Topic: Glass vase with bird - ID = Hofbauer

[Gilead]

I found the vase with a bird cut in to both side of the vase on like a red shield this vase is very heavy, and stands 9ins high.

The glass is very thick would this have been made for some one as gift do you think, and have you any idea from where it as come England? are these one offs or made in the boat loads, first i have ever seen cheers
                                                                                              Steve

[Ivo]

Walther Driburg/ Annahütte and absolutely monstrous. imho....

[Gilead]

Ivo cheers
              i take it you dont like this work then may i ask why and can you tell me if they do other glass beside this vase, please,
                                                                                                                                                                           Steve

[Ivo]

sorry to me there are no redeeming features at all, not in terms of technique, design or quality. Annahütte Bleikristall <shudder> -  try Google or Wikipedia for further details.

[Andy]

HI Steve,
what you have to do, is to find an Antiques market/fair/shop in your area, walk around, pick up
the glass , handle it, you will soon notice the difference in quality and feel.
Charity shops are full of other peoples clear outs, not, that occasionally you may get a nice piece,
but its 1 in a thousand!
This piece is a very poor copy/imitation of cut to clear/ flashed/ overlaid glass,
keep reading books, websites, ebay, and all the posts on here, it may take a few years!
it did me, and i feel ive only scratched the surface!

be patient, you will find the answers you seek! ( i think thats a star wars quote! )

Andy

[Sue C]

Hi Steve, i hope this link is ok with the mod's  but anyway, there is load's of this about
http://members.aol.com/ebejqrsgnx/16/hofbauer.html
The learning process id a veerrry looooong one, believe me  but i do think you are getting your eye in 

[Lustrousstone]

I think Sue's link shows some people like Ivo's pet hate 

Andy is right, go to antique centres and similar places, look at glass, pick it up, handle it, BUT don't buy unless you really fall in love or you know you've got either a bargain or a fair price for something correctly identified or you can identify. Don't believe the labels unless you can confirm the ID from good books or find reliable IDs online or you have learnt the answer. Then you can decide what area(s) or theme(s) you want to collect in. Most of us have more than one collection, most of us make mistakes but often we can trust our instincts because we have looked and looked and read and read. You eye is getting better, welcome to the club

My name is Christine, I'm a glassoholic...

[Ivo]

Oh I have some tips for you. Handle as much glass as you can; do not be afraid to pick up the expensive and exclusive items, and ask the dealer why it is priced like it is. "How can you tell it is ....." will usually get you an enthusiastic story. But only ever buy something if you know the item will triple in price. You do not have to know precisely what it is, but you can usually tell by hand of the quality. Stay away from items with a ground unpolished bottom; do not buy plates as you'll end up stacking them; never buy anything with a ground pontil AND a cut rim; bowls are OK, ashtrays are not.  And from time to time, trawl the bazaars and lower end markets to see what is on offer. Once you've seen pallets of Bormioli, Annahütte, Arcoroc or Pasabahce you will recognise them next time. And study the Ikea assortiment - we now get around 35% Ikea stuff on our antiques markets.
Happy hunting!!

[Pinkspoons]

...bowls are OK, ashtrays are not.

As a general rule, yes - but there are always exceptions. For example, Holmegaard's blown glass ashtrays do sell fairly well. Especially Per Lütken's 1950s/60s designs, some of which can snap at the heels of the £100 mark (these are the more interesting ones, obviously - the less-interesting ones can languish around £10-15).

I think one of the easiest things for a new collector to do is settle on one, maybe two, areas of glass and get to know them properly, rather than embracing all glass at once. The latter is impossible, I think, if you wish to build up a solid base of knowledge with which to choose future purchases. And as you get to know your niche you'll very soon realise you can better judge other glass in terms of age and design (and, depending on the area you choose, quality) because you know the markers to look for in your own glass.

It's also much cheaper to buy books for only one specific field. 

[Lustrousstone]

But only ever buy something if you know the item will triple in price.

That depends why you are buying, it's OK if you are buying as an investment or for resale. If you are buying simply for the pleasure of having and enjoying or studying, then that's irrelevant