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Glass Discussion & Research. NO IDENTIFICATION REQUESTS here please. => Murano & Italy Glass => Topic started by: adam20 on August 09, 2011, 06:46:40 PM

Title: Large Sommerso Bird with Label
Post by: adam20 on August 09, 2011, 06:46:40 PM

Quite large glass bird - Sommerso with blue and red tones

Label - Genuine Venetian Glass - Made in Murano Italy

Any idea of maker or is this a generic export label

Title: Re: Large Sommerso Bird with Label
Post by: langhaugh on August 10, 2011, 12:33:07 AM

This label has been discussed a few times, here and elsewhere, and nobody has come up with anything definitive about whether it's a company or a generic Murano label.  The labels tend to be on pieces that are not of high quality, at least mine are not. Your piece seems better than average.

David

Title: Re: Large Sommerso Bird with Label
Post by: MuranoArtGlassChandeliers on August 17, 2011, 12:44:25 AM

Hi there

The technique used in this bird sculpture is actually known as Incalmo where separate coloured panes of glass are fused then drawn out to form the figure.  An incredibly difficult technqiue pioneered by Tapio Wirkala for Venini but a stunning piece none the less. 

Ciao

Dean

Title: Re: Large Sommerso Bird with Label
Post by: langhaugh on August 17, 2011, 01:03:45 AM

Dean:

I'm pretty sure this bird isn't incalmo.  Wirkkala used the technique, which indeed joins together two separately blown pieces of glass, usually of different colours, but I think that the colour in this bird comes from rods of glass picked up on the gather.

Here's a double incalmo piece I have that shows the technique very well.

David

Title: Re: Large Sommerso Bird with Label
Post by: TxSilver on August 17, 2011, 01:21:01 AM

Totally agree with David. This style of coloring glass is very common, particularly for less expensive Murano glass. I have never seen the name of the technique. There are no lines in this type of glass, so no indication it is incalmo. Heating to fuse the glass would negate the point of the incalmo technique. I have a feeling the glass is just rolled in the coloring substance, then heated to develop the color. I've never seen it done, however, so cannot say.

Title: Re: Large Sommerso Bird with Label
Post by: rosieposie on August 17, 2011, 12:44:30 PM

Popping back to the label question for a moment, (mainly because I really don't know enough about glass blowing techniques to comment on that aspect).
I would have thought that if the label is written in English, it would have been assumed to be read by English speaking purchasers, so possibly specifically for tourists or export?? Wouldn't that make sense?............

No!  it wouldn't!!

Why not?

Because most of the Murano labels I have ever seen are written in English!!  :usd:

If only the artist would SIGN their work!

Title: Re: Large Sommerso Bird with Label
Post by: Anne on August 18, 2011, 02:40:44 AM

More examples of incalmo: LINK (http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=incalmo+glass&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wi&biw=853&bih=529)

Title: Re: Large Sommerso Bird with Label
Post by: rosieposie on August 18, 2011, 10:14:25 AM

Thank you for that link Anne,  now I need another dozen cabinets and a healthy bank balace!!