Vintage art glass collecting: Murano and Murano-style glass
Collecting vintage art glass is an exciting and unique hobby to pursue. Vintage Murano glass offers a combination of superb craftsmanship and a long history, something that mass-produced glass doesn’t have. Murano-style glass can, to the untrained eye, look the same as Murano glass. However, there are differences between the two, and you need to know what they are before you start collecting, so that you are not fooled into thinking that you are getting the genuine article.
What Are the Differences Between Vintage Murano Glass and Murano-Style Glass?
Geographic Location
Vintage Murano glass has only been made by artisans living on the Venetian island of Murano. Glassmaking there stretches back over 700 years, with techniques passed down from generation to generation.
Murano-style glass, however, has been made in other areas of the world, in particular, Asia. Artisans there have tried to replicate classic Murano glass techniques, which, to the untrained eye, can look like a genuine Murano piece of glass.
Craftsmanship
Vintage glass from Murano is usually mouth-blown, using centuries-old techniques such as Sommerso (layered colored glass) and Avventurina (shimmering copper flecks embedded in the glass). It takes many years of training for the artisans to perfect their craft.
Murano-style glass has usually been mass-produced. Murano techniques have been copied, but intricate details have usually been left out. For example, you may find patterns painted onto the glass, rather than embedded inside it.
Uniqueness
Because each piece of Murano glass is handmade, no items are exactly the same, even with two items of identical design, such as a pair of earrings. There may be a slight difference in color or in the pattern, which can only happen if a piece of glass is handmade.
Because Murano-style glass is mass-produced, it is uniform, and you don’t get a unique piece that nobody else will have. It is assumed that it will eventually be discarded and replaced. Murano glass, on the other hand, is built on a different premise: that, if cared for properly, it will last for generations and become more meaningful as the years go by.
Certification
Many, though not all, Murano glass pieces bear the ‘Vetro Artistico Murano’ anti- counterfeit mark, which guarantees that the glass is 100% handmade by glass artisans in Murano. It is tamper-proof, as it breaks into fragments if you try to remove it to put on a fake piece of glass. Newer labels include a QR code and serial number, which you can scan on the ‘Vetro Artistico’ website to verify the company and the artist. Reputable galleries and other sources also provide physical documents. If the piece of glass you are interested in lacks either of these certifications, tread carefully, as it may not be authentic vintage Murano glass. Beware of items that state “Murano-Style” or “Murano Inspired”. They are not original Murano glass pieces.
Cost
Vintage Murano glass will cost a considerable amount more than Murano-Style glass. However, not all Murano-style glass items claim to be authentic, which is perfectly alright as long as the customer knows.
Which One to Choose
If you are looking for a collector’s piece, choose vintage Murano glass, only produced on the island itself. Make sure that you check for authenticity before you purchase each piece. However, if you want to bring the sophistication of Murano glass into your home but don’t have the means to afford original pieces, there is nothing wrong with buying vintage Murano-style glass. You can still build a collection, but don’t expect it to increase in value as is possible with Murano glass.
Why Do the Differences Matter When Collecting Vintage Glass?
Avoiding Dishonesty
If you purchase a piece of Murano-style glass thinking that it is genuine, not only will you have been fooled, but you will be helping to fuel the dishonesty of some sellers. The more they sell, the more likely it is that they could destroy the Murano glass industry.
Heritage and Craftsmanship
If you buy genuine vintage Murano glass, you are protecting the cultural heritage of the island, which goes back to the 13th century. It will help to support the continuation of the craft and to preserve traditional techniques which have been passed down from generation to generation.
The Importance of Value
When collecting, it is important not only that the items are what the collector thinks they are, but also what value they have. Collectors of vintage Murano art glass often pay premium prices for their finds and expect that the items they picked will maintain or increase their value. If the item is a fake, its value is, of course, very low compared to the expectation, and its place in the collection is unwarranted.
Famous Collectors of Vintage Glass
Nancy Olnick and Giorgio Spanu
Married couple Nancy Olnick and Giorgio Spanu collect handmade vintage Murano glass from the 20th century, as well as pieces from the 21st century. They are co-founders and patrons of Magazzino Italian Art in Cold Spring, New York.
They have collected more than 500 mouth-blown pieces of glass that showcase the artistic movements and techniques of Murano glassmaking from the beginning of the 20th century.
Their collection includes works by many famous artisans and designers, including Ercole Barovier, Artisti Barovier, Carlo Scarpa, Napoleone Martinuzzi, Vittoria Zecchin, and Massimo Vignelli. They also have recent works from Giorgio Vigna and Fucchi d’Acqua for Venini.
Their collection began without planning, in the late 1980s, when Nancy bought a Venini hourglass at a Sotheby’s auction. So began a passion for Murano glass, which later spread to Italian ceramics, post-World War II art, and even the Arte Povero movement, which rejected fine art in favor of humble materials.
Nancy and Giorgio first exhibited 300 of their vintage Murano glass pieces from September 2000 to January 2001 at the Museum of Art and Design, New York City. Their next exhibition was at Milan’s Spazio Oberdan, a multi-functional cultural center.
The couple views thousands of pieces of vintage glass, but are very selective. They have said that they have to be seduced by the piece before they commit to buying it. Their collection focuses on vessels created from 1910 onwards.
Nancy loves Murano glass vessels from this period because they combine a powerful heritage with modernism. Giorgio, on the other hand, has a particular fondness for glass sculptures.
Francesco and Lara Boglione
Francesco Boglione, who owns Petersham Nurseries in the U.K., became interested in Murano glass when he visited the island with his daughter, Lara. They bought hundreds of pieces in four trips. Their collection is centered around Scavo glass, which originated at the start of the 20th century and looks cloudy and weathered, mimicking ancient Roman glass. It is made by sprinkling the glass with a mixture of minerals, including coarse salt.
The piece is then warmed so that the mixture is embedded in the glass. Using a brush and water, the artisan then removes any excess mixture. Collectable Scavo pieces include those made by Alfredo Barbini, Archimede Seguso, and Gino Cenedese. The Boglione collection heavily features works by Cenedese as well as vases by Sergio Rossi and colorful Goti drinking glasses. Scavo is now rare because arsenic was used in the making of the glass.
Boglione’s house backs onto his nursery, and here you will find much of his vintage glass collection. Most of it is used, not just displayed. For example, the vases are filled with flowers and branches, and the drinking glasses come out at dinnertime.
The Steinberg Family
The Steinberg Foundation has a large and varied collection of mid-20th century glass, centering on Murano glass. It particularly focuses on glass created between 1930 and 1970 and includes the start of the Studio Glass Movement in the U.S. This movement introduced the idea of making glass artwork in an artisan’s studio rather than in a bigger workshop or factory.
Highlights of the collection include works by maestros such as Carlo Scarpa, Paolo Venini, Fulvio Bianconi, Ercole Barovier, Archimede Seguso, and Dino Martens. Masterpieces from eminent glassworks are included, such as Venini, Barovier & Toso, and Arts Vetreria Muranese.
In addition, the Steinberg Foundation collected a large number of original design drawings by mid-20th-century Czech glass artisans. They are now displayed in the Corning Museum of Glass in New York.
The Differences Between Murano Glass and Murano-Style Glass Matter for Collectors
You can collect either vintage Murano glass or other vintage art glass, but Murano-style glass is often not worth collecting. Before deciding what to collect, you need to know that Murano-style is an imitation and not the same thing as Murano Glass, crafted on Murano Island in Venice. Authentic Murano glass has been made by highly skilled artisans and is intricate and costly, which is why collectors of glass art appreciate it.
Many of them aim to amass a large collection worth a great deal of money. If you intend to start a collection, remember to carefully check and ask for a second opinion from experts to ensure the authenticity of each piece. By purchasing authentic Murano glass, you are helping to keep the art alive.
