Murano Glass Vases
Sculptural Murano glass vases, mouth-blown in Venice — timeless silhouettes and jewel colours for interiors with soul.
Vases — 9 pieces
Vases
Murano vases trace back to the 13th century, when the Republic of Venice moved its furnaces to the island — partly to protect the city from fire, partly to protect its glassmaking secrets from prying eyes. Eight hundred years later, the same techniques still shape every piece: sommerso, layers of colour submerged one inside another; filigrana, fine threads of opaque glass twisted into the clear body; and murrina, cross-sections of patterned cane fused into the surface. Read more in our guide to Murano glass techniques.
Because each vase is shaped free-hand while the glass is still molten, no two pieces are ever perfectly identical — a small variation in colour, height or curve is proof of authentic handwork, not a flaw. Unsure which size or silhouette suits your space? Our vase buyer's guide walks through shapes, sizes and styling. Once your piece arrives, our care guide covers cleaning and safe display.
How to Choose a Murano Glass Vase
The techniques behind the shape
Almost every decoration you see has a name and a method. Sommerso submerges one colour inside another, layer over layer; filigrana runs fine threads of opaque glass through the clear body; murrina fuses slices of patterned cane into the surface; sbruffi throws splashes of colour over the hot form. Gold leaf is applied while the glass is still molten. Our vase buyer's guide walks through the families in detail.
Size, shape and where it goes
On a dining table keep the vase below about 35 cm so people can see each other across it; on a console or a floor, height is what gives presence. Narrow necks hold a few stems upright and suit single flowers; wide mouths need a full bunch to look intentional. Coloured glass comes alive with light behind it, so a window sill or a lamp nearby is worth more than a central position in a dark room.
Flowers, water and cleaning
These are working vases: fresh flowers and water are fine. Use lukewarm water rather than hot, never put a cold vase under hot water, and empty and dry it before storing. Limescale rings lift with lukewarm water and a little white vinegar, left to stand and then rinsed. Never use a dishwasher — heat, detergent and vibration are what actually break Murano glass. The full routine is in our care guide.
How to tell a real Murano glass vase
Four things separate a genuine vase from a look-alike, and all are visible without tools. Weight: mouth-blown glass is dense and cool, its base thicker than a machine-made piece. The base: look for the rough scar where the pontil rod was broken away — often ground smooth, rarely invisible. Colour: it lives inside the glass in layers, not as a film on top; tilt it to the light and it shifts. Small flaws: a few bubbles or a faint asymmetry are evidence of hand work.
A Venetian glass vase and a Murano glass vase are the same thing described two ways. What settles it is documentation: ours arrive with a certificate naming the island.
Frequently asked questions
Can I really use it for fresh flowers?
Yes. Murano vases are made to hold water and flowers; only pieces described as purely sculptural should stay dry. Change the water regularly and rinse with lukewarm water to avoid limescale.
Can I wash it in the dishwasher?
No. Dishwasher heat and detergents dull the surface of hand-blown glass and can crack pieces with applied decoration or gold leaf. Wash by hand in lukewarm water with a drop of neutral soap.
Why does my vase have small bubbles or slight irregularities?
Because it was blown by mouth. Tiny bubbles, a base that is not machine-perfect and small variations in thickness are evidence of hand work — see our guide to recognising authentic Murano glass. Industrial glass is flawless and, for exactly that reason, lifeless.
Can I order the same vase in another colour or size?
Often yes, since each piece is blown individually. Tell us the model, the colour and the height you need through our custom commissions page and we will come back with feasibility, price and timing.
How do I identify a Murano glass vase?
Check the base for the pontil scar left when the vase was broken off the rod, feel the weight — real glass is heavy and cold — and tilt it to see whether the colour sits in layers within the glass rather than on it. Small bubbles and slight asymmetry point to hand-blowing. Labels and signatures can be faked, so treat a certificate of origin as the deciding evidence.
