The Barovier dynasty began in 1295, when Jacobello Barovier, mentioned in historical documents as a master glassblower, began pinching, cutting, blowing and twisting a molten mixture of sand and minerals into incandescent works of art. It remained entirely family-owned until the mid-20th century, when it merged with another glassworks to become Barovier&Toso.
Partnerships come and go within the community of glass-making artisans on the Venetian island of Murano, where business relationships seem as complex as the shifting alliances in the notoriously acrimonious Italian parliament. Formed in 1942 by members of families with centuries of experience in the craft, Barovier&Toso has proven to be one of the most enduring and prosperous Italian glass manufactories of recent decades. Under the nearly 50-year artistic directorship of cofounder Ercole Barovier (1889–1974), the company created buoyant traditional pieces such as chandeliers, sconces and other lighting fixtures, and it pioneered an array of innovative modernist glass designs with bold colors, patterns and surfaces.
To appeal to gentler, more conservative tastes, Barovier&Toso produced a range of lilting, sinuous lighting pieces that are often described as embodying “Liberty Style” — the Italian term for Art Nouveau, taken from the name of famed London department store Liberty & Co., which promoted 19th-century organic textile designs and Arts and Crafts-style furniture in the manner of William Morris. The hallmarks of the style in Barovier&Toso works are elements of glass in the shape of thick leaves, fronds and flower petals, deployed along with other naturalistic ornament in sconces, pendants and chandeliers.
Ercole Barovier began his personal aesthetic transition toward modernism in the 1930s with his Primavera series of vases and animal sculptures — idiosyncratic milky-white and clear glass filled with tiny bubbles and hairline interior fissures that he produced for Artisti Barovier, a firm headed by his father and uncle (the company also traded under Fratelli Barovier and Vetreria Artistica Barovier & C. throughout its history). Later, with Barovier&Toso, Ercole would explore such novel styles as the mosaic-like Pezzato glass; fluid Spiral patterns; the pebbly textured Barbarico line and the complex, layered and highly colored abstractions of the Oriente series of vases and bowls.
Traditional or modern, Barovier&Toso — still under family control — has produced one of the finest and most diverse catalogues of Murano glass in the last 100 years.
Shop antique Barovier chandeliers, sconces and other lighting and decorative objects on 1stDibs.
Vintage Pair of Murano Glass Bubble Vases with Sommerso Gold, 1960s Barovier
By Barovier
Located in Villaverla, IT
Vintage pair of Murano glass bubble vases with "sommerso" gold, 1960s Barovier. This beautiful pair of vases is an outstanding example of the best Murano glass tradition. The detail...
Gold
$5,920 / set
H 14.97 in Dm 7.88 in
Pair of Tall Pink Vases in Murano Glass with Spikes Decor, Barovier Style
By Barovier
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Thiese Murano glass vases are very impressive and their color is so lively. Their color is very unusual as it is sweet light pink. these Venetian vases are all hand decorated with th...
Murano Glass, Art Glass, Blown Glass
Ercole Barovier Toso Murano Glass Spira Aurata Vase, 1960s
By Ercole Barovier, Barovier&Toso
Located in Barcelona, ES
Murano Art Glass 'Spira Aurata Striato Vase' by Ercole Barovier, Barovier e Toso, Italy, 1966. Spira Aurata series oval-section conical vase in blown glass with polychrome garnet, r...
Gold Leaf
Flavio Poli Murano Glass Vase, Sommerso Technique, Green, 1960s
By Flavio Poli
Located in Milano, IT
1960s This striking Murano glass vase, designed by the renowned Flavio Poli for Seguso Vetri d'Arte, is a quintessential example of mid-century Italian glassmaking. Showcasing Poli's...
Murano Glass
$1,728Sale Price|20% Off
H 13.98 in W 8.67 in D 5.32 in
Seguso Murano Blue Sommerso Pulled Art Glass Vase, 1960s
By Seguso
Located in Barcelona, ES
Hand blown Sommerso blue and clear Italian art glass vase on Sterling Silver base. Attributed to Seguso, Italy, 1950s. This eye-catching and colorful pulled centerpiece vase stands u...
Sterling Silver
c.1960s Italian Murano Diamond Faceted Sommerso Glass Bowl Vase
By Murano Glass Sommerso, Flavio Poli
Located in Skien, NO
Rare Flavio Poli Murano Sommerso Sculptural Bowl Vase for Mandruzzato An exquisite Murano glass vase by Modernist master Flavio Poli for Alessandro Mandruzzato, circa 1960s. Execute...
Art Glass
Sommerso Murano Glass Vase made In Italy 1960s
Located in Palermo, IT
Sommerso glass vase from Murano, Italy, 1960s Intact, small signs of aging. Submerged glass is obtained by immersing the glass being processed in crucibles with different colors. Th...
Glass
$483Sale Price|40% Off
H 8.27 in W 3.94 in D 3.94 in
Mandruzzato Murano Sommerso Purple and Gold & Clear Faceted Glass Vase, 1960s
By Mandruzzato
Located in Barcelona, Cataluna
Vintage Murano geometric shaped deep purple and gold "Sommerso" faceted glass vase designed by Mandruzzato, Italy. Original label. Perfect condition. Mandruzzato was founded in 1934 on the island of Murano, Venice, Italy, by Benjamin Mandruzzato. After Benjamin died in 1954, the factory was run by his son Luigi Mandruzzato...
Murano Glass
Murano Glass Faceted Sommerso Vase, Mandruzzato c 1960s
By Mandruzzato
Located in Glasgow, GB
A large hexagon shaped red and yellow Murano glass 'Sommerso' vase by the glassmaking maestro Luigi Mandruzzato. Handcrafted in the 1960s in Italy, utilizing the revered 'Sommerso' ...
Murano Glass
Midcentury Murano Sommerso Art Glass Vase by C.O.V.E.M, 1960s
Located in Berghuelen, DE
Midcentury Murano sommerso art glass vase by C.O.V.E.M, 1960s A heavy Murano Sommerso art glass vase manufactured by C.O.V.E.M. (Cooperativa Vetrai Muranesi) circa 1960s. Probably a design of Flavio Poli who worked with C.O.V.E.M. in the 1950s and 1960s. Manufactured in thick clear Sommerso glass...
Art Glass, Murano Glass
Original Sommerso Murano glass Vase by Pagnin & Bon, Italy 1960s
Located in Miklavž Pri Taboru, SI
Original Murano glass vase by Pagnin & Bon made in Italy in the 1960s. Pagnin & Bon was an Italian glassmaking company known for producing stunning Murano glass pieces during the mid...
Murano Glass
Pair of Murano Glass Barovier and Toso vase C1960
By Ercole Barovier, Barovier&Toso
Located in London, GB
A pair of elegant milky pink/white candlesticks with an almost red contrasting centre Produced in Murano in the 1960s by Barovier & Toso. Original label present. (See images).
Blown Glass
Italian multicolored Murano Sommerso Glass 1960s soliflower vase
By Flavio Poli, Seguso Vetri d'Arte
Located in Varese, Lombardia
Splendid Murano sommerso glass vase, most likely made between the late 1950s and the first half of the 1960s. The predominant colors are light blue, purple, and red/orange. Very good...
Murano Glass, Sommerso