Vintage Murano Zanfirico Glass Vase | Red White Filigree Venetian Art Glass Handles

A beautiful vintage Venetian art glass vase, hand blown in Murano, Italy, and dating to approximately the mid-20th century.

The vase has a wonderfully elegant elongated form with a rounded bulbous base, slender waist and flared rim. Rich ruby-red glass alternates with intricate white filigree sections, creating a striking spiralling lattice or net-like effect traditionally associated with Venetian zanfirico / garza glasswork.

Particularly attractive are the elaborate clear applied glass handles on either side. These have been individually worked into looping and scrolling forms and add considerable character to the piece. Close inspection reveals the wonderfully handmade nature of the glass, with subtle variations and evidence of the glassmaker’s working process.

The underside retains evidence of the pontil finishing associated with hand-blown production.

The combination of ruby glass, fine white filigree canes and elaborate applied decoration makes this a particularly decorative example of mid-century Venetian glass.

No maker’s label or signature remains, so I have deliberately not attributed the vase to a particular Murano glasshouse.

Approximate Date

1950s–1960s

Origin

Murano / Venice, Italy

Dimensions

Height: 21 cm
Maximum diameter: approximately 8 cm
Weight: 156 g

Condition

Very good vintage condition overall.

There are minor surface marks and small irregularities commensurate with age and handmade production. Small bubbles, variations in the glass and tooling marks are characteristic of hand-blown Venetian glass rather than manufacturing faults.

Please study all photographs carefully as these form an important part of the description and show the condition and handmade character of the vase in detail.

A wonderfully decorative piece of vintage Italian art glass and a lovely addition to a collection of Murano, Venetian or mid-century studio glass.