20th Century Murano Glass Swan Sculpture Ashtray by Ermanno Toso for Pulegoso, Italy, 1920s

Details

Description

A delightful ashtray, embellished with a swan sculpture, made of sommerso pulegoso glass, green on the inside and clear on … Read more A delightful ashtray, embellished with a swan sculpture, made of sommerso pulegoso glass, green on the inside and clear on the outside. Pulegoso glass is obtained by passing the glass over numerous pins, then covering it with another layer of glass, thus forming internal air bubbles where the pins touch the first layer of glass. This type of glass is always very thick, as in this case, where the green pulegoso glass was incorporated into the clear glass using the sommerso technique. The ashtray is signed "Toso Murano" under the diamond-pointed base and comes with two adhesive labels, one from the glassworks where the item was sold and the other with a red symbol whose precise meaning is unknown. Made by Ermanno Toso, an important Murano master glassmaker. Dating to the second half of the 20th century.

Useful information for item valuation:
from our online research, we've found that the artist's top four auction results range from €7,000 to over €10,000, giving a general idea of ​​Ermanno Toso's importance. Please note that a 25-30% commission is always added to auction prices.

Information on the artist and/or manufacturer:
Ermanno Toso (Murano 1903-1973) began working at the Fratelli Toso workshop in 1924, where he later became a partner. In 1936, he was appointed artistic and marketing director of the company. In the period before World War II, he created thick glass pieces using traditional decorative techniques, characterized by simple, solid forms inspired by the 20th-century style. During the 1950s, he created a collection of extraordinarily lightweight glass pieces based on a modern interpretation of classic techniques, such as filigree and murrina. In the 1960s, his creative talent led him to an absolute, multicolored sobriety. Ermanno is the father of Giusto and Renato Toso. 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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