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Rosenthal Glasstudio Mario Colelli & Hertha Bengtson Murano Hand-blown Vase 20cm
€549Bid from €499
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Berlin, GermanyOn Whoppah since August 2023 • 23 sales
Product description
Rosenthal Glasstudio Filigrana Vase by Mario Colelli & Hertha Bengtson – Limited Edition Art Glass, Germany, ca. 1980s
A radiant and sculptural example of Rosenthal’s Glasstudio program, this hand-blown glass vase embodies the rare convergence of Murano craftsmanship and Northern European design rigor. Created in the 1980s through the collaboration between Mario Colelli and Hertha Bengtson, the piece reflects Rosenthal’s most ambitious efforts to position glass as a collectible artistic medium.
Executed in the traditional filigrana (Fadenglas) technique, the vase incorporates finely drawn threads of vibrant orange and deep red suspended within clear crystal. These threads spiral continuously across the rounded body, forming a hypnotic optical vortex. As light moves across the surface, the pattern appears to shift and intensify, transforming the object into a dynamic interplay of color, transparency, and rhythm.
The form is bold and volumetric: a generous, bulbous body rising toward a narrow, precisely tapered neck. At nearly 20 cm in height and 23 cm in diameter, the vase possesses a strong architectural presence, balancing mass and refinement. It reads as both vessel and sculpture—an object defined as much by its optical energy as by its physical form.
Designers: Mario Colelli & Hertha Bengtson
Manufacturer: Rosenthal Glasstudio, Germany
Period: ca. 1980s
Material: Hand-blown glass
Technique: Filigrana / Fadenglas
Finish: Glossy
Color: Orange, red, and clear
Dimensions:
Height: 19.5 cm
Diameter: 23 cm
Neck opening: approx. 2 cm
Signature:
Engraved on base: Rosenthal Glasstudio H. Bengtson Colelli 047-23/200
Condition:
Excellent vintage condition. No chips, cracks, or restorations. A faint internal inclusion may be visible under strong light, consistent with hand-blown filigrana glass and not affecting clarity or visual impact.
About the Designers:
Mario Colelli, trained in the Murano tradition, contributed the technical mastery required for complex filigrana structures, enabling precise control over line, density, and optical depth. Hertha Bengtson (1917–1993), a leading figure in Scandinavian modernism and long-time Rosenthal collaborator, brought a disciplined formal language rooted in proportion and clarity. Her work consistently sought to elevate functional objects into sculptural design, a principle fully realized in her Glasstudio collaborations.
Design Context:
This vase belongs to Rosenthal’s Glasstudio initiative, an experimental platform active primarily from the 1970s onward. The program fostered cross-cultural collaborations, combining traditional craft techniques with modern industrial design thinking. Here, the centuries-old Venetian filigrana method is reinterpreted within a modernist framework—where ornament becomes structure and pattern becomes spatial experience. The result is a piece that bridges studio glass, industrial production, and collectible design.
Collector’s Note:
Part of a strictly limited edition of 200 pieces, this vase is engraved 047-23/200. Larger-scale examples in this vivid orange-red palette are particularly rare and highly sought after. It represents a significant moment in postwar European design, where material innovation and international collaboration converged.
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GENERAL INFORMATION
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International buyers: import duties or taxes, if applicable, are the buyer’s responsibility.
All items are photographed and described with care. Vintage pieces may show minimal traces of age; any significant flaws will be clearly mentioned.
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Specifications
ConditionVery goodColorsOrange, TransparentMaterialGlassNumber of items1BrandRosenthalHeight20 cmWidth23 cmDepth23 cm
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Seller information
About this seller
Berlin, GermanyOn Whoppah since August 2023 • 23 sales