171: ERCOLE BAROVIER, Rare Medusa vase < Italian Glass, 20 July 2023 < Auctions

Italian Glass

20 July 2023

Italian Glass

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171

Ercole Barovier
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Rare Medusa vase

Barovier & Toso
Italy, 1938
Incamiciato glass with gold leaf 14½ h × 12 w × 11¼ d in (37 × 30 × 29 cm)

estimate: $3,000–5,000

result: $5,670

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provenance: Collection of Carl Bellavia
literature: Venetian Art Glass: An American Collection 1840-1970, Barovier, pg. 126 illustrates similar example Ercole Barovier 1889-1974: Vetraio Muranese, Dorigato, pg. 67 illustrates similar example

This work will ship from Lambertville, New Jersey.

The Collection of Carl Bellavia

Over the course of thirty years, the American collector Carl Bellavia devoted his attention to the glass produced on the island of Murano between 1900 and 1960 and in so doing came to understand the complex field of Italian glass. While initially focused on the work of Vittorio Zecchin for both Cappellin and Venini, Bellavia encountered and appreciated works by lesser-known designers and makers. We are pleased to revisit this collection (first featured in 2020) and celebrate the trove of pre-war glass along with stellar examples from the 1950s and beyond. With an eye for both beauty and quality, the Bellavia collection demonstrates the power of collecting with an open mind.

Ercole Barovier 1889–1974

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The nearly fifty year tenure of Ercole Barovier as artistic director, designer and owner of Barovier & Toso is unprecedented in the history of Murano glass, and the firm’s success stands as a testament to his singular artistic talent and entrepreneurial genius.

Born in 1889 to a Muranese family that could trace its origins back to the 13th century, Barovier did not train as a glassblower but had a great passion for glass and quickly distinguished himself as an innovative designer. He joined Artisti Barovier in 1919 at the age of thirty and found success designing vases in the mosaic technique. In 1930 he produced the critically acclaimed and award-winning Primavera series, the success of which encouraged him to continue his experiments.

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