Wright Auction

Essays by Jim Oliveira

There is perhaps nothing more thrilling for a curator than the discovery of works known but unseen for decades. Such is the case for these rare and magnificent vases designed by Carlo Scarpa for MVM Cappellin. These works were featured prominently in an auction (Stadion, Milan, 1999) orchestrated by the glass scholar Franco Deboni. A series of important sales at Stadion featured masterworks of 20th century Murano glass, but few of these pieces ever resurfaced and the mystery of their location persisted until now.

In the cannon of Carlo Scarpa glass designs, Fenicio vessels are especially significant.

In the cannon of Carlo Scarpa glass designs, Fenicio vessels are especially significant. These elegant works seem to embody everything the artist accomplished as a designer and architect. Scarpa possessed a keen awareness of world art history and contemporary trends, an ability to draw elements from many different cultures, places and eras and combine them using the principals of Minimalism and Rationalism. His desire and extraordinary ability to reframe ideas and materials from the past is perhaps no more evident than in the series referred to as Fenicio.

The forms of Fenicio vases were often derived from the shapes of ancient Chinese ceramics, and the Fenicio decoration itself is based on ancient Phoenician core-formed vessels, the first true vessels made of glass. They were produced by the Egyptians, Mesopotamians and (of course) the Phoenicians beginning in about 1500 BCE. One of the oldest-known examples is on display at the British Museum and though weathered, bleached by soil chemicals and lumpen, one can still recognize an intended form.

Recipe for a core-formed vessel: Kneed together a handful of horse manure with a handful of clay. Carefully form the composite around the end of a long iron rod, then bake in a pottery kiln. When hardened, remove and cool. Wind molten bands of hot colored glass (the consistency of thick honey) around the core. Use a fine metal “comb” or other tool to lightly score the surface with north-and/or-south strokes—this creates the “feathered” effect. Use simple tools to define the neck, lip, and base, and add handles as desired. Cool slowly in an annealing oven. When completely cool, strike the metal rod to loosen from the crumbly core material. Scoop out the core and polish the interior of the vessel as desired.

The core-form process was difficult, time consuming, and expensive. With the advent of glassblowing in the 1st century BCE, core forming was largely abandoned as blowing made the production of glass vessels less expensive and hence available to almost everyone.

Scarpa’s Fenicio vases were made from numerous layers of thin opaque and transparent glass. Glassblowers from the ancient world, the Renaissance and Murano from the 19th century employed these techniques, but Scarpa took them much further creating unusual color combinations and textures, adding silver and gold leaf along with other metallic inclusions. His intention was to produce luminous glass vessels which had the opaque optics of ceramics at a time when Murano glass was valued for its lightness and transparency above all. These glass experiments were costly and took a great deal of patience from master blowers who were unaccustomed to taking direction from young designers, especially when attempting new techniques. Apparently, the young Carlo Scarpa was charming and endearing, and ultimately able to win the confidence of Cappellin’s masters, inspiring them to attempt his designs.

As for the cost, Giacomo Cappellin was more than willing to underwrite Scarpa’s experiments. Known for his excellent taste and uncompromising technical and aesthetic standards, Cappellin’s dynamic, larger-than-life personality carried him though Venetian and Milanese society in great, operatic style. One of the original founding partners of the Venini firm (1921), Cappellin left to form his own company, MVM Cappellin, in 1925. He secured significant loans in order to purchase and restore the famous Palazzo de Mula on Murano where the original Salviati furnace had been established in the 1860s. Renovation of the furnace and grounds was carried out by young Carlo Scarpa, who was still a student of architecture. Most of Venini’s original master blowers and technicians followed Cappellin from Venini to his new venture, bringing their full repertoire of skills. 

Scarpa's desire and extraordinary ability to reframe ideas and materials from the past is perhaps no more evident than in the series referred to as Fenicio. 

Between 1925 and 1931, Cappellin would support Scarpa and his craftsmen in their bold experimentation, and within the first years of operation MVM Cappellin would become known as Murano’s most inventive and fashionable glasshouse. By 1929, Murano could boast three world-class glass firms: MVM Cappellin, Venini and Artistica Barovier. All three companies would struggle to survive in the wake of the great depression, with Cappellin finally declaring bankruptcy in 1931. Although Giacomo Cappellin’s business ultimately failed, the quality and variety of glass designed by Scarpa at Cappellin set a new standard for fine Murano glass production in the 20th century, and by 1934 Carlo Scarpa would become principal designer at Venini.

It is with great pleasure that we present the glass collection of Robert and Lisa Kessler of Colorado. Beginning in the early 1990s, the Kesslers turned their attention to the field of Murano glass and proceeded to build a collection filled with rare and unique examples from the 1930s to the 1960s and beyond. As experienced collectors of art and design, they began their adventure in glass by identifying the best dealers and auction houses in the world. The pair understood the importance of following their own aesthetic path while keeping pace with the then emerging Italian glass market.

This spectacular collection covers many decades and highlights include rare examples by Carlo Scarpa, Napoleone Martinuzzi, Paolo Venini, Fulvio Bianconi, Archimede Seguso and Thomas Stearns. One of the great joys of curating this auction has been the chance to handle pieces not seen since their first appearance— whether in early auctions or in small exhibitions and catalogues. From the landmark sales of the early 1990s at Stadion in Milan to the best dealers in Europe and New York, the Kesslers were committed to acquiring the finest and rarest examples possible while adhering to their love of objects rooted firmly in the history of art and design.

The Kesslers were committed to acquiring the finest and rarest examples possible while adhering to their love of objects rooted firmly in the history of art and design.

Robert and Lisa Kessler are true collectors and their interests are as far reaching as they are deep. Well-known as connoisseurs of Southeast Asian bronzes and Chinese paintings and scrolls, perhaps their greatest passion is reserved for contemporary Japanese ceramics. One of the true pleasures of touring the Kessler’s various collections was recognizing their passion for art of all periods and origins expressed in sculptural form. It was therefore fascinating to note that most of their Murano glass pieces were chosen for their shapes and techniques as opposed to the transparency generally associated with glass. It is certainly no coincidence that the collection offers so many examples by Carlo Scarpa, whose love of Asian art and history is well known—this fascination is magnificently represented in his work as both a glass designer and architect. Scarpa’s work for MVM Cappellin and later for Venini perfectly expresses his desire to explore the medium of glass in new and dynamic ways by honoring the connection between surface (techniques often of his own invention) and form.

The Kessler glass collection is unique in many ways. With keen attention to new applications of ancient techniques, the choices made allow one to trace the most forward thinking efforts on the island of Murano during the 20th century.

The Kessler glass collection is unique in many ways. With keen attention to new applications of ancient techniques, the choices made allow one to trace the most forward thinking efforts on the island of Murano during the 20th century. From delicate Fenicio vases to Bollicine and Pulegoso vessels of the 1930s, one recognizes the intention to redefine the medium and move away from the tradition of transparency. The Postwar period brings more invention, this time a reaction to and reflection of world art expressed through the complex use of canes and internal abstract decoration thus reimagining the vessel as a three dimensional canvas. Yoshi Ohira’s inventive works in glass from the 1990s provide the culmination of this sensational collection and reinforce the thread of experimentation connecting all great art and design.