Murano Glass Shell Bowl attributed to Barovier & Toso, Italy, 1940s

Details

Description

Item description:
Large Murano blown glass bowl for emptying pockets, with a shape vaguely reminiscent of a shell, with spiral … Read more Item description:
Large Murano blown glass bowl for emptying pockets, with a shape vaguely reminiscent of a shell, with spiral curled glass and scissor-cut scalloped edge, made of transparent opaline glass, which ranges from white in the center of the bowl to shades of canary yellow and grass green towards the outer scalloped edge. The vase is unsigned, but can easily be attributed to the artistic glassworks of the Toso brothers. In fact, just put a photo of our glass on Google Lens and you will see that there are others very similar, all unsigned like ours, with the same attribution. The bowl is quite heavy, with very thick, high-quality glass.

Useful information for evaluating the item:
From a web search, we found numerous auction results for the Toso brothers. The four highest auction results in the objects category range from €7,000 to over €10,000, while in the lamps category they range from €3,500 to over €7,000. and finally in the sculptures category, from €1,600 to over €3,000. All prices are subject to a 25-30% auction fee, which gives an idea of the importance of this famous Murano glassworks. As for glassware similar to ours, prices range from €200-300 for small ashtrays to €1,600 for larger centerpieces. In the last photos, we have included a scalloped bowl in pink opaline glass very similar to ours, valued at $1,000-1,200. On the Internet, we found another bowl, very similar, also yellow in color, offered at a discount for around €687 and also attributed to the Toso brothers.

Information about the artist and/or manufacturer:
Founded in 1854 by six Toso brothers, Fratelli Toso is one of the oldest glass factories in Murano. Fratelli Toso became famous for producing murrine, an ancient and traditional technique that allows glass fabrics to be created for figurative and abstract works. Throughout its history, Fratelli Toso has collaborated with important artists and designers, while remaining a family business. Today, Fratelli Toso is no longer a production furnace, but a gallery that preserves an incredible collection of glass masterpieces and a complete historical archive. Fratelli Toso has also contributed to innovating the murrina technique, earning the nickname "murrinari." Vetrerie Artistiche Toso has a rich and complex history linked to the tradition of Murano glass. Its history can be divided into two main periods: the Fratelli Toso glassworks and the Barovier & Toso glassworks, which was created from the merger between the former and another renowned glassworks, Barovier, in 1942. Barovier & Toso continued the Fratelli Toso tradition of producing artistic glass, but also introduced new techniques and innovations, such as hot coloring without fusion. Ercole Barovier, designer and innovator at Barovier & Toso, obtained numerous patents and helped make the glassworks famous throughout the world. Barovier & Toso continues to be a leading company in the artistic glass sector, thanks to its tradition, innovation, and collaboration with world-renowned designers.



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



issues arising from misattribution See less