Topic: This probably isn't Murano but I have to ask.

[Anne]

Veneto is the region around Venice. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veneto

[TxSilver]

I don't like to send people to active auctions, but there is an animal with a Toscany label on eBay (3220402620724). This is one of the examples of a Toscany glass label that says genuine Venetian glass. I looked more on Google and found some mention of Czech and American glass under Toscany. Perhaps the company contracts from different places.

I am familiar with Tuscany and Empoli. But I wondered if Toscany was something beyond Tuscan. Does anyone know anything about the company itself?

[langhaugh]

Interesting example, Anita. I wonder. Ivo lists Toscany as a trade name for St George Crystal, which Google tells me is the only company making lead crystal in the USA. That's one avenue ruled out. The label goes back a bit. A little more googling turned up the obituary of "Harold Potchar, aged 77, in 2001, the founder of Toscany Imports," which he started  upon his return return from Europe after serving in the US Army in WWII. That makes sense to me, and struck a chord. I  went back to my West Virginia Museum of Glass reprint "Italian Import Glass of the 1950's" and they have a page reproducing a 1960 ad for Toscany Imports, 245 Fifth Avenue, New York selling Empoli glass.

BTW, I think two numbers got added inadvertently to the front of the reference for the eBay piece. It should be  220402620724.

David

[TxSilver]

Thanks for the information and correction of the number, David. My cut and paste must have picked up some invisible numbers.  What you wrote about Toscany being an import company in NY makes sense. I had seen a lot of Toscany Empoli and Venetian glass in the USA. Most of the Venetian glass has been bowls that look a lot like Fratelli Toso pieces, but aren't documented as being theirs. I think you've solved the mystery. They probably imported mostly from Empoli, but also from Murano since there was probably a good market for the glass.

Import labels can certainly be confusing when we don't know that it is what they are.