Beasts
Since the Middle Ages Muranese blowers have created lively animal forms in glass. Sometimes whimsical, sometimes beastly, these animals have become famous worldwide.
In 20th century Murano glass we see a wide variety of animals. Some are amazingly expressive and executed with great mastery, others with none at all.
Beginning in the 1920s, two of Murano’s most famous glass designers, Napoleone Martinuzzi and Ercole Barovier began to create animals of great quality—charming, funny, grotesque, naturalistic, cartoon-like, whimsical and beastly—their animal creations are truly expressive works of art executed in glass.
In the Primavera Collection we see animals by both Martinuzzi and Barovier, and their technical execution is of the highest quality. But we see more—all the animals in this collection have been rendered in tones of clear and white, sometimes accentuated by gold or silver leaf, and taken together we can see how this reduced modernist palette intensifies the personality of each animal.
Ercole Barovier 1889–1974
The nearly fifty year tenure of Ercole Barovier as artistic director, designer and owner of Barovier & Toso is unprecedented in the history of Murano glass, and the firm’s success stands as a testament to his singular artistic talent and entrepreneurial genius.
Born in 1889 to a Muranese family that could trace its origins back to the 13th century, Barovier did not train as a glassblower but had a great passion for glass and quickly distinguished himself as an innovative designer. He joined Artisti Barovier in 1919 at the age of thirty and found success designing vases in the mosaic technique. In 1930 he produced the critically acclaimed and award-winning Primavera series, the success of which encouraged him to continue his experiments.
Upcoming Lots Ercole Barovier
130
Ercole Barovier
Rare and Important Primavera vase
estimate: $30,000–50,000
131
Ercole Barovier
Crepuscolo vase
estimate: $10,000–15,000
132
Ercole Barovier
Crepuscolo vase
estimate: $8,000–10,000
133
Ercole Barovier
Monumental Efeso vase
estimate: $7,000–9,000
134
Ercole Barovier
Monumental Efeso vase
estimate: $7,000–9,000
135
Ercole Barovier
Efeso vase
estimate: $5,000–7,000
136
Ercole Barovier
Monumental Crepuscolo bowl
estimate: $8,000–10,000
137
Ercole Barovier
Autunno Gemmato vase
estimate: $7,000–9,000
138
Ercole Barovier
Spuma di mare vase
estimate: $8,000–10,000
139
Ercole Barovier
Medusa vase
estimate: $15,000–20,000
140
Ercole Barovier
A Mugnoni vase
estimate: $8,000–10,000
141
Ercole Barovier
Con Applicazione vase
estimate: $7,000–9,000
142
Ercole Barovier
A Lenti vase
estimate: $10,000–15,000
143
Ercole Barovier
A Lenti vase
estimate: $10,000–15,000
144
Ercole Barovier
A Lenti vase
estimate: $7,000–9,000
145
Ercole Barovier
A Spina vase
estimate: $15,000–20,000
146
Ercole Barovier
A Spina vase
estimate: $9,000–12,000
147
Ercole Barovier
Pezzato vase
estimate: $5,000–7,000
148
Ercole Barovier
Intarsio vase
estimate: $3,000–5,000
149
Ercole Barovier
Sidereo vase
estimate: $7,000–9,000
150
Ercole Barovier
Rotellati vase
estimate: $15,000–20,000
151
Ercole Barovier
Rare Egeo vase
estimate: $25,000–35,000
152
Ercole Barovier
Intarsio vase
estimate: $5,000–7,000
153
Ercole Barovier
Intarsio vase
estimate: $5,000–7,000
154
Ercole Barovier
Intarsio bowl
estimate: $3,000–5,000
155
Ercole Barovier
Intarsio charger
estimate: $5,000–7,000
156
Ercole Barovier
Intarsio vase
estimate: $15,000–20,000
157
Ercole Barovier
Intarsio vase
estimate: $15,000–20,000
158
Ercole Barovier
Zoomorphic Eugeno vases, set of two
estimate: $5,000–7,000
159
Ercole Barovier
Crepuscolo Aurato vase
estimate: $2,000–3,000
160
Ercole Barovier
Argo vase
estimate: $7,000–9,000
161
Ercole Barovier
Argo bowl
estimate: $2,000–3,000
Auction Results Ercole Barovier
Ercole Barovier
Murrine vase
estimate: $15,000–20,000
result: $317,000
Ercole Barovier
Important Primavera vase
estimate: $250,000–350,000
result: $293,000
Ercole Barovier
Important Mosaico vase
estimate: $150,000–200,000
result: $257,000
Ercole Barovier
Vaso Mosaico
estimate: $30,000–40,000
result: $245,000
Ercole Barovier
Vaso mosaico
estimate: $25,000–35,000
result: $149,000
Ercole Barovier
monumental Rostrati vase
estimate: $10,000–15,000
result: $100,000
Ercole Barovier
Vetro Mosaico vase
estimate: $70,000–90,000
result: $93,750
Ercole Barovier
Rare Intarsio vase
estimate: $30,000–40,000
result: $87,500
Ercole Barovier
Laguna Gemmata vase
estimate: $9,000–12,000
result: $81,250
Ercole Barovier
monumental Intarsio vase
estimate: $15,000–20,000
result: $75,000
Ercole Barovier
prototype Tessere vase
estimate: $20,000–30,000
result: $69,850
Ercole Barovier
Intarsio vase
estimate: $8,000–10,000
result: $65,000
Ercole Barovier
Intarsio vase
estimate: $15,000–20,000
result: $62,500
Ercole Barovier
Vetro Mosaico vase
estimate: $30,000–50,000
result: $55,000
Ercole Barovier
Rare Intarsio vase
estimate: $30,000–50,000
result: $55,000
Ercole Barovier
Intarsio vase
estimate: $10,000–15,000
result: $52,500
Ercole Barovier
monumental Spuma di Mare vase
estimate: $10,000–15,000
result: $50,800
Ercole Barovier
Intarsio vase
estimate: $15,000–20,000
result: $50,000
Ercole Barovier
A Lenti vase
estimate: $9,000–12,000
result: $50,000
Ercole Barovier
A Lenti vase
estimate: $9,000–12,000
result: $47,500
Ercole Barovier
A Lenti vase
estimate: $9,000–12,000
result: $47,500
Ercole Barovier
Unique and Important Tessere vase
estimate: $20,000–30,000
result: $45,000
Ercole Barovier
Rare Egeo vase
estimate: $30,000–50,000
result: $45,000
Ercole Barovier
Rotellati vase
estimate: $20,000–30,000
result: $42,500