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Author Topic: A tough one - a Venetian Amphora?  (Read 3089 times)

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Offline Retro Mojo UK

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A tough one - a Venetian Amphora?
« on: November 26, 2012, 09:10:46 PM »
Hi all,

I picked this one up at a fair, the owner knew nothing about it. It is gorgeous, extremely light and finely made.

These are my research notes below, I've been trying to get to the bottom of this one for a few years!


Murano made in italy sticker to base
Expluit Argentaria Oreficeria
Pomigliano D'Arco (NA) sticker to base

Blank metal cartouche

Spiral pattern with slight iridecense

Silver collar to neck Bicchielli, stamped made in italy, argento
Stamped 925
Star 297?

Notes
Bicchielli appears to refer to just the silver aspect of the collar

Argentaria Oreficeria translates in Italian to Silver Jewellery
Expluit (possibly an o not a u) appears to be the maker of the silver jewellery

Pomigliano d'Arco is an Italian town, in the Campania region, northeast of Naples , near Mount Vesuvius, administratively part of the province of Naples.

They have no recognition for glass so this must be where the jeweller was based that added the collar. The glass itself was made in Murano.

V. LE ALFA 18
80038
Pomigliano d'Arco
0818841928
Is the address of the jewellery shop that sold the piece and appears to still be open for business

The closest description I can give it is a claret jug.

It is an Amphora!

Or is it? Conflicting info now, some antique and murano glass claret jugs described as amphoras

Handmade and mouth blown

The technical skill and the glass working abilities required to produce this piece, are the achievements of a Venetian master glass blower.
It is a remarkable amphora jug and it displays numerous methods of glass artistry, all of which can only be accomplished by exceptionally high levels of precision and understanding within the working medium of glass.

Definitely an amphora jug

But how old and who made it?
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Offline KevinH

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Re: A tough one - a Venetian Amphora?
« Reply #1 on: November 27, 2012, 12:07:30 AM »
I do not believe this is an amphora, or even an amphora type.

Original amphora were storage jars with two looped, upright handles which connected at the shoulder or top of the body and then to the neck. The "Portland Vase" is a good example of an amphora type of vessel.

With a single "swan necked" handle looped well above and then down to the connection with the rim, and with a clear pouring spout, this item cannot be called an amphora.

It's a (claret) jug. But it is a very nice jug.

I was thinking of moving the thread to the Murano & Italy forum but the point about "amphora or not" could be worth a longer viewing in this main Glass section.
KevinH

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Offline Retro Mojo UK

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Re: A tough one - a Venetian Amphora?
« Reply #2 on: November 27, 2012, 07:49:55 AM »
Hi Kevin, thanks for the reply,

My findings completely concur with yours re the shape of the vessel, however I found many sites suggesting this shape was an amphora so I thought i'd float the idea,

Cheers
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Offline Ivo

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Re: A tough one - a Venetian Amphora?
« Reply #3 on: November 27, 2012, 03:35:33 PM »
To'me it looks like an etruscan ewer in lampwork technique then refined by an ornamentation workshop near Naples and fitted with verbose retail'labels. Not sure how Murano fits in.

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Offline Retro Mojo UK

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Re: A tough one - a Venetian Amphora?
« Reply #4 on: November 27, 2012, 03:59:19 PM »
Hi Ivo,

Interesting, any idea of what the age might be?

The only link to Murano is the sticker on the base, the other stocker being the jeweller's, is it possible it's Venetian but just used a Murano sticker?

Thanks
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Offline Lustrousstone

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Re: A tough one - a Venetian Amphora?
« Reply #5 on: November 27, 2012, 07:03:50 PM »
Made in Italy doesn't usually mean Made in Murano...

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Offline Retro Mojo UK

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Re: A tough one - a Venetian Amphora?
« Reply #6 on: November 27, 2012, 07:49:43 PM »
it says on the sticker as per the photo Made In Italy, MURANO

It not my guess, it's what it says?
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Offline Lustrousstone

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Re: A tough one - a Venetian Amphora?
« Reply #7 on: November 27, 2012, 08:10:51 PM »
Then it wasn't made in Murano, rather elsewhere in Italy. The Muranese are very particular about saying Made in Murano.

The use of Murano on a Made in Italy label is a bit of weasely deception.

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Offline Frank

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Re: A tough one - a Venetian Amphora?
« Reply #8 on: November 27, 2012, 10:22:27 PM »
Just saw quite a lot of this style on eBay France... completely forgot what I was searching for though it was from a google result and I cannot seem to get back to it... strange

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Offline TxSilver

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Re: A tough one - a Venetian Amphora?
« Reply #9 on: November 28, 2012, 05:39:02 AM »
The sticker does say Murano and it was probably made there (unless it had a sticker transplant). The sticker, label, and glass appear to be contemporary. The style reminds me of much of the glass made in Egypt.
Anita
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