Vintage Italian Sommerso Murano Glass Ashtray, 1970s

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A unique decorative bowl made in the famous Venetian glassworks on the island of Murano in Italy in the 1950s … Read more A unique decorative bowl made in the famous Venetian glassworks on the island of Murano in Italy in the 1950s and 1960s. This item represents a characteristic style known as “geode” – forms with rounded, organic shapes that showcase the beauty of glass in the sommerso (submerged) technique.

The presented piece impresses with its combination of a cherry-red interior surrounded by a wide band of transparent blue glass. The effect of depth and three-dimensionality is emphasized by the precision of workmanship and the noble proportions of the vessel.

The bowl may have been created in the workshop of Archimede Seguso or Cenedese, whose very similar examples were published in the book Italian Glass: Century 20 by Leslie Piña. Both workshops were among the most innovative in Murano – Seguso was known for his experiments with color and structure, while Cenedese was known for his elegant, balanced color compositions.

This timeless object combines utility and decoration—it can be used as a bowl for small items, but also as a standalone sculptural form of artistic glass that beautifully reflects and refracts light. See less