Murano Art Glass Flavio Vase Purple

This beautiful Flavio Poli vase we believe is a Sommerso soliflore in multi-layered glass, Murano, circa 1960-70.  Normal wear.   

Flavio Poli Glassware Range

Key Features:

• Designer: Flavio Poli, iconic Murano glass artist

• Technique: Sommerso – layered glass for rich color depth

• Shape: Organic, sculptural curves with flowing edges

• Era: Mid-20th century, a classic of mid-century modern design

• Craftsmanship: Hand-blown by Murano artisans, making each piece unique 

Why It’s Highly Collectible:

Poli’s use of bold colors and the organic form make this vase a standout example of Italian mid-century glass. The vase’s authenticity and condition, [add condition details here], enhance its value as a piece of Murano art glass history.

Add this elegant, mid-century Murano art glass vase to your collection—a rare investment in timeless Italian craftsmanship. Perfect for collectors and lovers of fine art glass.

A Brief History of Murano Glass

The cluster of islands known as Murano emerges from the Venetian lagoon, a vast expanse of water whose surface reflects every shift in light. Since the thirteenth century, glassmakers have observed these shimmering waters outside their workshops, a vision reflected in the art that has made Murano, and its glass masters, world-famous.

Glassblowers came to be located on Murano for two reasons. The first was to minimize fire risk in Venice. The great number of glass-firing ovens—which regularly reached some 1500 degrees Celsius—produced beautiful glass objects but also initiated fires in the city. The fire hazard must have become onerous because by the 1270s, city officials had begun to transfer glass workshops from the center of Venice to Murano, a process completed by 1291. The second reason to relocate glassmakers to Murano was probably political. Trade secrets of Murano glassmaking were already being leaked across Europe during the Middle Ages, and sequestering glassmakers on Murano allowed the Republic to control glass production and exportation, ensuring that these secrets remained in Venice. Glassmakers faced steep fines or even imprisonment if they traveled outside the Republic, though interestingly, glassmakers from Dalmatia, Bohemia, and elsewhere were occasionally authorized to work on Murano. Until the sixteenth century, Murano glassmakers held a monopoly on European glassmaking, and their stunning creations brought them renown across the world.