Q. Could you please direct us to a book on Ercole Barovier, so that we might learn more about him?

We have a number of books on the Barovier family of glassmakers that I can recommend. The only books we have just on Ercole are in Italian, though. One is an exhibition catalog entitled: Ercole Barovier 1889-1974: Vetrario Muranese (1989 Marsilio Editori).

However, if English is preferred, there is quite a bit of information in these titles on Murano glass and the Barovier family. Ercole was the director of Vetreria Artistica Barovier & C from 1926-1972, so books about the company or important Muranese glass firms often have a considerable amount of information on him as well.

Art of Barovier: Glassmakers in Murano 1866-1972. Barovier, Marina, ed. Venice: EBS Verona, 1993.

Barovier, Marino. Venetian Art Glass 1840-1970: An American Collection. Stuttgart: Arnoldsche Art Publishers, 2004.

Barovier, Rosa Mentasti. Venetian Glass 1890-1990. EBS Verona, 1992.

Deboni, Franco. Murano '900. Milano: Bocca Editori, 1996

I think all but the Deboni is available through Amazon.com. You might want to request copies on loan through your local library, though, before ordering them, just to make sure they include the information that interests you. I'd be happy to copy some biographical information on Ercole and mail or fax it to you if you want to send me your address or fax number.