Trendspotter – Murano Glass

On 27^th September, Milan-based studio, 6:AM hit headlines when it provided seating made of Murano glass in jewel-like tones for the Bottega Veneta show at Milan Fashion Week. Sat upon by the great and the good of fashion including Michelle Yeoh, Lauren Hutton and Steve McQueen, suddenly, Murano glass was back in the public eye.

This was perhaps the pinnacle of a trend which has been building for some time. While Murano glass has perhaps sat in the shadows for the past few years, it’s swiftly becoming cool again. Fashion brand Jil Sandler unveiled a special collection of Murano glass vases for its new Venetian store on Piazzo San Marco, while Duncan Campbell, who is one of the most influential tastemakers in interiors today has also started creating his own line of Murano glassware.

As always, trends in fashions and interiors trickle down to the second-hand market. And we have seen a significant uplift in interest in coloured glass recently, particularly the best in class from Murano. The quality and diversity of the Island’s output really appeal to collectors and designers, and I can confidently say that prices are on the up for the best pieces which come to auction, whether that’s for tableware, sculptures, lights or vases.

Lot 33 - Attributed to Toni Zuccheri for VeArt, a pair of Murano glass 'Patchwork' wall sculptures, circa 1970s - available at The Art & Design Sale on 23rd October - estimate £300 - £500

Murano glass hails from the Venetian island of the same name and has been made there since Roman times. It’s crafted from silica, soda, lime and potassium, melted together at a blistering 1500°C. Layers of 24K gold or silver are sometimes added to create those rich, never-fading colours, before the glass is mouth-blown and hand-shaped using time-honoured techniques like Millefiori, Sommerso and Bullicante.

The term ‘Murano glass’, for many at least, will conjure images of the bold colours and flamboyant designs that have become synonymous with the Island’s output during its long history, but less well known is the diversity of the products and the complexity of techniques honed and used by the masters of this craft.  With production ranging from chandeliers and mirrors of monumental scale to decorative vases, tableware and even jewellery, the individually crafted, hand-blown glass of Murano has always drawn admiration from around the world, but it is pieces produced during the mid to late 20^th century that are proving hottest in the market at present.

Key designers and makers include the likes of Carlo Scarpa, Fulvio Bianconi, Kiki Kogelnik, Paolo Venini, Napoleone Martinuzzi, Archimede Seguso and Alessandro Pianon, to name just a few, and whilst the market for Murano remains accessible at a level, best in class works by the likes of these and others can commend four, five and even six figure sums. 

Lot 37 - Silvano Signoretto, a sommerso Art Glass vase, available at The Art & Design Sale on 23rd October - estimate £300 - £500

The joy of Murano glass is that it’s highly decorative. There is an increased interest in coloured glass as a whole, which follows in line with trends for high pattern and colour through layered interiors. In general, there is something from Murano to suit all tastes and budgets, chandeliers really appear to be having their moment in the spotlight, but also tableware which would fit with highly decorative schemes is popular. In general, the more intense the colour the better in terms of popularity.

For would-be buyers, it’s important to understand that this is a market where fakery is rife. Good pieces will come with various different identification marks from different factories or even provenance stickers for more recent pieces which state ‘Murano Glass Consortium’ – this is what buyers really need to look out for, although, of course, even these can be forged.

Lot 36 - Anzolo Fuga for AVEM, a murano glass vase, available at The Art & Design Sale on 23rd October. Estimate £200 - £400

We would always recommend that buyers check the provenance of pieces before they buy them and aim for reputable auction houses or dealers where items will have been authenticated. Condition is also key. The joy of collecting Murano glass is that there’s a huge amount to choose from. Buyers can get really into one particular style or maker, and then within that collect hundreds of different pieces. Just make sure that you have got somewhere to display it where it will really sparkle.

There is a number of Murano glass pieces at the upcoming Art & Design Sale on 23^rd October. To view the catalogue, please click here