Italian glass artist Flavio Poli’s innovative use of the sommerso technique during the 1950s added a dimension of exquisite beauty and refined elegance to mid-century-era Murano glass design. Today Poli’s vintage table lamps, glass vases, ashtrays and other objects are highly collectible.
Born in Chioggia in 1900, Poli attended the prestigious Istituto d’Arte di Venezia where he trained as a ceramist before turning his attention toward glass art. His career in glass began in 1929 when he worked at the Industrie Vetrerie Artistiche Murano, designing and creating large-scale glass sculptures, urns and bowls.
During the 1930s, Poli was a glass artist for manufacturer Barovier, Seguso and Ferro (later known as Seguso Vetri d’Arte), where he worked alongside pioneering glass master Archimede Seguso. Poli was later appointed artistic director at the Venetian glassworks.
Inspired by Seguso, Poli began to experiment with his own glassblowing techniques. In the 1950s, he helped popularize the decades-old sommerso style, which sees overlapping layers of transparent handblown glass melded through a heating process and immersed in pots of molten colored glass. The style yields a sophisticated and mesmerizing effect — it's as if colored fluids have been trapped inside the layers of clear glass. Poli made use of variations on the technique in many of his pieces, including in designs for vases, bowls, sculptures and more.
Poli’s unparalleled designs and innovative work with the sommerso technique garnered numerous awards and accolades throughout his career. He won five Grand Prix awards at the Milan Triennale and was awarded the Compasso d’Oro prize in 1954. Poli’s designs were also presented at the World’s Fair in Brussels and the Venice Biennale in 1958.
Today, Poli’s work can be found in museums around the world, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York, Murano Glass Museum in Venice, Museo Boncompagni Ludovisi in Rome and the National Gallery of Victoria in Australia.
Find vintage Flavio Poli decorative objects, serveware and lighting on 1stDibs.
Mid Century Modern Sculpture Green Art Glass Vase Bowl Basket Murano Seguso
By Seguso Vetri d'Arte, Flavio Poli
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Mid Century Modern Sculpture Green Art Glass Vase Bowl Basket. This stunning teal glass basket designed by Flavio Poli for Seguso Vetri D'Arte in 1950 is a captivating example of Mid...
Gold Leaf
Large Murano Sommerso Glass Centerpiece Bowl by Flavio Poli for Seguso Vetri
By Flavio Poli, Seguso
Located in Palermo, PA
This exceptional Murano glass centerpiece by Flavio Poli for Seguso Vetri d'Arte is a striking example of the Sommerso glass technique that made Poli one of the most celebrated Muran...
Murano Glass
Murano Seguso Sommerso Green Art Glass Triangular Bowl / Ashtray
By Seguso Vetri d'Arte
Located in Barcelona, ES
A beautiful handblown Murano glass bowl in emerald green color cased into clear glass. Attributed to Seguso factory. Italy, 1960s. It has a central swirl decoration and triangular sh...
Glass, Art Glass, Blown Glass, Murano Glass, Sommerso
Archimede Seguso Murano Purple Sommerso Art Glass Bowl
By Archimede Seguso, Seguso Vetri d'Arte
Located in Barcelona, ES
Hand blown Murano glass Sommerso bowl / ashtray in purple color with a cased rim in pink/ blue glass. Design attributed to Archimede Seguso for Seguso Factory, Italy, 1960s. A highly decorative geode round bowl lovely to be used as rings bowl, jewelry bowl, vide-poche or ashtray. An interesting piece placed with other Murano glass pieces or decorative objects on a mirror tray to use in a vanity table, powder room our courtesy bathroom. It can be used also it as hand soap bowl...
Glass, Art Glass, Blown Glass, Murano Glass, Sommerso
$307Sale Price|30% Off
H 3.15 in W 5.12 in D 5.12 in
Murano Sommerso Red Faceted Glass Bowl by Flavio Poli 1960´s
By Flavio Poli, Seguso
Located in Lucenec, SK
1960s gorgeous green ashtray or catch-all By Flavio Poli for Seguso in Murano Sommerso Glass. Made in Italy It seems a diamond The item is in very good condition, no chips. Dimension...
Glass, Murano Glass, Sommerso
$902Sale Price|20% Off
H 2.76 in W 5.12 in D 3.75 in
Flavio Poli Seguso Murano Sommerso Purple Blue Multi Faceted Bowl
By Seguso Vetri d'Arte, Flavio Poli
Located in Barcelona, ES
Mid-Century Modern Flavio Poli for Seguso Vetri d'Arte multi faceted purple and soft blue Murano glass Sommerso bowl, Italy, 1960s. This hand blown glass bowl is made of purple glass...
Glass, Art Glass, Blown Glass, Murano Glass, Sommerso
$995
H 10.25 in W 8.75 in D 3.25 in
Mid-Century Modern Murano Green & Uranium Art Glass Basket Styled Vase
Located in Hamilton, Ontario
This art glass basket styled vase is unsigned, but presumed to have originated from Murano Italy and dating to approximately 1965 and done in the period Mid-Century Modern style. The...
Art Glass
$519
H 2.76 in W 5.91 in D 5.91 in
Murano Sommerso Blue Glass Bowl by Flavio Poli for Seguso, Italy, 1960
By Flavio Poli, Seguso Vetri d'Arte
Located in London, GB
Glass bowl square shape by Flavio Poli for Seguso 1960s in deep blue. The bowls are hand blown, known as Venetian Sommerso, made in Murano, Venice, Italy. The bowls a combination of...
Blown Glass, Murano Glass
Vintage Art Glass Bowl by Flavio Poli for Seguso Vetri D'Arte 1950s
By Flavio Poli, Seguso Vetri d'Arte
Located in Berghuelen, DE
Vintage Art Glass Bowl by Flavio Poli for Seguso Vetri D'Arte 1950s A vintage Murano art glass bowl, designed by Flavio Poli and manufactured by Seguso Vetri D'Arte Murano Venice ci...
Art Glass
Murano Sommerso Green & Amber Geode Art Glass Bowl by Flavio Poli
By Flavio Poli, Seguso
Located in Bad Säckingen, DE
A striking Murano Sommerso geode art glass bowl designed by Flavio Poli, featuring his signature color-layering technique that beautifully blends vivid green with warm amber and deep...
Glass, Art Glass, Blown Glass, Sommerso
$960Sale Price|20% Off
H 2.5 in W 5 in D 4 in
Flavio Poli Sommerso Caviar Murano Glass Diamond Bowl by Seguso, Italy, 1960s
By Flavio Poli, Seguso Vetri d'Arte
Located in Vienna, AT
A stunning Murano Sommerso technique art glass bowl from the 1960s, designed by Flavio Poli and hand-blown by Seguso Vetri d'Arte in Italy. This beautifully faceted, hexagonal, diamo...
Art Glass, Blown Glass, Murano Glass
Vintage Murano Art Glass Bowl by Seguso, Italy, 1950s
By Seguso Vetri d'Arte, Flavio Poli
Located in Berghuelen, DE
Vintage Art Glass Bowl by Seguso Murano 1950s An vintage Murano art glass bowl in asymetrical shape, designed most probably by Flavio Poli and manufactured by Seguso Vetri D'Arte Mu...
Art Glass
$498
H 3.94 in W 5.04 in D 3.55 in
Flavio Poli for Seguso Freeform Uranium Murano Glass Basket Bowl Sommerso
By Seguso, Flavio Poli, Archimede Seguso
Located in Bad Säckingen, DE
A striking freeform Murano glass basket bowl or vide poche designed by Flavio Poli for Seguso Vetri d'Arte, Italy, circa 1950s–1960s. This exceptional example showcases Poli's celebr...
Glass, Art Glass, Blown Glass, Sommerso, Uranium Glass
Flavio Poli Murano Green Yellow Sommerso Faceted Art Glass Bowl
By Flavio Poli, Seguso Vetri d'Arte
Located in Barcelona, ES
Colorful Murano Sommerso Art glass Faceted bowl. Flavio Poli for Seguso Vetri d'Arte, Italy, 1950s. Eye-catching diamond shape faceted Murano glass bowl in green and yellow double l...
Glass, Art Glass, Cut Glass, Murano Glass, Sommerso
1960s Gorgeous Blue and Pink Ashtray or Catchall by Flavio Poli
By Flavio Poli
Located in Milano, IT
Gorgeous blue and pink ashtray or catchall by Flavio Poli in Murano sommerso glass. Made in italy The item is in excellent condition. Dimensions: Diameter 6,29" x 2,75" height inches...
Murano Glass
Murano Glass Vase by Flavio Poli in Cobalt Blue Color, 1960s
By Flavio Poli
Located in taranto, IT
original murano glass vase from the 1960s, design and production by Flavio Poli made with " sommerso " processing in the shade of cobalt blue It measures 25 cm in height by 6.5 c...
Murano Glass
Murano Glass Vase by Flavio Poli, 1960s
By Flavio Poli
Located in taranto, IT
original murano glass vase from the 1960s by Flavio Poli "vetro sommerso" technique, submerged glass. It measures 21 cm in height, in very good storage conditions, as shown in pho...
Murano Glass