Topic: Opalescent Sommerso Swans - Pair - ID Help Please

[obscurities]

I got these today and am in need of some help with the ID. I usually do not do anything with figural glass, but these were too striking for me to pass up.

The pieces are very well executed. I found a very similar form to the taller one online identified as Seguso, but I do not know the source of the attribution.

The taller one with the straighter neck stands 15 inches tall, is 7 inches long and 4 inches wide. The curved neck swan is 11 inches tall, 7 inches long, and 4 inches wide. The necks are lighter in color in person, and the bodies are a little bluer than they appear. The glass is opalescent. They have polished undersides and show light age wear.  

The colors in the third picture are probably the closest to accurate... at least on my screen.  The colors in the closeup of the head are not accurate, but taken to show the detail of how the eye is done. That is because I have a recollection of a thread where Anita talked about eye style for a particular glass house.

TIA  Craig

[TxSilver]

Craig, are the sommerso vessels opalescent or is in the glass around the vessel? Is the opalescent glass colored or is the color in a "wash" in the glass around the opalescence? Swans can be very difficult because many companies did the same poses. Often as soon as the label is off, animals such as swans and ducks fall into the generic category. Darn those label removers!  :spls: I'll look into my files to see if I can find the form. The rounded wing is very distinctive, so if we can find others with wings like this, we'll probably know the maker.

[obscurities]

Hi Anita, The color is in the internal form, which is hollow. The outer layer is where the opalescence is, except in some areas such as the bills, and also the tips of the tails which are clear but blend into opalescent glass.

The Seguso attributed piece I found on line had the same style of wing, and also general body form and transition to the tail. Many of the swans I found had much less curve to the back with a stiffer transition across the body from the neck to the tail.  Most had much chunkier bodes, and not the graceful lines of these.  Does that make sense to you?

The piece I found with the Seguso attribution is on this page and has the same wing and general style. It is the 14th item down. I do not know who they are though.....

http://www.thepriceguide.com.au/index.cfm/subcategory/1376-venetian-archimede-seguso/

Thanks for your help here. I appreciate it.

Craig

[TxSilver]

Yike! I just realized I used "opalescent" the wrong way. I should have just said opaline. I asked about it, because one import company, JI Co, had pheasants that looked opalino, but they achieved it in a different way than Toso or Seguso. The company that made glass for JI Co had an opaline sommerso vessel -- the core -- that was white. Then they would put some color into the glass right around the core. It had the effect of making the whole animal look opaline. I guess one could say it was a poor man's opalino. The glass looks opaline in pictures, but one can tell when it is in hand. This is why I asked. If the glass is colored opaline (color and opaline together), the it is probably a higher quality piece.

Archimede & Co. did such a huge range of pieces, it is difficult to see them all in a lifetime. It should be an interesting hunt. I just remembered the link you gave, so I'll have to check.

[TxSilver]

I just checked the link. I suspect it is the same company who made your swan. I have only one problem with it -- I don't trust the page. Some of the attributions look questionable to me. Maybe we can put this in the Murano group to see what the other people think??

[obscurities]

I agree about the attributions on the page..... some look OK, others look questionable....  but it is the only one online I could find with the wing the same.....  Which in a way is a good thing.....  Not a truck load of them around. 

Would it be possible for a moderator to move this to Murano??

[TxSilver]

There is a round-wing swan called duck on eBay now. It doesn't look like yours, but I noticed the wings. It has a generic Murano sticker on it. The number is 200353563062. I don't know if there is any relationship, but thought I would show and tell. Your birds are certainly more magnificent.

[Lustrousstone]

Those are really nice ones. They don't glow under a UV light do they? They seem to have a hint of green

[obscurities]

No they don't glow. I checked them before I bought them, as I carry a key chain black light LED.  They do have a slight tint of green to them in the neck area.  It s too bad they are difficult to photo, as they are really prettier than they look here.

Craig

[Lustrousstone]

I carry a key chain black light LED.

You and me both