Dino Martens: Murano Maverick

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Murano. Glass. The two words and worlds are inextricably linked. Arguably the peak of this symbiosis is the experimental design and execution which emanated from the Italian island in the mid-20th century.

Included in The Glass Sale is an archetypal example of Murano glass, from the celebrated Oriente series, designed by Dino Martens for Aureliano Toso. Its route into the collection of its owners was far from typical: it was accepted as a gift in lieu of payment over half a century ago.

^{Dino Martens (Italian, 1894-1970) for Aureliano Toso, an 'Oriente' ewer (£5,000-7,000)}

Aureliano Toso officially started in 1938 despite the founder, Aureliano Anacleto Toso, and principal designer Dino Martens, already being well entrenched in the industry. The two future business partners are thought to have met in the mid-1920s, while Aureliano Toso was in the employ of the Fratelli Toso as an accountant – interwoven histories are typical of the Murano glassmaking infrastructure and culture. Dino Martens would be appointed the official designer in 1947.

Born Corrado Martens, he was a Bohemian character, travelling and working on a very sporadic and staccato basis. Few now know him as Corrado, as he adopted the ‘Dino’ moniker from around 1915, which was a nickname from his younger years. It was perhaps this almost erratic approach with fuelled his incredible and equally original design language.

Complex design, particularly in glass, requires a proficient and willing glassmaker. For Martens, his preferred glassblower of choice was Aldo ‘Polo’ Bon, who is thought to have executed the most challenging of Martens’s designs at Aureliano Toso. The marriage of designer and glassmaker outlines a fundamental challenge in glassmaking: an imaginative drawing was merely the beginning of a process requiring exceptional skill at the furnace.

^{Dino Martens (Italian, 1894-1970) for Aureliano Toso, an 'Oriente' ewer (£5,000-7,000)}

The Oriente series became one of the most successful expressions of this experimental spirit. Introduced in 1952, it combined striking colour with complex arrangements of glass. The process began with cold coloured fragments, glass canes and other inclusions arranged in the desired pattern. These were then warmed and picked up by hot, clear glass, with the final form displaying the colourful palette sandwiched between layers of clear glass. Our example features the characteristic pinwheel motif; an element so closely associated with the Oriente series that it might be regarded as an unofficial signature.

Its unique and personal provenance adds additional charm to a well-established design classic. Once accepted in lieu of payment, this piece now comes to auction as a daring example of Dino Martens’s work. It is a true pleasure to include it in The Glass Sale, and we look forward to introducing it to a new generation of collectors.

Tuesday 13 October | 10am

alexfroggatt@sworder.co.uk | 01279 817778

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