Description

Vintage Murano Sommerso Ashtray Italian Glass – Ruby Red & Pink, Italy, 1960s–70s

Elegant vintage Italian art glass ashtray, featuring a Sommerso-style construction in rich ruby red and delicate pink glass, with a distinctive Mid-Century Modern aesthetic characteristic of Italian design from the 1960s and 1970s.

This striking piece stands out for its substantial construction, thick layers of glass and exceptional optical depth. The combination of a deep ruby-red outer layer with a delicate transparent pink inner core creates a beautiful contrast and luminous effect as light passes through the glass.

Its geometric form, four integrated cigarette rests and softly rounded corners make this ashtray an excellent example of the Italian art glass tradition of the mid-20th century.

Sommerso Glass Technique: the ashtray displays characteristics consistent with the prestigious Sommerso glass technique, one of the most recognizable techniques associated with Italian art glass and Murano. The technique consists of layering different colors and degrees of transparency within the glass, creating remarkable depth, volume and optical effects.

In this piece, the combination of ruby red and transparent pink glass produces multiple visual layers within the body, allowing the colors and luminosity to change subtly depending on the viewing angle and lighting. The considerable thickness of the glass and the clean separation between the layers give the piece a particularly solid and sculptural presence.

Italian Mid-Century Modern Design: the geometric and minimalist form reflects the aesthetics of Italian Mid-Century Modern design.The square body with softly rounded corners incorporates four cigarette rests, while the interior features a deep, smoothly curved central area.

Although originally designed as an ashtray, today it can also be used as a:

• vide-poche
• catchall
• decorative bowl
• small display piece
• collectible art-glass object
• Mid-Century Modern interior accessory

The combination of ruby red, pink and transparent glass makes it particularly attractive in vintage, retro, Italian, Mid-Century Modern or contemporary interiors.

Italian Art Glass: based on its construction, substantial weight, color combination, design and finish, the piece is consistent with Italian art glass from the mid-20th century and the aesthetic tradition associated with Murano glass. Similar Sommerso forms were produced by several Venetian glassworks during the 1960s and 1970s.

This piece does not retain an original manufacturer’s signature or label, therefore it is not definitively attributed to a specific glassmaker or factory. The absence of a signature does not detract from its decorative and collectible appeal, but avoids making an unsupported attribution.

Color & Light: the substantial ruby-red glass allows light to pass through the different layers, creating attractive effects of transparency, depth and reflection. Depending on the lighting and viewing angle, the contrast between the deep ruby-red exterior and delicate pink interior becomes particularly striking. This interaction between color, transparency and depth is one of the most appealing characteristics of Sommerso art glass.

Excellent vintage condition: the piece retains its beautiful original gloss and transparency. No cracks, restorations or significant damage are apparent from the photographs. As expected from a vintage object of this age, it may display very minor surface signs consistent with age and normal use.

A Distinctive Piece of Italian Art Glass: the combination of Sommerso glass, rich ruby-red coloration, delicate pink inner glass, substantial construction and geometric Mid-Century design makes this a particularly decorative and collectible piece. An excellent addition to a collection of Murano Glass, Italian Art Glass, Sommerso Glass or Mid-Century Modern design.