The confusion surrounding the bowl presented in this article appears to be high. With that, I am taking this opportunity to offer a brief explanation of my thoughts surrounding it in an effort to clear the air. I will reflect on the seller’s assertions and a rather pointed conversation I had surrounding it with a separate individual.
Looking at this piece, it is a shell-shaped bowl executed utilizing the sommerso technique in the very popular mid-century Blu-Rubino colorway. The bowl has an original label affixed, and it is easy to read. It belongs to that of Vetreria Archimede Seguso, and it is one of their earlier style labels that was used in the 1950s and into the 1960s.
At this time, from the mid-fifties into the sixties, there were numerous furnaces that produced sommerso glass in this general Blu-Rubino color combination. Its popularity can be traced back to 1954 when Flavio Poli received great acclaim at the X Triennale di Milano for a large number of sommerso pieces in this colorway. Specifically, he won the award of “Compasso d’oro” for a particular vase, and the balance of his Blu-Rubino sommerso articles were awarded a “diploma de gran premio.” Within the grouping he presented there were several shell-shaped pieces that comprise his “Valva” series. Keep in mind that shell-shaped bowls and vases were also popular both before and after the Second World War, and variations were produced by nearly every furnace around that time.
Based on documentation, Vetreria Archimede Seguso started utilizing the Blu-Rubino color combination in sommerso pieces around 1956 and expanded on its use greatly through the end of the decade and into the sixties. If we look at this piece at face value, I can say that it was designed by Archimede Seguso for his own furnace, Vetreria Archimede Seguso, in about the 1956-60 timeframe.
Now, let us look at the seller’s assertion and the assertion of an individual that messaged me. They assert that this bowl was designed by Flavio Poli in 1954-56 for Seguso Vetri d’Arte and is part of his “Valva” series, but they also acknowledge that it was blown by Vetreria Archimede Seguso. I ask myself, how could this be possible? Some of these things simply do not overlap. To back up a bit, Archimede Seguso exited Seguso Vetri d’Arte in January of 1944. Soon after, he opened his own furnace, Vetreria Archimede Seguso. While designing and blowing glass at his own furnace Archimede Seguso did not have access, to my knowledge, to the model books of Seguso Vetri d’Arte. There would be no reason for him to be allowed access. So, having left a full ten years before the Valva series was designed by Flavio Poli at Seguso Vetri d’Arte, it is obvious that there is no direct connection between Flavio Poli’s Valva series and Archimede Seguso. The very most that can be said about the bowl in question is that it was made by Vetreria Archimede Seguso, and that possibly he was inspired by Flavio Poli’s Valva series, wishing to take advantage of its popularity by producing things in the general style and colorway.
We all know that Artistic Directors and glassblowers were looking at the designs of others, and when one furnace would have success with a series, it is probable that other furnaces would emulate their work. This scenario is played out in every field of design. Copying the designs of Flavio Poli, directly or indirectly, does not make the secondary design also by Flavio Poli, as it was not authorized or produced by the original furnace. The distinction is important, not only for historical correctness but for value and collectability.
Additionally, I have not seen any documentation to support the presumption made by some that Vetreria Archimede Seguso was authorized to produce some designs originally by Flavio Poli for Seguso Vetri d’Arte. Were that the case with the bowl in question, I would expect the piece to have a Seguso Vetri d’Arte label, opposed to the Vetreria Archimede Seguso label that is present. It is well known that Archimede Seguso worked for ASV Barovier, Seguso, & Ferro and Seguso Vetri d’Arte prior to opening his own furnace. It is also known that while working at his own furnace he occasionally produced pieces similar to those he co-designed with Flavio Poli and executed while at those prior furnaces. The Valva series, however, was designed over ten years after Archimede Seguso exited Seguso Vetri d’Arte. To me, it is unreasonable to think that Archimede Seguso had access to the Seguso Vetri d’Arte model books and was reproducing their exact designs from the period after leaving the furnace. I also do not believe that the Maestro would have directly copied the designs of anyone else, for both legal and ethical reasons. He was so gifted in both the design and execution aspects that he simply did not need to. Do I feel he pulled some influence from Flavio Poli? Sure, maybe. Nearly everyone did at some point during the post-war period.
Knowing and understanding the overlapping histories of designers, glassblowers, and furnaces is vital to understanding the individual glass articles. I encourage everyone, both newbies and tenured collectors, to read and revisit often source documentation and the reputable books that we hold dear, as well as to stay current with research.
