Topic: Very Large Opaline? Glass Portrait Vase. ID = Bohemian

[antonizz]

Hi everybody!

I have bought this vase online, and at first I thought it was opaline glass,
but later on I started doubting.

It a supersized vase:
45 cm heigh (17,72 inch)

With very much and a thick layer of gold. (Not sure whether this is 24kt gold or not)

It's a also "be-jewelled", I believe... Or these are just red glass balls.
It has a handpainted? portrait on it.
The seller said it was from the Jugendstil period.


Does anybody have any suggestions?


Thank very much!
R. Antonis

[Lustrousstone]

Looks Bohemian to me. The gold is 24 ct but is not that thick because a thick yellow enamel is used underneath the gold to give the raised effect. The jewels are red glass. The portrait is probably a transfer rather than handpainted

[antonizz]

The thick enamel layer beneath would make sense of course.
I'm just wondering how you see it's gold in 1 glance :p

By the way, do you have any idea about it's age?


Because of the gold I thought about Moser, but I couldn't really find anything that looks like it.

I also started doubting about whether it's opaline glass or not.
It would be nice to know if it is.


Thank you very much

[Anne Tique]

Gold doesn't show oxidation like other metals.
Maybe I'm wrong but for me it's missing it's semi transparent milkiness, to be called opaline. It's just white glass.

[antonizz]

I have made some new pictures, and by now I really doubt it's gold.

I also remember a member of gm, Paul S.  (or Paul-"..something..") once told
me that opaline glass is NEVER cased. And this is cased glass.

[antonizz]

more pictures..

[antonizz]

last one..

[Lustrousstone]

Old gold-coloured gilding is always gold and as Anne says gold doesn't tarnish. It's a very thin layer, which is why it wears off so easily. Any waste on rags and suchlike from wiping brushes was collected and returned to the manufacturer for recycling.

Age late 19th/early 20th probably

[Anne Tique]

No reason to doubt Paul, if opaline glass is never cased like he says, then it isn't, so you already had your answer there ... but that info wasn't mentioned until your second batch of images and not visible, nor mentioned,  in the first set.

[antonizz]

Yes that's right.. I reminded it later, and I think it was him who mentioned that.
But, it seems like all the 20th century italian opaline glass is all cased.
They still call it opaline.

I have found a couple of similar items:

1) http://www.ebay.com/itm/Tall-Bohemian-Teal-Blue-Gold-Gilt-Jeweled-Opaline-Cased-Art-Glass-Floor-Vase-18-034-/331769099108?roken=cUgayN&nma=true&si=RzoCBErhJEdf0kvHdS7rGDnLbQc%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

2) https://www.etsy.com/nl/listing/130411827/a-superb-pair-of-vintage-french-hand?show_sold_out_detail=1

3) https://www.rubylane.com/item/1025844-Prf-Btl-411/15x22-Amethyst-over-white-opaline-glass