Viartec Murano Style Selenium Red & Orange Spanish Glass Sculpture

Description

Here is a magnificent large and heavy (1.4kg unpacked) 1950/60's Murano style Spanish freeform 'Selenium' glass sculpture. In a stunning combination of ruby red glass encased in orange glass. Similar to uranium glass, but far less common, Selenium glass reacts when lit with UV light by glowing a bright orange or pink colour. This does not show up that well on camera, but is a lot brighter to the naked eye (although not as bright as the glow from uranium glass). A metalloid element, Selenium (Se) resembles sulphur, and is used in the production of glass to remove the green tinge and to make ruby-coloured glass.

Made by Viartec THF. Multiple examples from this range can be found online with labels that read "Viartec Hand Made in Spain".

Size

Measures approx 8 inches tall by 15.5 inches in diameter at widest point.

Condition

Has a couple of nibbles to the base rim, and a small dull patch to the edge of the base rim, where a tiny chip may have been ground out, all shown in final pictures. This is actually very common with these sculptures, and therefore probably done at the factory. There are also a few surface scratches, mentioned for accuracy.