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Glass Discussion & Research. NO IDENTIFICATION REQUESTS here please. => Bohemia, Czechoslovakia, Czech Republic, Austria => Topic started by: PMG on July 14, 2008, 05:55:44 PM

Title: Can anyone help? - ID - Barolac 'Loss of the Revenge'.
Post by: PMG on July 14, 2008, 05:55:44 PM
Can anyone provide me with any information on this vase. It is 9" high and 8.5" diameted. It is unstampd, frosted glass and has embossed pictures of spanish galleon ships.
Any information would be appreciated.
Thanks
Title: Re: Can anyone help?
Post by: Max on July 14, 2008, 06:49:36 PM
It does look quite like the Loss of the Revenge, doesn't it?

Title: Re: Can anyone help?
Post by: Mosquito on July 14, 2008, 07:10:22 PM
Max is right, this is a Barolac (Inwald) 'Loss of The Revenge' Vase, introduced in the mid 1930s. Can't tell from the pic whether it is a pre or post war example but suspect post war. Bigger pics & a shot of the base would help. See here for the same pattern in opalescent: http://glassgallery.yobunny.org.uk/displayimage.php?pos=-2444

The design is also shown in the 1949/52 Glassexport barolac catalogue available from www.pressglas-korrespondenz.de

Steven
Title: Re: Can anyone help?
Post by: PMG on July 14, 2008, 08:10:16 PM
Thank you for all your great information. Here are some more pictures. I hope they are of use to you all.
I really appreciate all the information you can give me.
Title: Re: Can anyone help?
Post by: Ivo on July 14, 2008, 08:16:36 PM
Yep bottom confirms Barolac!
Title: Re: Can anyone help?
Post by: Mosquito on July 14, 2008, 08:31:32 PM
Finishing looks more consistent with post war examples. This is a very interesting design & probably the best known Barolac pattern. Opalescent examples are shown in both Cyril manleys Decorative Victorian Glass and Philippe Decelle's Opalescence, Le Verre Moule Des Annees 1920-30.
Title: Re: Can anyone help?
Post by: PMG on July 15, 2008, 04:27:12 PM
Having done a little research today on the information you all provided me with my wife and I were wondering if this is a piece we should consider insuring. We are unsure as to the value of this piece or if we are biased due to its sentimental value.
Any information on this would be appreciated.
Title: Re: Can anyone help?
Post by: Mosquito on July 15, 2008, 06:14:37 PM
Personally I don't think insurance is worth the bother & expense - certainly when I made some enquiries about insuring my collection a while ago, the premiums quoted were exorbitant.

Your vase is not in opalescent glass and is almost certainly a post-war example, therefore, to collectors it may be a less desirable example. Barolac is quite difficult to value, the fact that many patterns have remained in production for some time means that collectors often only seek out opalescent pieces or pieces in unusual colourways. Having said that, however, your vase is still an attractive and nice quality piece, my advice would be to use it and enjoy it.

I know many people are reluctant to give values here, however, I can say that as a collector of Barolac I would expect to pay around the £50 mark for a vase like yours, possibly a little more if the condition is perfect. As a comparison though, I have paid as little as £40 for opalescent examples, while the best opalescent examples sell for in excess of £200. Please remember though that I am a something of a cheapskate, many dealers try to charge a lot more....

Steven
Title: Re: Can anyone help?
Post by: Sklounion on July 16, 2008, 07:29:26 AM
Hi,
I should point out that because a piece of Barolac is produced in opalescent glass, this does not automatically indicate pre-WWII production.
There is documentary evidence that states opalescent examples of items from the "Barolac" range were being produced at Rudolfova hut, certainly as late as 1949, and possibly after that.
Regards,
Marcus
Title: Re: Can anyone help?
Post by: Mosquito on July 16, 2008, 09:36:13 AM
Thank you Marcus, I  remember that you mentioned this before, but it had slipped my mind. It is, of course, an important point as many dealers assume that if a piece is opalescent it must be pre-war.

What interests me particularly is the change in the opalescent glass formular used by Barolac. Many shapes are seen in both a whiter, heat reactive opalescent and a bluer shade where the opalescence is created by partial crystalisation in the thicker parts, much like that seen in Lalique & Jobling glass, etc. The heat reactive type I suspect to be earlier but have no proof. It also appears very susceptible to water damage & the vast majority of vases with this style of opalescence that I have handled have shown some degree of clouding to the interior.
Title: Re: Can anyone help?
Post by: Sklounion on July 18, 2008, 05:06:38 PM
Hi,
I have just discovered that "The Sinking of the Revenge" was also available as a lamp-base.
Regards,
Marcus
Title: Re: Can anyone help?
Post by: Mosquito on July 18, 2008, 06:42:37 PM
Hi Marcus,

I remember seeing a lampbase version a while ago on ebay, I cant remember whether it was opalescent or frosted colourless glass but it certainly had a fired on green stain. There were no fittings with it but it had obviously been used as a lampbase as three holes had been drilled, equidistantly spaced around the top of the vase. I thought it was interesting at the time but didn't know whether it was original production or had been adapted later. I probably should have bought it, but it had obviosly been used as a vase at some stage and was badly stained/ water damaged internally.

Steven
Title: Re: Can anyone help?
Post by: Sklounion on July 18, 2008, 09:59:02 PM
Hi Steven,
Its original pattern number as a lamp-base was 11627, and I know the moulds were transferred to Rosice circa 1985-87.
How many were produced is uncertain, either as Rudolfova or Rosice production.
Regards,
Marcus