Istvan Komaromy Was: Bimini Style Figures: ID paper label

[amzm]

I have a set of 6 dancing nude glasses and a decanter that I believe may be Bimini.  The colored part of the glass is a smoke gray.  They are 4 inches tall and 2 1/2 inches at their widest.  Are these original or might they be repros.  They are very lovely and in excellent condition.  The decanter is missing its stopper if it had one.  Since I am also interested in selling them if someone would have an estimate of their value as originals or if they are repros.   I will email a picture to anyone who may be able to help me identify these beauties.  Thanks for your help!!!

[Angela B]

Does it look like this one, only in smoke grey?
http://www.aboutglass.com/biminiCD/7.JPG

I have a wine glass like this one, in smoke grey, which I bought as Bimini, and is very lovely. However. both Raymond Berger and I have researched this design, and concluded that it is not Bimini. It could be Lauscha from Germany or it could be Czech from the Zelezny Brod Glassworks.  
If anyone has a catalogue picture showing where these were made, we'd be very interested.
There's an article about Bimini glass at http://www.glass.co.nz/bimini.htm
In general, if a figurine has breasts it is most likely not Bimini, because Bimini figurines were very abstract.
We have no idea of the value, but you can see them occasionally on ebay to get some idea.
I hope this is helpful,
Angela

[amzm]

Thank you for your reply.  Apparently they had been referenced in the Collector's Guide to Art Deco by Mary Gaston 1997 and I think they were thought to be American??  But an eBayer had contacted the seller and said that they were Bimini, which as you say they may not be.  If they were made in Europe or the US when would they have been made???  Are they still an item from the art deco period???  Or are they modern reproductions of someone's idea of art deco???

Mine are listed on eBay under "Art Deco Dancing Nude Stem Ware."  Any help in getting a correct ID on these is greatly appreciated.  
Thanks!!!!

[Angela B]

I was told there is a glassworks in Florida which makes Bimini-style items. Can anybody out there tell us any more about this glassworks in Florida?
Best wishes
Angela

[mike247118]

Hi amzm--Funny to run into you here!  Small world.  I am the one that ended up buying the set in question.  I like it a lot, but am interested in finding more information about it.  Particularly age, ie is it repro, original or combination of the two.   Just some observations:

First, Check out these links that I have found for other sets:
http://www.trocadero.com/115broadway/items/132280/item132280store.html

http://www.cyberattic.com/stores/auntieq/items/205707/item205707cyberattic.html

Both locations credit these to Bimini which is interesting given the other comments in this thread.  However, I think I can see some differences in the shapes of the bowls on the glasses.  It could be a camera angle, but I would be interested if anyone else sees them too.   amzm, Did you notice the difference in the thickness of the glasses vs the decanter?  There is also a difference in the "feel" of the glass.  The glasses feel slicker (modern?) to me.  But since I am not a Bimini collector ( I liked the design of the piece and bought it as decorative) I am not familiar with it's hand-feel.    There is also a subtle but distinct difference in the nude figure inside the vase, vs the ones on the stems.  More elongated and abstract (particularly in the legs) and seems a bit more reflective of other bimini attributions I have seen.  So I am wondering if it's possible the decanter is original and the stems repro.  That said, the stems DO look like the pictures in the links posted above.  

I am really curious about this set.  Any input or opinions, particularly with regard to age and origin, are appreciated!

regards,

Mike

[Ivo]

It remains a tricky subject, especially where the town of Lauscha had (and has) an important and continuous output of lampworked figures and figurines in thousands of variations, including all the popular styles of the 1920s and 30s. ZBS is less likely, their figurines are generally more solid.  As for attributions, people will want to believe their items were made by a famous name like Bimini so there are a lot of falsely attributed pieces around.

The other thing worth observing is that Bimini did not make all their production themselves but subcontracted to Venini. For correctly attributed Bimini items this may explain the difference in thickness and finish.

[mike247118]

Ivo,
Thanks for the information.  If you had to guess, would you say old, new or other for this piece and what would you look for to figure out which?  

Mike

[Ivo]

unfortunately I can only advise you to look out for the genuine article in books and magazines. I feel E-bay is not the most reliable information source. In the end you may have to content yourself with an unconfirmed attribution.

[mike247118]

Thanks Ivo.  I agree with the E-bay comment wholeheartedly.  I did run accross the item below today.  It looks strikingly similar to the figures on the decanter set and has a paper label atttached (not bimini).  Does it ring a bell to your (or anyone elses) eye?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3714757660

[mike247118]

Note the paper label pictured in one of the photos.  I am hoping someone will recognize the maker as it is strikingly similar to the "Bimini" set.  The figure in this piece is so similar, I think it might lead to the correct attribution.

Thanks!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3714757660

[Angela B]

Hi Mike,
I went to have a look but the pictures were not working because the auction has ended. I'd really like to see the label.  Did you keep a copy of it that we could look at?
Best wishes
Angela

[Ivo]

I did!
And I can confirm it is not cursive cyrillic - just oldfashiond illegible.
(http://glassgallery.yobunny.org.uk/albums/userpics/10004/thread74b.jpg)

[Angela B]

Many thanks, Ivo.
Sadly, it doesn't mean thing to me either.
Perhaps someone else knows?
Angela

[Frank]

It all depends on what those first letters are...

It looks like a G and a K

perhaps Getval Komarov ?sky?

The label also looks to be hanwritten. It was certainly a nice bit of glass in the feel of deco figures but I did not think it was that old.

[mike247118]

I never did figure it out and neither could the gentlman that had it.   He pointed out that if I was frustrated looking at the images, then I would be REALLY frustrated with the lable because it was so small.  It did seem to be a nice piece though....I thought maybe late forties or fifties.  Thanks for trying though!