So often when perusing websites, auctions, and Instagram for Murano glass, I see the phrase “it’s by Seguso” being applied to countless pieces in an effort to seemingly place attribution. Through laziness or ignorance, that phrase has entered the parlance of many a collector, dealer, and fly-by-night flipper, even though it technically means nothing in terms of actual identification. That may sound odd to some of you, but I beg your indulgence to continue reading.
Simply put, Seguso is a surname of a family that has been blowing glass on Murano for centuries. Slapping “Seguso” onto the description of a piece of glass does nothing for identification, as it indicates no specific glassblower or producing company. In the twentieth century alone there are countless glass companies with “Seguso” in its name, not to mention the numerous individual glassblowers from the Seguso family. These companies include, but are not limited to, Seguso Vetri d’Arte (Seguso s.r.l.), Vetreria Archimede Seguso, ASV Barovier, Seguso, & Ferro, Seguso Dalla Venezia, Seguso Viro, and Seguso Arte Vetro. All of which have very different production, with minor overlaps in some cases due to individual glassblowers moving companies. So, as you can see, there are quite a number of ways someone can interpret the phrase “it’s by Seguso,” and just because your intention goes one way does not mean the next person will share the same understanding.
Continually, further confusion is added when, for example, an item description merely states a piece is by Archimede Seguso. Just hearing that should make you ask which company did he create the piece for? Is it an original series example or later production? Was is designed and produced for ASV Barovier, Seguso, & Ferro, Seguso Vetri d’Arte, or his own company, Vetreria Archimede Seguso? By viewing the piece, a learned collector can generally decipher the details, but to a new collector this incompleteness starts their knowledge base on shaky ground and perpetuates the mistakes and misinformation.
I am by no way targeting the entry-level collector and accusing them of malice; I am merely encouraging them to not always accept their 30 second Google search, as this is where misinformation is bred. Take the time to conduct proper research and always seek out quality sources to supplement your knowledge base, thus stopping the cycle of misinformation. Where tenured collectors and dealers are concerned, my hope with this article is to encourage those individuals to flex their knowledge and go the extra mile for the sake of coherency and accuracy. If, for whatever reason, a tenured collector or dealer cannot articulate these histories, they too should take the time to conduct additional research. Put away the pride of having "been a dealer for 30+ years" and correct your oversights and fill the void of ignorance. Keeping up with current research and available information is vital. We all have different backgrounds and experiences, and we all will make a mistake from time to time, but the point is to conduct ourselves in the best and most honest manner we possibly can.
Collectors, dealers, and auction houses all play an important role in preserving the histories of our beloved Murano glass. We all need to do our part in stopping the gross misinformation that plagues all facets of our lives today. By conducting proper research, sharing this information in a complete and coherent manner, and calling out those who blatantly try to exploit and cheat, we can preserve our glass, its history, and its value for years to come.