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Author Topic: Possibly Bohemian or US, maybe Steuben?  (Read 2766 times)

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Offline Frank

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Possibly Bohemian or US, maybe Steuben?
« on: January 16, 2006, 07:29:18 PM »
Anyone got ideas on this item. Trying to help seller sort it out.

Is it a Steuben shape? http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7382044416

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Offline nigel benson

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Possibly Bohemian or US, maybe Steuben?
« Reply #1 on: January 17, 2006, 12:05:21 AM »
Hi,

Like the herringbone pieces in another thread these pieces with mica inclusions have been turning up for years and have recently erroneously been attributed to Bermondsey Art Glass. This might be because I loaned a marked example of that company to the exhibition ["Glassblowing in London" that was held at Gray's Antique Market by Circa Glass] which has mica inclusions within a blue casing, but there the similarity ceases.

I have compared the two types closely and the one that you are enquiring about does not exhibit the characteristics of Bermondsey.

Recently there was an unsubstantiated theory that the ones in question are by Powell from the 1930's, but I have not found any evidence that the theory is provable.

I am surprised that Steuben is being considered as an option, since I don't ever recall seeing a reference to that illustrious company producing pieces of transparent coloured glass encasing mica/silver inclusions. However, sometimes one can be surprised. Yet, if I am right, it would not be sensible to suggest that the piece is by them purely by reference to the shape. As I have pointed out before there needs a lot more evidence than just one characteristic before giving an attribution.

Nigel

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Offline Glasshound

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Possibly Bohemian or US, maybe Steuben?
« Reply #2 on: January 17, 2006, 03:51:11 AM »
Definitely NOT Steuben....

Blair 8)
American and European Art Glass, Antique to Contemporary
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Offline KevinH

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Possibly Bohemian or US, maybe Steuben?
« Reply #3 on: January 17, 2006, 06:30:36 AM »
I cannot add much to this except to say that Muller Freres also used overall mica in coloured glass.

I have a vase (signed on the base) with silver mica in clear but with the outer surface flashed in orange giving the mica a golden appearance from the outside and silver from the inside. But as well as being clearly signed, the foot and rim are worked in a solid burgandy(?) colour and the whole thing looks more substantial than the item in the eBay listing.
KevinH

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Offline Frank

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Possibly Bohemian or US, maybe Steuben?
« Reply #4 on: January 17, 2006, 06:56:04 AM »
The rolled edge to the base is a pointer to non-UK in my opinion and it ties in nicely with those two lined pieces that have passed through here a few times .

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Offline nigel benson

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Possibly Bohemian or US, maybe Steuben?
« Reply #5 on: January 17, 2006, 10:22:45 AM »
Hi,

Fair comment about the piece's construction, however just because the items both have mica inclusions it does not necessarily mean that they are from the same source.

The idea might have been picked up and used by a neigbouring factory, a factory from the same country, or even one from a different country. Similarity does not mean it is the same. Please be careful.

Nigel

PS. Cyril Manley's book just came to mind. In it there are pieces with mica inclusions by S&W/RB, but they are, as I recall, far more sophisticated.

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Offline chopin-liszt

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Possibly Bohemian or US, maybe Steuben?
« Reply #6 on: January 18, 2006, 09:47:19 AM »
:D:D:D

 I have a large pink vase of a similar shape, but taller-looking (or slimmer-looking!) 13.5 " tall, full of mica, also with millefiori bits. It's Italian, with a red and gold oval label saying "made in Murano Italy" and another label and certificate for TFZ Internazionale, artist signed although I can't read the name. I bought it in TKMaxx for £13.
Cheers, Sue M. (she/her)

For every problem there is a solution: neat, plausible and wrong. H.L.Mencken

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Offline Frank

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Possibly Bohemian or US, maybe Steuben?
« Reply #7 on: January 18, 2006, 08:57:32 PM »
The base of the vase has a shaped foot and the pontil is ground and polished. Quality looks good.

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Offline David555

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Possibly Bohemian or US, maybe Steuben?
« Reply #8 on: January 18, 2006, 10:56:15 PM »
I think it is hard to make an attribution

Many companies seemed to have used Mica flakes and inclusions in many countries

I find it hard to pin down many pieces I have - what I do agree with is that such pieces are usually of good quality and well finished. I think this is because they were hard to make - it took a skilled man to blow even a simple shape with foreign bodies evenly distributed throughout it. I remember watching the students when I was at Sunderland Art School (famous for glass) c1980s trying it and most pieces would crack or end up with holes when they tried inclusions. I am talking about metal flakes and particles as in the vase Frank is talking about - I think aventurine (which people get confused with mica) is easier as it is a paste with tiny copper filings that melds into the glass


16” high

Here is a piece I bough recently in orange glass spread evenly throughout with silver flakes (mica). It has been so beautifully blown and finished. The base has been ground and polished and there is a concave pontil. You can't see the silver mica in photo that well because of the deep amber/orange


detail

My best attribution is a good Czech factory c 1950s (for my piece) I tend to think the same for the eBay piece, although there is still space in my mind for some of the Italian makers.

Adam P
David is my Father's name, 555 is the number of man ('The Pixies'), but please call me ADAM P.

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