Eye Candy: Wright’s August Murano Glass Sale

Wright of Los Angeles, CA, Lambertville, NJ, and Chicago, IL held its 156-lot Murano glass sale on August 15, 2024. This event featured outstanding 19th and 20th-century decorative glass items produced on Murano– the second-largest island in Italy’s Venetian lagoon. Murano glass is recognized for its beauty, quality of manufacturing and design, and a long history that dates back as early as 1291. Here are some stunning highlights from this late summer auction.

Massimo Micheluzzi Carved Glass Vase

The top lot in this sale was #0240, a carved glass vase by Massimo Micheluzzi. Estimated at USD 1,500 to $2,000, it traded hands at $41,920 during this Murano glass sale. This clear, light gray example measured 37 by 23 by 23 cm and was produced in 2002. The piece resembled a tornado with its color, texture, and presentation. It featured the artist’s etched signature and date of production to its underside.

Massimo Micheluzzi (Italian, 1957 – 2009) was a popular and beloved glass artist and designer. He also was a teacher and instructor, giving classes at the Academy of Fine Arts in Venice. One of his signature styles was to rely not on color but on the glass itself to create textures, movement, and patterns. This blue-ribbon auction highlight is a premier example of this approach. It also appears to be the highest-priced example of the artist’s work ever to sell at public auction.

Dino Martens Oriente Vase

Vases are the perfect form for art glass, and this Murano glass sale offered an impressive selection of these vessels. Lot #0184, an Oriente vase by Dino Martens, was estimated at $5,000 to $7,000 and delivered $13,100. This internally decorated bottle-shaped example was made around 1954. It measured 37 by 11 cm overall and retained its partial paper label on its underside. This clear, yellow, brown, white, and metallic example was featured in Heiremans’ reference book Dino Martens: Muranese Glass Designer.

Dino Martins (Italian, 1894 – 1970) found success both as a glass artist as well as a painter. His works on canvas were shown at the Venice Biennale, an art festival that has been held in Venice continuously since 1895. He was also the artistic director for Vetreria Aureliano Toso– an art glass company that started in 1938– from the early 1940s through the early 1960s. Martins was well known for his technical expertise and ability to render challenging, complicated, and asymmetrical items. In 2021, Bonhams in London sold Martins’ Anfora Ape vase from 1952 for $256,250.

Paolo Venini Table Lamp

Lamps were another important category in this eye-catching Murano glass sale. Lot #0128, Paolo Venini’s Inciso table lamp, was estimated at $3,000 to $5,000 and delivered $8,515. This wheel-carved, midcentury-era fixture measured 50 by 51 cm. Its glass base was primarily green and cylinder-shaped, and its shade was made from textured linen or cloth. This proper topper had a flattened, broad form which perfectly complemented the lamp’s presentation. The base was signed with a circular three-line acid stamp on its underside.

Paolo Venini (Italian, 1895 – 1959) served in World War I and was professionally educated as a lawyer. In 1921, he went into the glass industry with a partner; by 1925 he formed his own firm which would eventually be known as Venini & Co. Venini had a hand in both the business and artistic aspects of his company, including collaborating on some of Venini & Co.’s now signature designs. He sought out partnerships with other top professionals in the fashion, design, and architectural worlds to bring fresh and novel perspectives to his company’s production aesthetic. In 2023, Wright sold Venini’s Dame vase, model 3644 from 1953, for $72,050.

Alessandro Pianon Sculpture

Figures and other sculptures also caught the eye of enthusiasts in this sale. Lot #0200, Alessandro Pianon’s Pulcini sculpture, was estimated at $3,000 to $5,000 and sold for $7,860. This work, in the form of a playful, top-heavy, standing baby chicken, was produced around 1963. The bird’s square body was decorated internally with blue, red, and orange ovals. He had distinctive glass eyes and metal feet and legs and measured 20 by 10 by 10 cm overall. This particular example was noted in several important reference books, including Heiremans’ 20th Century Murano Glass and Olnick and Spanu’s Glass from the Olnick Spanu Collection.

Artist and architect Alessandro Pianon (Italian, 1931 – 1984) was known in the art world for his blown-glass sculptures, standing birds on metal feet and legs, and lamps. Many, like this example, were decorated on the inside with polychrome murrine highlights.

Pianon joined the glass company Vetreria Vistosi in 1956, where he worked on many creative projects. By 1962, he established his own business to partner with numerous glass factories, designers, and businesses.

Green Glass Soffiato Candleholders

Murano glass chargers, pitchers, tableware, and candlesticks brought this important sale full circle. Lot #0159, a pair of light green glass candleholders, was estimated at $700 to $900 and made $2,358. This set was produced around 1930 and was made in the “Soffiato” style. This means that they were made by hand with a blowpipe and feature simple, clean, and basic forms. Both measured 15 by 25 by 14 cm and had provenance to the Dimitri Levas collection. Levas was friends with photographer Robert Mapplethorpe (American, 1946 – 1989) and was responsible for styling many of the artist’s still-life images.

For more information on Wright’s August 15, 2024 Murano Glass sale, visit LiveAuctioneers. Find more auction world news on Auction Daily.