Italian Purple, Blue and Pink Sommerso Murano Glass Bowl by Flavio Poli, 1960s

Striking Mid-Century Murano glass bowl or ashtray in purple, blue and pink “sommerso” Murano glass. This striking piece was designed by Flavio Poli in Murano, Italy during the 1960s This gorgeous item is a perfect combination of sinuous lines and sensual mix of colors of Murano glass thanks to the mastery of the sommerso technique. The way the colors shift depending on the light and viewing angle is incredible. This bowl is in fantastic vintage condition with no chipping and will enrich a midcentury-style living room. Measures in cm: Depth – 13 Width – 20 Height – 8 Weight: 1.6 kg. The Sommerso technique was originally developed in the 1930s by Antonio Da Ross. Sommerso (Italian for “sommerso”) is the Murano glass technique to create two or more layers of contrasting glass without the colors mixing together. It is formed by dipping colored glass in molten glass of a different color, before blowing the glass into the required shape. The outermost layer is often clear. In the 1950s the submerged style became famous around the world thanks to the work of Flavio Poli, artistic director of Seguso Vetri d’Arte. Since then there have been many other factories in the Murano region that have made pieces in this style, and as such it is difficult to be certain of the manufacturer without any labels or signatures present. Other well-known manufacturers who have produced Sommerso-style glassware include Mandruzzato, Galliano Ferro, Formia, Oball, Arte Nuova and LuigiOnesto.