Fratelli Toso Murano Glass Vortex Butterfly Ashtray Bowl

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Triple cased 1950’s art glass multi-use decorative bowl designed by Fratelli Toso, Italy.

Large butterfly shape with a vortex of gold metallic aventurine swirls.  Hand-formed triple cased glass with a layer of colorless over opaque white and topped off with a beautiful light turquoise. The gold aventurine swirls were incorporated within the turquoise layer.

Big, beautiful and useful. Vintage Murano art glass was often made with versatility in mind. One of its original purposes was as an ashtray (smoking was terribly glamorous back then).  Can rest small smokes, cigars and incense sticks. Cigar shown is a 5½” long fatty. Can serve candy or fancy tidbits. Classy with flowers, or makes a superb catch-all with four shoots slanting into the bowl to catch your stuff. Lovely as a candle-holder (remove metal wick holders on candle base before using with vintage and antique glass).

Weighs 2.¼ lbs. Measures 10″ long  x 8″ wide and is 2.25″ tall. In original condition with no damage. Glass is brilliant. There are a couple specs of ash trapped within the glass and some peppering in the center of the bowl, where the vortex swirl ends. Known as a maker’s miss and often seen in glass made the old fashioned way using a furnace.

https://retroartglass.com/glass-makers-companies-and-regions/italian-glass-venetian-murano/