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Alfredo Barbini Signed Murano Art Glass Bowl or Ashtray, Italy, 1970s
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Description
A colorful and decorative Murano art glass bowl from the 1970s by Alfredo Barbini, Venice, Italy. Originally designed as an ashtray for cigarettes or cigars, this beautiful piece also functions perfectly as a bowl or vide-poche (pocket tray). Its colors transition from deep emerald green to light yellow, with swirling accents of red and blue throughout the piece. It is signed “Barbini Murano” on the underside and still retains its original label on the top. Diameter: 7" (18 cm), Height: 2" (5 cm).
Alfredo Barbini (1912–2007) was one of the most important Murano glass artists of the 20th century. Born into a family with a long tradition of glassmaking, he began his career in the 1920s. He worked with prestigious glassmakers such as Cristalleria di Venezia e Murano, Zecchin & Martinuzzi, Seguso Vetri d’Arte, and later Venini, where he played a key role in shaping modern Murano glass design.
After World War II, Barbini collaborated with Gino Cenedese, founder of the Cenedese glassworks (established in 1946). At Cenedese, Barbini created striking works—often using the sommerso (submerged) technique—with layered colors, sculptural forms, and elaborate aquarium sculptures featuring lifelike fish and underwater scenes encased in glass.
In 1950, he founded his own glass studio, Vetreria Alfredo Barbini, in Murano. His work is known for its bold shapes, exceptional craftsmanship, and use of gold leaf, vivid pigmentation, and dense clear glass. He exhibited internationally, including at the Venice Biennale, and received numerous honors such as the Premio Murano.
Today, his creations—both from his own studio and from his time with Cenedese—are highly prized by collectors and regularly appear at major international auctions. - More Information
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