Clear glass, overlaid with a dark violet and white star Murrine, and multicolored panels of opaque enamels
Murano, Italy, 1952
Design: Dino Martens (1894-1970) – Italian painter and designer
Execution: Aureliano Toso (est. 1938) – Italian glass manufactory located in Murano
Club-shape, long slim neck, wider spout, leaf collar with gold foil inclusions
Height: 34.2 cm
Very good condition
The ‘Oriente’ range was introduced at the Venice Biennale in 1952. It was the first series of glass in which an artist used the medium for his means of expression. Martens’ ‘Oriente’ range combined with invariably visually pleasing and often asymmetrical shapes of the vessels – mostly vases, but also small dishes –remains collectable today. 
Estimate by Auctionata Expert: 3,600 Euro

The so-called ‘Oriente’ series was produced by Aureliano Toso and designed by their artistic director Dino Marten (1939-1963). Martens, who was originally an artist, combined together with the maestro glassblowers of the manufactory different techniques of glass-making for the ‘Oriente’ range. Such were fused precious metals, spiral Zanfirico panes or Murrine. The ‘Oriente’ range very well exemplifies that Martens did not work with traditional means at all – the effect of the pieces is painterly as abstract art was fused with glass for the first time.

Condition:

The vase is in very good condition. It is probably a modification of an old lamp to a vase. The bottom hole has been professionaly closed with resin. It is 34.2 cm in height.

Dino Martens (1894-1970)

Dino Martens is recognized in particular for his handicraft of glass objects which he learned at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Venezia. He presented paintings at the Venice Biennale from 1924 until 1930 and after returning from the Italian Africa wars he became the artistic director of the famous Venetian glassworks Aureliano Toso for whom he created a great amount of pieces that combined traditional techniques with new effects such as audacious asymmetrical shapes that were known to be hard to execute.

Aureliano Toso (est. 1938)

The glassworks were founded by Aureliano Toso in 1938 specializing in making precious Murano glass pieces. The collaboration with the artist Dino Martens helped the company to receive recognition from early on. It started in 1942, when Aureliano Toso and Dino Martens presented a first design at the XXIII. Venice Biennale. One of the most prominent pieces was ‘La bottiglia del mago’ of 1948. Dino Martens designed a large amount of glass objects between 1946 and 1960 and during this period the company took part in important exhibitions in Italy and abroad. Dino Martens left the company in the early 1960s and Gino Poli became the artistic director of the firm in 1966. (tm)

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