Oval vase on truncated cone foot in black glass with inclusions of gold and silver leaf and threads in red glass paste

Scarpa presented his collection of black glass with inclusions of gold and silver leaf at the International Decorative Arts Exhibition in Monza in 1930. The wares on the truncated cone foot, a hallmark of Scarpa's style and an emblem of Cappellin's production vaunted a refinement of execution that made them unique. In addition to the overlapping of gold and silver leaf, Scarpa used the slenderest threads of red zanfirico glass paste in spiralling progressions. Material of this kind was incredibly difficult to work, and very few master glassmakers ever succeeded in the attempt.

Writing about the exhibition in Monza, Gio Ponti pronounced Scarpa’s new glassware exquisite in its forms of extremely fine classic design, declaring it one of the most remarkable productions ever to emerge from the Cappellin furnace.

Bibliography

Mille anni di arte del vetro a Venice, Albrizzi, Venice 1982, exhibition catalogue (Venice, Palazzo Ducale, Museo Correr, July 24 – October 24, 1982), page 263, no. 520; Marina Barovier (editor), Carlo Scarpa. I vetri di Murano 1927-1947, Il cardo, Venice 1991, page 57, no. 8; Marino Barovier (editor), Carlo Scarpa. Glass of an Architect, Skira, Milan 1999, pages 81, 197 no. 78.