Pair of Mid-20th Century Murano Hand-Blown Glass Doves - 4¾"

A poised pair of mid-20th-century Italian glass doves from Murano, hand-blown in clear glass with softly smoked gray bodies and perched on subtly irregular, flattened pads. Each figure is modeled with beautifully raised, ribbed wings and a broad fanned tail. The heads are detailed with neatly formed eyes and beaks, one beak showing an old break, while the bodies fade gracefully from smoke to clear, lending depth and luminosity.

Animal sculptures of this type were a hallmark of postwar Venetian glass, when Murano ateliers produced lively naturalistic forms for modern interiors. The subtle shading suggests a sommerso approach, encasing a tinted core within clear glass, while the pulled and notched wings demonstrate skilled hot-working. Made around the 1950s to 1960s, the pair reflects the island’s long tradition of virtuoso glassmaking and its thriving export market to Europe and the United States.

Set the birds on a mantel or console where natural light can filter through their wings, or place them on a bookshelf beside a stack of books to animate a vignette. They are equally charming in a glass-front cabinet, on a bedside table, or in a child’s room or nursery, where their serene presence adds a tender, graceful note.