your guests and makes them feel more comfortable and relaxed.”

Introduce elegance at supper with silver, such as a platter from celebrated Massachusetts silversmith manufacturer Reed and Barton or a regal copper-finish flatware set designed by International Silver Company, another New England company that was incorporated in Meriden, Connecticut, in 1898. By then, Meriden had already earned the nickname “Silver City” for its position as a major hub of silver manufacturing.

At the bar, try a vintage wine cooler to keep bottles cool before serving or an Art Deco decanter and whiskey set for after-dinner drinks — there are many possibilities and no wrong answers for tableware, barware and serveware. Explore an expansive collection of antique and vintage glass, ceramics, silver and serveware today on 1stDibs.