Murano Fish?

Over the last few days, I have see a LOT of Murano fish. I was hoping to confirm the guess of the resale shop manager that this was Murano. It fits the bill in several ways:

• The clear fins have been applied to the body
• Many of the Murano fish have an open mouth
• It has the striped/swirling colors of the Murano fish that have been labelled as 60's/70s

Here is where it diverges:

• All of the ones with clean glass fins that I saw had fins on the bottom. This has a shaved, polished bottom instead.
• It as bulgy applied eyes. The others I saw had flat eyes.
• The rear fin has color inside of the clear glass. Only one had extended color into the fins and could have been misidentified.

There is a label on the bottom that is mostly worn away, and it appears someone wrote on it. He is a chubby little thing - 2.8 pounds at only 8 inches in length and 5 inches to the top of his fin. I paid far too much for it, but he is very cheerful. Any thoughts?

 

Most "Murano" fish were made in Romania.

 

That is my concern. How to tell?

 

He/it sort of looks like a blow fish......

 

I was thinking that too.

 

A friend came over and said he thought he could see the remnants of a red and gold Murano sticker.

 

It's tricky to distinguish them without handling. The Romanian ones are often quite long and drawn out with long spatters. The colours on yours are more Italian, but the base looks a bit off.

 

All the glass here is ‘Murano’ yet 90% is Chinese. The rest can be anything from Taiwanese to Canadian. Genuine Murano glass has artistic, stylistic and material qualities which sets it apart from nearly everything else. But that doesn’t mean it’s easy to make the distinction.
In the case of your fish, I’d say not Murano. Not accomplished in the fluency of the design, and probably not made from glass of the superb quality for which Italian glass is renowned. Perhaps it’s Czech.

 

As I said, very often Romanian, they show up here with labels, and have been discussed at length on assorted glass boards. Not Czech, - the fish they made, such as Zelezny Brod, are usually monochrome, often neodymium glass. And superb.

Murano made glass isn't neccessarily better or higher quality. Much Czech and Polish glass, for example, is superb as is higher end Chinese. And of course, Scandinavian makers are fabulous. A great deal of the made on Murano sold in Venice shops is churned out by the tens of thousands. There's lesser factories on the island, to say the least.

 

In reply to Ownedbybear: Czech was just a wild guess, perhaps the glass fish which were turning up here with tedious regularity about 20 year ago were Romanian. They were long and hollow with colourful ‘chevrons’.
Only the better Murano glass is imported here - too costly to bring in rubbish - and I’m sure you are right about the quality of Scandinavian glass (wasn’t the industry set up by the Italians?). I was really replying in relation to this particular fish, and that style of glass, rather than glass in general.

 

Gotcha. Yes, those long hollow ones were probably from Romania, as were the many handled baskets.

No, Scandi wasn't set up by Italians, but was rather part of the almost explosive growth of the industry from, oh, the 16th century. Whilst Murano was and is a centre, there's an honourable history in places like Catalunya and of course the Austro Hungarian glass.

 

This is an excellent insight into what you meant by Romanian. Actually most every fish I looked at, where those long pieces sitting on fins. Mine is fat and squat. Thank you.

 

I appreciate your evaluation. Actually, I have a piece of confirmed Barovier and Toso that is far from elegant. Thick, squat and luscious.

 

Though, I've been here for a while, I haven't heard your thoughts on this subject in such a comprehensive way. It is a privilege to have you share them with me. I stand in awe of your range of knowledge about this subject, as well as others. I love how you find joy in the many iterations of art glass. I learn from you every time you post.

 

Aw, bless you!

I do like glass. My house is infested with the stuff. Oops.

 

MT. I am so glad you joined the forum with your attention to detail and your perspective on art glass in Australia. I live in a port city on the west coast of the US. Actually, one of the biggest ports in the world. So many more things of all variety come here from all over the world, and local artists thrive in the sun. This is why I am so intent on learning and appreciate any member's willingness to comment on any of my posts. Thank you.

 

I'm trying to get there.

 

I keep coming back to look at this fish. I love the colors.

 

Thank you. He's quite bright, isn't he. I like how the artist used the almost cobalt blue to contrast the yellow, and how the swirls of turquoise and orange give life to the rest.

 

I was thinking that too. Without the spines. Same bulgy eyes and upturned tail, though.