V.A.M.S.A.

The V.A.M.S.A. firm Vetreria Artistica Muranese Societa' Anonima founded in 1925 by Augusto Hreglivh under the name of S.A.V.A.M. Societa' anonima Vetri Artistici Murano, produced blown glass of classic type.

In 1936 it was transformed into V.A.M.S.A. (Vetreria Artistica Muranese Societa' Anonima) and had Alfredo Barbini among its partners, in his capacity as master glassblower. His artistic personality, matured in a direct cooperation with Napoleone Martinuzzi - working as maestro for the Zecchin Martinuzzi glass factory, marked his entire production, characterized by the use of thick glass, with the inclusion of bubbles, metal powders or other decorative forms within the material.

There were two distinct trends in production: one concerned vetro sommerso (submerged glass) along purely 20th century's lines, such as the vases exhibited at 1938 Venice Biennale; the other dealt with sculptures having a naturalistic bent, using coloured vitreous pastes, the application of acids on the surface and new techniques of internal decorations such as "vetro fumato". In this line we can count models such as "gabbiano", "folaghe", "papere", that would later be taken up again and imitated by many other makers, also after he second world war.

Under the artistic direction of Ermenigildo Ripa, and subsequently of the painter Luigi Scarpa Croce, the firm was present at he Venice Biennali up to 1942.

Over time, production slowly petered out and the firm eventually closed in 1945.

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