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Sommerso Blob, Giacomo Della Vella?

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    Posted 2 years ago

    kwqd
    (1188 items)

    This vase (?) is 6.5" high x 6" wide x 3.5" deep and weighs 4.7 lbs. It is signed "G D..... Murano". I call it The Blob as it is a large, slippery chunk of glass. No idea who made this, except that it was made in Murano, Italy by "someone" (G D____ or G O____?). Italian glass is not my strong suit. There is only minor wear to the bottom and it otherwise appears new. It was coated in a disgusting film of something I do not want to know about so I was pleased that it cleaned up well.

    I paid $6 for this and a second signed vase that is probably American studio art glass. We are expecting bad weather here today so I wanted to run out and top off my gas tank and stopped at a thrift shop along the way.

    Any help in identifying the maker is appreciated. I did a minor amount of research, but only found one Murano glass maker that starts with a "G" (Galliano Ferro) and do not think this is by them so guessing it is the artist's signature? Italian art glass is not my area of strength.

    Google Images thinks it is by Luigi Onesto, but Onesto's signature is pretty distinctive and this ain't it. So maybe "after" Onesto? Maybe by someone in his studio?

    Update: Now thinking this may be the work of Gino Onesto, relative of Luigi Onesto. Brother? Son? Could not find much information about him.

    Unsolved Mystery

    Help us close this case. Add your knowledge below.

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    Comments

    1. Deano Deano, 2 years ago
      I've never seen this shape before. Maybe a special edition of some sort. The color choices alone are noteworthy. Great piece.
    2. kwqd kwqd, 2 years ago
      Thanks for your comments, Deano! I found several very similar pieces by Luigi Onesto, but that does not look like what the signature is, so maybe a copy of his work?
    3. kwqd kwqd, 2 years ago
      Some similar Luigi Onesto stuff here:

      https://www.invaluable.com/artist/onesto-luigi-7rrm8qn9cn/sold-at-auction-prices/

    4. Deano Deano, 2 years ago
      I kinda doubt it because of the precision required to produce a large piece like this. It is definitely a mystery piece and I think it has pedigree. I like it very much.
    5. kwqd kwqd, 2 years ago
      Thanks, Deano! Maybe someone will recognize the really poor signature!
    6. kwqd kwqd, 2 years ago
      Looks like G D-----
    7. kwqd kwqd, 2 years ago
      Thanks, fortapache, Kevin, dav2no1 and Deano!
    8. SEAN68 SEAN68, 2 years ago
      Great finds!!
    9. kwqd kwqd, 2 years ago
      Thanks for checking out my vase SEAN68, jscott0363 and Karen!
    10. Bekssa Bekssa, 2 years ago
      So beautiful. Love the colors. I don't know if this will help or not but I think (?) that this technique is called Sommerso and the shape is a "teardrop".
    11. Newfld Newfld, 2 years ago
      I was going to say, looks like a beautiful glass teardrop, think Bekssa nailed it - gorgeous piece Kevin
    12. kwqd kwqd, 2 years ago
      Thanks for your comments, Beckssa! Yes it is sommerso style glass! I mentioned that in the title but neglected to do so in the description.

      I found that the design for this vase is credited to Luigi Onesto, a very famous Murano glass maker/designer. It is never referred to as a teardrop design, however, only as a vase. Apparently, "teardrop" is applied to a wide variety of shapes of Murano glass but most seem to be elongated shapes, based on examination of lots of examples of Murano glass and particularly vases in this shape. I have looked at every example of this vase that I could find, around 20 of them and they are only described as "a vase".

      My vase is tiny compared to vases made by Onesto, himself, which often weigh 12-14 lbs and are twice as tall as mine! My best guess, right now, is that this vase was made by one of the artists at the company (Oball) that Onesto founded in the 1970s, but I am still doing research. Most of these style vases are either signed by Onesto or he is referred to in the signature on the vase (as the designer?). My vase is the only one I have found that is signed but cannot be attributed to Onesto or one of the companies (ateliers) that he worked at. A very few are not signed at all. Not sure if those are his or not. The search goes on!

      Oball is still in business:

      https://www.muranoglassitaly.com/oball-murano-glass/?v=7516fd43adaa

      Thanks for your comments, Jenni!
    13. Bekssa Bekssa, 2 years ago
      Oops! Totally missed the "Sommerso" in your title. Wishing you success in solving the signature mystery of this gorgeous vase.
    14. kwqd kwqd, 2 years ago
      Thanks, Beckssa! I always appreciate and look forward to your comments! I also posted this vase to glassmessages.com, since I am out of my comfort zone on this one... No comments from anyone there, yet.. It really doesn't look like a vase to me! There is not room for much in it!
    15. kwqd kwqd, 2 years ago
      Thanks for taking a look at my latest hunk o' glass Vynil33rpm, Falcon61, Jenni, BHIFOS and Bekssa!
    16. kwqd kwqd, 2 years ago
      Thanks Cisum!
    17. kwqd kwqd, 2 years ago
      Apologies, Beksaa! I just noticed that I have been misspelling your CW name!
    18. kwqd kwqd, 2 years ago
      Thanks Daisy1000 and vcal!
    19. kwqd kwqd, 2 years ago
      No joy on glassmessages, yet.
    20. kwqd kwqd, 2 years ago
      Possible progress on this. Maybe "GO", not " GD".. Gino Onesto?



    21. apostata apostata, 1 year ago
      insert waki
    22. apostata apostata, 1 year ago
      what the hell is this 1-vase -2 vase - 1 batch ?
    23. apostata apostata, 1 year ago
      photo 3 photo 4= Giacomo Della Vella, i hate to say it but actually you are toast concerning this murano and the rest i try after the right information , because i am not a magican
    24. kwqd kwqd, 1 year ago
      Thanks, waki! It is one vase, I just inset some images to get around the four image limit on CW.

      GDV appears to mostly make small glass objects like beads, nothing as large and complex as this vase. He is also listed as an exporter of Murano glass. Do you think he made this vase or just exported it? I assume it has to have been made in Murano, since it is marked that way and GDV lived in the Murano region.I

      I do not find much information about GDV..
    25. mp.kunst mp.kunst, 1 year ago
      Why don't you ask Giacomo Della Vella? He has a page on facebook and linkedin.
    26. kwqd kwqd, 1 year ago
      Thanks mp.kunst! I do not use FB or linkedin, actually no social media at all. CW and glassmessages are the only public forums I use. He does have a web site, but I did not notice if there was an email address. I will investigate..
    27. kwqd kwqd, 1 year ago
      His website is gone, so no email, apparently.
    28. apostata apostata, 1 year ago
      i just don,t know , tried the escapes - badash - formia - 5 avenue - simone onesto- omg , this so strange two soft layers and 1 harshlayer coloration- no significant lining between the layers ( separatione)

      maybe it is discolaration of the ( separatione ( division lining , ) does,not make sense also

      WE SIMPLE GOT NO ESCAPE FOR THIS DESIGN I THINK , maybe thet took of the lable

      there are different gradings for auctioneers
      1namely the signed name
      2 attributed to
      3 likely

      so the consequence is nobody lied nobody cheats , and there is still value , why not , but you are defined bij the grading

      actually i perfomed bad sorry, after that i put in everything i got ,

      Waki

    29. kwqd kwqd, 1 year ago
      Thanks, Waki! I knew it was not by Luigi Onesto, just "after" him as he is credited with designing this. I found one signed by him in exactly the same colors, which is why I thought it might have been made by someone in his studio.

      I have no problem with this being made by Giacomo Della Vella. I bought it because I like it. It will go to the yard sale with everything else when I die.
    30. Laurabelle61 Laurabelle61, 1 year ago
      Wow i’m getting sucked into that beautiful green Vortx! Amazing piece!
    31. kwqd kwqd, 1 year ago
      Thanks for your comments, Laurabelle61!

      Thanks for the love, antiquerose!

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