Amethyst Sommerso Teardrop Vase by Luigi Onesto

Luigi Onesto (Italian, b. 1935), sommerso vase, c. 1970, clear…
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Luigi Onesto (Italian, b. 1935), sommerso vase, c. 1970, clear and amethyst glass, with gold leaf inclusions, of teardrop form with fish-scale design, etched signature 'L. Onesto Murano' to base, height 35 cm. Provenance: Private Collection, Sydney

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  • Sommerso - A method of making cased glass developed in Murano in the 1930s, where one or more layers of transparent coloured glass is encased within a layer of thick clear colourless glass.
  • Inclusions - Inclusions in glass objects refer to small, often irregularly shaped particles or bubbles that are trapped within the glass during the manufacturing process. These inclusions can be intentional or unintentional, and can range in size, shape, and composition.

    Intentional inclusions are often added to the glass for decorative purposes, and can include materials such as colored glass, metallic foils, or even small mementos like photographs or other objects. These intentional inclusions are typically added to the glass while it is still in a molten or semi-molten state and are then moulded or blown into the final shape of the object.

    Unintentional inclusions, on the other hand, are typically the result of impurities or air bubbles that become trapped within the glass during the manufacturing process. These inclusions can be seen as small specks or bubbles within the glass, and can sometimes be a sign of poor quality control during production.

    While intentional inclusions can be a desirable feature of some glass objects, unintentional inclusions can sometimes be seen as a defect, and can reduce the value of a piece. However, in some cases, certain types of unintentional inclusions can actually increase the value of a piece, such as with antique glass that contains bubbles or other imperfections that are characteristic of the time period in which it was made.
  • Etched - Glass decorated with an etched design, which is achieved through marking out the pattern, protecting the area that is not be etched, and then immersing the object in acid to dissolve the surface of the unprotected area. With some glass objects, such as cameo glass, there may be several layers of different coloured glass, and part of the top layer is dissolved leaving the bottom layer as the background. The longer the time of exposure of the object to acid, the deeper the etching.

    The word etching is also sometimes used to describe another method of decoration, where wheel grinders were used decorate the surface, but this technique is usually known as engraving.

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