The Filigrana Pair

These are two decorative fruits, a lemon and a pear, blown on Murano in the 1960s or 1970s. Both are worked in filigrana, a technique in which fine canes of coloured and white glass are embedded in clear glass. On the lemon, the canes run in vertical ribbons of pink and white. The pear is wound in a fine horizontal spiral. Each is finished with an applied clear glass leaf. The lemon is noticeably heavier than the pear, with thicker walls.

They suit a bookshelf, a mantelpiece or a dressing table, and they look best grouped with other glass where the light can pass through the canes.

Origin: Italy (Murano)
Sourced in: Veneto
Era: c.1960s–1970s
Materials: Hand-blown glass with pink and white filigrana canes
Dimensions: L 8 cm, each
Condition: Good vintage condition, with no chips to the leaves or stems visible. Small air bubbles within the glass are inherent to the making. Refer to photographs. Sold as a pair.