Murano Sommerso Glass Identification Guide + Gallery
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The sommerso technique was originally developed in the 1930's by Carlo Scarpa at Venini & Co. Sommerso (Italian for "submerged") is the Murano glassmaking technique of creating two or more layers of contrasting glass without the colours mixing together. It is formed by dipping coloured glass into molten glass of a different colour, before blowing the glass into the required form. The outermost layer is often clear. During the 1950's the sommerso style became world famous due to the work of Flavio Poli, artistic director of Seguso Vetri d'Arte. There have since been many other factories in the Murano region which have made pieces in this style, and as such it is difficult to be certain of the manufacturer without labels or signatures present. Other well known manufacturers that have produced glassware in the sommerso style include Mandruzzato, Galliano Ferro, Formia, Oball, and Arte Nuova.
See also: Murano Faceted Glass and Murano Glass Geodes
Important note on Flavio Poli: As mentioned, Flavio Poli helped to make the sommerso style famous. This has had the unfortunate side effect that nowadays, whenever someone sees a sommerso design, they often assume it was designed by Flavio Poli, despite the fact that there is strong evidence, via catalogues and labelled examples, that almost every factory on the island of Murano has produced sommerso glassware. There are also actually very few designs that can be positively attributed to Flavio Poli. He worked at I.V.A.M. from 1929 - 1934, Seguso Vetri d'Arte from 1934 - 1963, and led the artistic glass division at Società Veneziana di Conterie e Cristallerie from 1964 - 1966. It was at SVA where he began working with sommerso designs after the war. The only published information on Flavio Poli designs is in the book Seguso Vetri D'Arte: Glass Objects from Murano (1932 1973): Complete Catalogue Since 1933, by Marc Heiremans. Any Flavio Poli attributions that cannot be referenced in this book, are extremely unlikely to be true. In over 15 years of dealing in vintage art glass, and selling many thousands of sommerso glass items, I can honestly say that I have only ever had one or two pieces that were designed by Flavio Poli. I have had a few pieces by Seguso Vertri d'Arte, but even those were either designer unknown, or designed by Mario Pinzoni, who took over as chief designer after Flavio Poli left. Sadly, this myth just keeps on growing, as people simply assume "if everyone says it, it must be true". The truth is that 99.9% of Flavio Poli attributions found online, or at antique fairs, or even famous auction houses and a few Murano glass books, are wrong. I'll say it one last time loud and clear in a futile attempt to dispel the myth:
Most Sommerso Designs Are Not By Flavio Poli!
That single sentence is the most important thing to learn about sommerso glass. Please take it with you, and spread the word. Buy Murano Sommerso Glass Products in our Online Glass Store
A dark grey and blue Murano glass sommerso vase. Made by Seguso Vetri d'Arte, pattern number 12078, designed in 1958 by Flavio Poli.
Reference: click here.
A pair of green, amber and clear Murano glass sommerso candlestick holders. Made by Seguso Vetri d'Arte, signed.
A green and blue Murano glass sommerso perfume bottle. Made by Seguso Vetri d'Arte, pattern number 13937/P, labelled. Most likely designed by Mario Pinzoni.
Reference: click here.
A purple and pink sommerso Murano glass ashtray bowl. Made by Archimede Seguso, labelled.
An amber and uranium yellow green Murano sommerso glass stem vase. Made by Galliano Ferro, labelled.
A purple, blue and clear Murano sommerso glass stem vase. Made by Galliano Ferro.
A green, amber and clear Murano sommerso glass stem vase. Made by Galliano Ferro.
A red, blue and clear Murano sommerso glass stem vase. Made by Galliano Ferro.
An orange and amber Murano sommerso glass vase. Made by Galliano Ferro, labelled.
A blue triple cased Murano sommerso glass vase. Made by Oball, labelled, and signed by Luigi Onesto.
A blue, pink, turquoise and clear Murano multi-layered sommerso vase. Made by Oball, designed by Luigi Onesto, signed.
A blue, green and clear Murano multi-layered sommerso heart shaped vase. Made by Oball, designed by Michele Onesto (son of Luigi), signed and labelled.
A pink, white and clear Murano sommerso glass vase. Made by Oball, labelled.
A pink, white and clear Murano sommerso glass vase. Made by Oball, labelled.
A pink, black and clear Murano sommerso organic glass vase. With Oball shop label.
A pink, black and clear Murano sommerso organic glass vase. With Oball shop label.
A brown, uranium yellow and clear Murano sommerso glass vase. Made by Arte Nuova, labelled.
A brown, uranium yellow and clear Murano sommerso glass vase. Made by Arte Nuova.
A green, uranium yellow and clear Murano sommerso glass vase. Made by Arte Nuova. the exact same item can be found online with a label that reads "Arte Nuova Murano, Grand Prize, Genuine Venetian Glass, World Fair Brussels, 1958".
Reference: [click here].
A purple, uranium yellow and clear Murano sommerso glass vase. Made by Arte Nuova.
A brown, amber and clear triangular Murano sommerso glass ashtray bowl. Made by Arte Nuova, labelled.
A green, amber and clear triangular Murano sommerso glass ashtray bowl. Made by Arte Nuova.
A blue, uranium yellow and clear triangular Murano sommerso glass ashtray bowl. Made by Arte Nuova.
A blue, uranium yellow and clear rectangular Murano sommerso glass ashtray bowl. Made by Arte Nuova.
A pink, uranium yellow and clear Murano sommerso glass sculpture vase / bowl. Made by Arte Nuova, labelled.
A green, uranium yellow and clear Murano sommerso glass vase. Made by Arte Nuova, labelled.
A turquoise and blue Murano sommerso glass vase.
A turquoise and blue Murano sommerso glass vase.
A pink, blue and clear Murano sommerso glass vase.
A brown, amber and clear Murano sommerso glass vase.
A brown, amber and clear Murano sommerso glass vase.
A brown, amber and clear Murano sommerso glass vase.
A purple, blue and clear Murano sommerso glass vase.
A green, amber and clear Murano sommerso glass vase.
A pink, green, amber and clear Murano sommerso organic glass vase.
A green, amber, blue and clear Murano sommerso organic glass vase.
A pink, blue and clear Murano sommerso glass vase.
A green, amber and clear Murano sommerso glass vase.
A reddish brown, amber and clear Murano sommerso glass vase.
A pink, blue and clear Murano sommerso glass vase.
A green, pink and clear Murano sommerso glass sculptural bowl. Made by Cristallo Venezia CCC. Reference: [click here].
A green, pink and clear Murano sommerso glass sculptural bowl. Made by Cristallo Venezia CCC.
A green, amber and clear Murano sommerso glass sculptural bowl. Made by Cristallo Venezia CCC.
A green, amber and clear Murano sommerso glass sculptural bowl. Probably made by Cristallo Venezia CCC.
A pink, blue and clear Murano sommerso glass sculptural bowl. Probably made by Cristallo Venezia CCC.
A pink and blue Murano sommerso glass sculptural bowl. Probably made by Cristallo Venezia CCC.
A green and amber Murano sommerso glass sculptural bowl. Probably made by Cristallo Venezia CCC.
A purple, blue and clear Murano sommerso glass fish sculpture. Made by Artistica Murano CCC.
Reference: [click here].
A purple, blue and clear Murano sommerso glass vase.
A purple, blue and clear Murano sommerso glass vase.
A purple, blue and clear Murano sommerso glass vase.
A purple, blue and clear Murano sommerso glass vase.
A red, green and clear Murano sommerso glass vase. A vase in these colours with a Fratelli Toso label, was shared in a Murano Facebook group, but we are unsure if the label belongs (no other examples seen so far).
Reference: [click here].
A red, green and clear Murano sommerso glass vase.
A red, green and clear Murano sommerso glass vase.
A red, green and clear Murano sommerso glass vase.
A dark blue, pale blue and clear Murano sommerso glass vase.
A blue, uranium yellow and clear Murano sommerso glass vase.
A blue, uranium yellow and clear Murano sommerso glass vase.
A blue, uranium yellow and clear Murano sommerso glass vase.
A blue & green Murano sommerso glass basket sculpture, attributed to Ferro & Lazzarini, based on a labelled example with same style flattened handle shared online.
Reference: [click here].
A red, peach and clear Murano sommerso glass vase.
An orange, uranium green and clear Murano sommerso glass vase.
A smoky grey, blue and clear Murano sommerso glass vase.
An orange, amber and clear Murano sommerso glass vase. Label reads "Genuine Venetian Glass, Made in Murano, Italy".
A green, amber and clear Murano sommerso glass vase.
An orange, uranium green and clear Murano sommerso glass vase.
A brown, amber and clear Murano sommerso glass vase.
A blue, green and clear Murano sommerso glass vase.
A green, amber and clear Murano sommerso glass vase.
A brown, amber and clear Murano sommerso glass vase.
A red, amber and blue Murano sommerso glass vase.
A green, amber and clear Murano sommerso glass vase.
A red, amber and clear Murano sommerso glass vase.
A green, amber and clear Murano sommerso glass vase.
A purple, uranium yellow and clear Murano sommerso glass vase.
A purple and green Murano sommerso glass stem vase.
A red, amber and clear Murano sommerso glass stem vase, with generic Murano glass label.
A pink, blue and clear Murano sommerso glass stem vase.
A brown, amber and clear Murano sommerso glass stem vase.
A red, blue and clear Murano sommerso glass jug.
A green, amber and clear Murano sommerso glass jug, with Hans Geismar "HG Venetian Art Glass" import label.
A purple, green and clear Murano sommerso glass jug.
A pink, amber and clear Murano sommerso glass jug.
A red and uranium green Murano sommerso glass jug, with Hans Geismar "HG Venetian Art Glass" import label.
A red and uranium yellow Murano sommerso glass jug.
A blue and uranium green Murano sommerso glass jug.
A red and blue Murano sommerso glass jug.
A turquoise blue and uranium green Murano sommerso glass vase. Bears a red foil Hans Geismar "HG Venetian Art Glass" import label.
A dark blue and pale blue Murano sommerso glass perfume bottle. Bears a red foil Hans Geismar "HG Venetian Art Glass" import label.
A blue Murano sommerso glass decorative bottle.
A red and amber Murano sommerso glass decorative bottle.
A turquoise and uranium yellow Murano sommerso glass decorative bottle.
A green, yellow and clear Murano sommerso glass decorative bottle.
A green and amber Murano sommerso glass sculpture bowl.
A blue and amber Murano sommerso glass sculpture bowl.
A red and amber Murano sommerso glass sculpture bowl. Bears a red foil Hans Geismar "HG Venetian Art Glass" import label.
A red and amber Murano sommerso glass sculpture bowl. Bears a red foil Hans Geismar "HG Venetian Art Glass" import label.
A blue and amber Murano sommerso glass sculpture bowl. Bears a red foil Hans Geismar "HG Venetian Art Glass" import label.
A green and amber Murano sommerso glass sculpture bowl.
A turquoise blue and uranium green Murano sommerso glass cockerel figurine. Bears a foil Hans Geismar "HG Venetian Art Glass" import label.
A red and lilac / blue Murano sommerso neodymium glass swan with a bolle controlled bubble effect.
A green, amber and clear Murano sommerso glass swan with a bolle controlled bubble effect.
A red, amber and clear Murano sommerso glass swan with a bolle controlled bubble effect.
A purple and uranium yellow Murano sommerso glass swan figurine.
An amber and uranium yellow Murano sommerso glass swan figurine.
A pink and uranium yellow Murano sommerso glass swan figurine.
A purple, blue and clear Murano sommerso glass swan figurine.
A blue and uranium yellow Murano sommerso glass swan figurine.
A brown and amber Murano sommerso glass swan figurine.
A red, amber and uranium green Murano sommerso glass swan figurine with generic Murano glass label.
A red and amber Murano sommerso glass swan figurine.
An amber, blue and clear Murano sommerso glass swan or duck figurine.
A blue, amber and clear Murano sommerso glass swan figurine.
A green, uranium yellow and clear Murano sommerso glass fish sculpture.
An orange, amber and clear Murano sommerso glass fish sculpture.
A red, amber and clear Murano sommerso glass fish sculpture. Made by the Vetreria Artigiana Aldo Bon factory, labelled.
Label reads "Murano, A Bon".
A purple and green Murano sommerso glass sculpture bowl, made by the V. A. C. glassworks, which was owned by Giovanni Pinzan, Bruno Cimarosti and Giovanni Andreotta. Labelled.
Label reads "V. A. C. Murano, Cimarosti & Pinzan".
A green, uranium yellow and clear Murano sommerso glass bowl.
A red and amber Murano sommerso glass sculpture vase.
A green and amber Murano sommerso glass sculpture vase.
A blue and uranium yellow Murano sommerso glass bowl.
A red and amber Murano sommerso glass bowl.
A blue and amber Murano sommerso glass sculpture vase.
A red, uranium yellow and clear Murano sommerso glass basket shaped vase.
A red, blue and clear Murano sommerso glass basket shaped vase.
A purple, blue and clear Murano sommerso glass vase.
View more Murano Sommerso Glass examples in our Glass Reference Database
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Murano Sommerso Glass on eBay UK
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Murano Sommerso Glass on eBay USA
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Reference Websites
For more information on Murano Sommerso glass, check out the following resources:
www.glasspheme.com - Interesting article on Chinese made sommerso teardrop paperweights being sold as Murano.