Murano | Multicolour Murrine Inclusion Paperweight | Hand-Blown Venetian Glass | Italy, 20th century

There are objects that announce themselves quietly — and then there are those that make no such attempt.

The glassmakers of Murano have guarded their methods since 1291, and pieces like this make it clear why. Over centuries, their control of heat, timing, and material has produced decorative glass that remains immediately recognisable — and difficult to replicate with any real conviction.

This paperweight is a strong example of Murano’s multicolour inclusion work. A dense field of murrine and coloured glass fragments has been gathered into a clear-to-white ground and encased while molten, producing a suspended mosaic effect that appears almost accidental in composition but is anything but in execution. The distribution is irregular and unpatterned, giving the piece a sense of spontaneity rather than repetition.

Colour plays the central role here. Saturated orange, red, cobalt blue, turquoise, green, and brown fragments are set against the ground, while flecks of gold aventurine catch and reflect light differently, adding depth and movement across the surface. The effect shifts subtly depending on how the piece is viewed and lit.

At 9 cm in diameter and just over a kilogram in weight, this is a substantial example — not a desk accessory so much as a small object of presence.

The original Murano authenticity label remains intact to the base, confirming production under the Vetro Artistico Veneziano designation.

Condition is clean and sound throughout, with no chips or cracks.

• Maker: Murano, Venice (Artistico Veneziano)
• Form: Paperweight
• Material: Hand-blown glass with multicolour murrine inclusions
• Colours: Orange, red, cobalt blue, turquoise, green, brown, gold aventurine on white ground
• Period: 20th century
• Country of Origin: Italy
• Diameter: 9 cm
• Weight: 1,005 g
• Marks: Original Murano label to base — “Hand Made / Genuine / Venetian Glass / Vetro / Artistico Veneziano / Made in Murano / Italy”

Condition Report

No chips or cracks. The surface remains clean with only minimal, age-appropriate base wear.

Collector Appeal

Murano paperweights occupy an interesting position — widely produced, but not uniformly desirable. Larger-scale examples with dense, well-distributed inclusions and strong colour contrast consistently perform better in both retail and collector settings. The presence of aventurine, combined with the weight and visual density of this piece, places it comfortably above average decorative examples. Retention of the original label further supports authenticity in a market where attribution is often loosely applied.

A kilogram of Murano glass carrying every colour the furnace could offer — this is not a subtle object, and it was never meant to be.