Gorgeously coloured Murano sommerso glass vase in reddish-purple interior encased with a spiral c1960. Thick walled tear-drop shaped vase with asymmetric rim. Dark purple spiral, drawn-up to sides and encased within the clear outer glass layer, over a red-purple interior. Flat polished base. The vase is 17 cm in height, 10.5 cm maximum width and 8 cm depth.
 
Glassmaking in Venice goes back to the 8th Century, when the city was part of the Byzantine Empire which had the world’s leading glassblowers (primarily located in Egypt and Syria). By the 13th century the sheer quantity of glass furnaces in the city was causing concern after the Great Fire of Venice in 1105. The now independent Venetian Republic ordered glassmakers to relocate their furnaces to the island of Murano in 1291 – founding the long tradition of glassmaking on Murano. Whilst glassmakers held certain civic privileges, they were also forbidden to leave the Republic. Venice thus protected Murano’s glassmaking secrets, holding a monopoly on the production of high-quality glass until the fall of the Venetian Republic in 1797. By 1820 only sixteen glass furnaces remained, most of whom are still in operation today. With the increase in popularity of ‘modern’ 20th century art glass, the island saw an influx of artists training in glassmaking – re-establishing Murano as a global glassmaking centre. Today, the artisans of Murano still employ centuries-old techniques, crafting everything from contemporary art glass and glass jewellery to Murano glass chandeliers.