1970s Dimpled Balloon Table Lamp

Materials: Dimpled balloon shaped hand blown crystal Murano glass lampshade made of three layers. Two white opal layers and one clear. White Bakelite E27 lamp socket.

Height: 46 cm / 18.11”

Width: ∅ 34 cm / 13.38”

Base: ∅ 16 cm / 6.29”

Electricity: 1 bulb E27, 1 x 100 watt maximum, 110/220 volt.
Any type of light bulb can be used. Not a specific one preferred. 

Period: 1970s, 1980s.

Designer: Lino Tagliapietra – attributed.

Manufacturer: Effetre International, Fondamenta San Giovanni Dei Battuti 4/A, 30141 Murano, Italy

Other versions: This dimpled balloon table lamp exists in some variations. Made with thick or small stripes.

It is definitely an Effetre lamp, sometimes you find it labelled with an Effetre label and a Murano 023 label together.

Neweba sells these lamps today (2021). They are named Roccia (Italian word for rock). It exists in 3 sizes and was also made as a pendant lamp. At least it also exists in striped glass. These lamps are made in Murano, probably also by Effetre International. This old one is made of three layers of glass and +- 1 cm / 0.39” thick. This one is the biggest version.

This deflated or dimpled balloon table lamp is reminiscent of the table lamps designed by glass master Luciano Vistosi (1931-2010) from Murano. In the late sixties he started to create table lamps in biomorphe sculptural forms. This lamp has some similarities with the Munega table lamp he designed in 1978. The Munega lamp is still in production by Vistosi. 

Neweba

The Swiss Newaba company was founded after World War II in 1945. Not much info can be found about it. Today Neweba is a brand of GO4LIGHT AG. The Swiss company results from the merger of Neweba AG and Studio Lumess AG.

Lino Tagliapietra 

Lino Tagliapietra was born August 10, 1934 in Murano, Italy and has also worked extensively in the United States. As a teacher and mentor, he has played a key role in the international exchange of glass blowing processes and techniques between the principal American centres and his native Murano, but his influence is  apparent in the whole world. Lino is master in this striped technique. Tagliapietra made many items for the Effetre company, in all probability also this pendant lamp.

Lino Tagliapietra:
“I don’t invent anything new; I personalise something … and that makes it something that nobody has done before.”

Lino Tagliapietra is the master in striped Murano glass. Less complicated designs as he creates now were made for the La Murrina company in the 1960s and 1970s. You can find some examples here on Vintageinfo. Effetre is the specialist in glass rods for glass processing in all possible colours and designs such as millefiori. Lino Tagliapietra made many items for the Effetre company.

Today (2021) copies of the pendant lamp are made by the Czech company Bomma in clear blue or purple glass. They named it  Soap.

Effetre International

The Effetre company’s name is the abbreviated form of fratelli tre or three brothers.  The company originates from the 19th century Moretti factory. Moretti or Effetre glass, is a medium-soft glass and is well known for its wide range of colours and the ease with which it is moulded and shaped when hot. Today the firm is named Effetre Murano S.r.l. 

Effetre is the sole glass manufacturer in Murano of this type of glass. This feature makes the company to be well-known worldwide.

VLM Components

All the electric parts were made by VLM Components in the 70s. The VLM Components company was founded in 1945 in Buccinasco, a small village near Milan, Italy. VLM Components is part of the Relco Group, founded in 1967. Today they are the owners of the brands Relco, Leuci, Relco Lighting, VLM Components and Segno. VLM Components became famous for the switches they produce which were designed by Achille Castiglioni in 1968.