Murano Art Glass Mallard Duck — Silver Foil, Applied Head, Polychrome

A hand-blown Murano mallard rendered in layered polychrome glass with suspended silver foil inclusions throughout — a technique requiring precise timing at the furnace, as actual silver leaf is fused between glass gathers rather than applied to the surface. The result shifts color and luminosity with every change in light: deep forest green at the waterline, warm chestnut and amber at the breast, a silvery-green head, amber glass eye, and a separately applied amber bill. Feather banding is achieved through layered color work within the glass itself, giving the piece genuine optical depth from every angle. The upswept clear glass tail fin and the separately applied head — a construction requiring a second gather — are markers of quality workmanship that distinguish this piece from lower-tier Murano tourist production. Unsigned; no label present.

The silver foil (argento) technique and naturalistic mallard palette place this piece within the mid-to-late 20th century tradition of Murano figural animal sculpture, a category that attracted major Venetian glass houses and independent maestri alike. Without signature or documentation, specific maker attribution cannot be confirmed — but the construction quality speaks for itself.

CONDITION

Good. No chips, cracks, or repairs. Light shelf wear consistent with display; minor surface dulling in handling areas that does not affect the glass or its presentation.

DIMENSIONS / SPECIFICATIONS

• Height: 4"
• Length: 8"
• Width: 4"
• Weight: 1 lb 5.5 oz
• Campbell's Soup Can (4" H) Shown for Scale