Murano Sommerso vase, mid-century modern, glass, design by F. Poli, Italy, 1950s

Murano vase made using the Sommerso technique, designed by Flavio Poli in the 1950s, is an example of expressive, mid-century modern Italian craftsmanship. The glass in intense emerald green smoothly transitions into a golden, amber base, in line with the Sommerso principle where one layer of colour is enclosed in a transparent second layer of glass. The slender, elongated silhouette with a dynamically undulating, organic edge resembles a blooming flower, and the shiny, deeply polished surface highlights the thickness of the glass, especially at the base. The whole presents itself harmoniously, with an emphasis on colour purity and the classic biomorphic line characteristic of the spirit of the mid-20th century. Condition is excellent, with no visible signs of use, chips or scratches – a collector's item.