Fratelli Toso was created in 1854 by six brothers - Angelo Toso, Giovanni Toso, Ferdinando Toso, Carlo Toso, Gregorio Toso and Liberato Toso. They were joined by Ermanno Toso in 1924 who became artistic director. The Fratelli Toso company is well known for its use of colourful murrines and millefiori during the 1950's and earlier.
Sources: 20th Century Factory Glass by Lesley Jackson.
"Murano Glass, Made in Italy" blue and silver foil export label, found (exclusively?) on Fratelli Toso glass.
"Made in Italy, Murano Glass" (with FT logo) black and silver foil label.
"F.lli Toso, Chambord, Murano" yellow and gold foil label.
"Murano, Chambord, Flli Toso" yellow and gold foil label.
"Made in Italy, Fratelli Toso Vetreria, Murano" black and clear plastic label. Introduced in the late 1960's and used through the 1970's.
"F.lli Toso, 1854" black and clear plastic label.
"Fratelli Toso, Murano (Venezia), Murrine" red and white paper stock label.
Blue and white paper stock label found on Fratelli Toso glass. Possibly also seen on glass from other factories.
Millefiori
Originally described as "murrine mosaic", more commonly known these days as "millefiori" ("thousand flowers"), this range from Fratelli Toso consists of many different colourful flower shaped murrine canes arranged into various shapes including vases, bowls and jugs, often miniature in size. Most have a frosted / satin finish, although some with a glossy / shiny finish can also be found. Production began in the early 1900's and continued for many years. Pages from a 1921 Fratelli Toso catalogue, featuring this range, have been shared in a Facebook group [here]. Other catalogue pages are shown in the book "Fratelli Toso Murano 1902-1980" by Marc Heiremans. A selection of murrine canes known to be used by Fratelli Toso was published in the book "Fratelli Toso Italian Glass 1854-1980" by Leslie Pina. Similar items have been made by other Murano factories, including AVEM and Galliano Ferro.
Vases - Two Handles
A Murano multicoloured glass "millefiori" miniature vase with applied handles and frosted / satin finish. Made by Fratelli Toso.
A Murano multicoloured glass "millefiori" miniature vase with applied handles and frosted / satin finish. Made by Fratelli Toso.
A Murano blue & white glass "millefiori" miniature vase with applied handles and glossy finish. Made by Fratelli Toso.
A Murano yellow, blue and white glass "millefiori" miniature vase with applied handles and glossy finish. Made by Fratelli Toso.
A Murano blue, red and white glass "millefiori" miniature vase with frosted / satin finish. Made by Fratelli Toso.
A Murano green, yellow and white glass "millefiori" miniature vase with frosted / satin finish. Made by Fratelli Toso.
A Murano pink, yellow, blue and white glass "millefiori" miniature vase with glossy finish. Made by Fratelli Toso.
Ref: Murrine canes shown in FT book by Pina, page 32.
A Murano blue, red and white glass "millefiori" miniature vase with applied handles and frosted / satin finish. Made by Fratelli Toso.
A Murano green and white glass "millefiori" miniature vase with applied handles and frosted / satin finish. Made by Fratelli Toso.
A Murano multicoloured glass "millefiori" miniature vase with applied handles and frosted / satin finish. Made by Fratelli Toso.
A Murano blue, yellow and white glass "millefiori" miniature vase with applied handles and frosted / satin finish. Made by Fratelli Toso.
Ref: Shape shown in FT book by Pina, page 33.
Vases - One Handle
A Murano green, blue, pink and white glass "millefiori" creamer jug with frosted / satin finish. Made by Fratelli Toso.
A Murano multicoloured glass "millefiori" miniature vase with applied handle and frosted / satin finish. Made by Fratelli Toso.
Vases - No Handles
A Murano blue and white glass "millefiori" miniature vase with frosted / satin finish. Made by Fratelli Toso.
A Murano multicoloured glass "millefiori" miniature vase with glossy finish. Made by Fratelli Toso.
A Murano purple, blue and white glass "millefiori" miniature vase with frosted / satin finish. Made by Fratelli Toso.
A Murano blue, red and white glass "millefiori" miniature vase with frosted / satin finish. Made by Fratelli Toso.
A Murano pink & white glass "millefiori" miniature vase with frosted / satin finish. Made by Fratelli Toso.
Ref: Murrine canes shown in FT book by Pina, page 32.
A Murano purple, blue & white glass "millefiori" miniature vase with frosted / satin finish. Made by Fratelli Toso.
A Murano purple, green & white glass "millefiori" miniature vase with frosted / satin finish. Made by Fratelli Toso.
Jugs / Creamers
A Murano blue and white glass "millefiori" creamer jug with frosted / satin finish. Made by Fratelli Toso.
A Murano blue, green and white glass "millefiori" creamer jug with frosted / satin finish. Made by Fratelli Toso.
A Murano blue, brown and white glass "millefiori" creamer jug with frosted / satin finish. Made by Fratelli Toso.
A Murano green, purple and white glass "millefiori" creamer jug with frosted / satin finish. Made by Fratelli Toso.
A Murano pink, yellow and white glass "millefiori" creamer jug with frosted / satin finish. Made by Fratelli Toso.
A Murano multicoloured glass "millefiori" miniature jug with applied handle. Made by Fratelli Toso.
A Murano multicoloured glass "millefiori" miniature jug with applied handle and frosted / satin finish. Made by Fratelli Toso.
A Murano multicoloured glass "millefiori" jug with applied handle and glossy finish. Made by Fratelli Toso.
Paperweights
A clear glass paperweight filled with multicoloured millefiori canes. Made by Fratelli Toso, labelled.
Bowls & Other Items
A Murano blue, yellow and white glass "millefiori" miniature teacup shaped bowl with applied handle and frosted / satin finish. Made by Fratelli Toso.
Organic Bowls
This range of large organic shaped bowls and ashtrays, often in the form of leaves, butterflies, flowers and water splashes, was designed by Ermano Toso in the 1950's/60's. Most of the designs feature copper aventurine inclusions.
A large Murano lattimo white glass ashtray bowl with copper aventurine patches and thick yellow band. Made by Fratelli Toso, labelled.
A large Murano lattimo white glass ashtray bowl with copper aventurine patches and thick pink band. Made by Fratelli Toso, labelled.
A large Murano lattimo white aglass ashtray bowl with copper aventurine patches and thick orange band. Made by Fratelli Toso.
A Murano lattimo white glass bowl with copper aventurine patches and thick green band. Made by Fratelli Toso.
A Murano lattimo white and green glass bowl with spiral pattern and copper aventurine patches. Made by Fratelli Toso.
A Murano lattimo white and blue glass bowl with spiral pattern and copper aventurine patches. Made by Fratelli Toso.
A Murano lattimo white and red glass bowl with spiral pattern and copper aventurine patches. Made by Fratelli Toso.
A Murano lattimo white and green glass bowl with spiral pattern and copper aventurine patches. Made by Fratelli Toso.
A Murano lattimo white and blue glass fish shaped bowl with spiralling copper aventurine lines and patches. Made by Fratelli Toso.
A Murano lattimo white and blue glass bowl with scalloped rim, and spiralling copper aventurine lines and patches. Made by Fratelli Toso, labelled.
A Murano lattimo white and orange glass bowl with scalloped rim, and spiralling copper aventurine lines and patches. Made by Fratelli Toso, labelled.
A Murano lattimo white and purple glass bowl with scalloped rim, and spiralling copper aventurine lines and patches. Made by Fratelli Toso.
A Murano lattimo white and blue glass "water splash" bowl with spiralling copper aventurine lines and patches. Made by Fratelli Toso, labelled.
A large Murano lattimo white glass bowl with scalloped rim, and copper aventurine and blue patches. Made by Fratelli Toso.
A large Murano lattimo white glass leaf shaped bowl with copper aventurine , pink and blue patches. Made by Fratelli Toso, labelled.
A large Murano lattimo white and blue glass ashtray bowl with scalloped rim and copper aventurine patches, in a "Starry Night" pattern. Made by Fratelli Toso.
A Murano lattimo white glass square shaped bowl with copper aventurine patches and blue rings. Made by Fratelli Toso.
Ref: Fratelli Toso Italian Glass 1854-1980 by Leslie Pina, page 163.
A Murano lattimo white glass bowl with copper aventurine, yellow and green patches. Made by Fratelli Toso.
A Murano lattimo white, green and orange glass butterfly shaped bowl with speckles of silver mica. Made by Fratelli Toso.
Zanfirico
A large clear glass bowl filled with Zanfirico lattice filigree, twisted ribbon canes, and copper aventurine. Made by Fratelli Toso.
Other Fratelli Toso Glass
An opalescent white & purple glass ashtray bowl. Made by Fratelli Toso, labelled.
An opalescent white & purple glass ashtray bowl. Made by Fratelli Toso.
An opalescent white & pink glass ashtray bowl. Made by Fratelli Toso.
An opalescent white & pink glass ashtray bowl with copper aventurine patches. Attributed to Fratelli Toso.