Antique Murano Glass Service by Antonio Salviati, Set of 6

Details

Description

MEASUREMENTS:
Glasses: Height: 8.5 cm; Diameter: 6 cm ;
Bottle: Height: 31.5 cm; Diameter: 11.3 cm ;
Tray: Height: 3 … Read more MEASUREMENTS:
Glasses: Height: 8.5 cm; Diameter: 6 cm ;
Bottle: Height: 31.5 cm; Diameter: 11.3 cm ;
Tray: Height: 3 cm ; Diameter: 26 cm ;
Total weight: 1.309 kg

Description of the item:
A stunning set consisting of a bottle, a tray, and four liqueur glasses, made of Murano blown glass, entirely hand-crafted and finished in pure gold, created by Antonio Salviati in the late 19th century. The set was then decorated with enamel, entirely by hand, by Ludwig Moser, an important Austrian artist working in the Czech Republic, with a decoration called "Canine and foliate" inspired by a 17th-century Spanish decoration. The set is unsigned and made in full Art Nouveau style.

Information about the artist and/or manufacturer:
Born in Vicenza in 1816, he graduated in law and, as an entrepreneur, understood the potential of Venetian glass before anyone else. After graduating, in 1859 he founded the sole proprietorship Salviati dott. Antonio fu Bartolomeo, which produced mosaics and was based at Sestriere Dorsoduro 731, in Venice. Salviati's enterprise aroused the interest of the mayor of Murano, Antonio Colleoni, and Abbot Vincenzo Zanetti: in 1861, a weekend school of design was opened for furnace workers, while three years later, with the aim of relaunching local production on the international scene, the first Murano Glass Exhibition was held. Salviati was now engaged in a dual business: on the one hand, the production of mosaics and, on the other, the novelty of glass works. With the Salviati e Compagno company, he produced monumental mosaics and blown glass, employing 100 men and 25 children. The mosaics, which were a great success at exhibitions in Paris (Tourgan), were sold in Italy, France, Germany, England, and the United States.

Ludwig Moser (1833–1916) was an Austrian glass artist. In 1857, he opened a glass workshop in Karlovy Vary in the Czech Republic (then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire), where many independent artists worked. However, it was in 1892 that, after expanding and starting his own crystal production, he became a true manufacturer with 400 workers, the Karlsbaderglasindustrie Gesellschaft Ludwig Moser & Söhne. Its main characteristics are the materials it chooses to work with and the types of processing, in a combination that sees the two parts as closely interdependent. Thus, with regard to the former, the choice, which is not accidental, falls on the typical Bohemian crystal, a calcium and potassium glass that is lighter and less refractive than lead crystal, but which can be easily carved and engraved, as well as offering better adhesion to gold decorations, a distinctive feature of Moser's entire production line, which manifests itself in a frieze engraved with a classic antique motif and then gilded, running all around the vase. Alongside this, another recurring decoration is a deeply engraved and carved floral motif on clear crystal, often finished with an additional application of colored crystal. This piece is attributed to the mentioned designer/maker. It has no attribution mark and no
official proof of authenticity,
however it is well documented in design history. I take full responsibility for any authenticity



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