Toni Zuccheri was an Italian glass designer celebrated for his imaginative and technically accomplished work for the renowned Murano firm Venini. Combining sculptural sensitivity with a deep understanding of glassmaking processes, Zuccheri helped shape post-war Italian glass design in the second half of the twentieth century.
Born in San Vito al Tagliamento in 1936, Zuccheri trained as an architect at the Istituto Universitario di Architettura di Venezia (IUAV). This architectural grounding informed his approach to form and structure, lending his glass objects a clarity of line and balance of proportion. In 1963 he began collaborating with Venini, one of Murano’s most influential glasshouses, where he worked alongside leading designers and master glassmakers.
Zuccheri is perhaps best known for his series of finely observed glass animals, produced from the 1960s onwards. These sculptural works - owls, fish, birds and other creatures - demonstrate both technical virtuosity and a playful yet controlled approach to form. Rendered in richly coloured or subtly tonal glass, they reflect his interest in the natural world while showcasing the expressive potential of Murano techniques.
Alongside these sculptural pieces, Zuccheri designed vases and decorative objects that balance organic inspiration with modernist restraint. His work exemplifies the creative resurgence of Murano glass in the post-war period, when designers and glassmakers collaborated closely to reassert Venice’s international reputation for innovation and craftsmanship.
Today, Toni Zuccheri’s designs are sought after by collectors of mid-century Italian glass, particularly works produced by Venini during the 1960s and 1970s. His pieces remain valued for their sculptural quality, technical refinement and enduring appeal within the history of modern glass design.
