Glass Message Board

Glass Discussion & Research. NO IDENTIFICATION REQUESTS here please. => Murano & Italy Glass => Topic started by: Anne E.B. on September 06, 2005, 04:39:59 PM

Title: 7 layered geode bowl ? Scandinavian or Italian or other...
Post by: Anne E.B. on September 06, 2005, 04:39:59 PM
This has got to be one of my best finds (nothing to do with value, but from an interest point of view and learning exercise) even though it has some damage to the top which I can live with.  It was given to me FREE in a charity shop even though I more than happy to pay the 99p asking price, because it was mistakenly put out for sale and they are not allowed to sell damaged goods.  I did buy other items so I could sleep at night :? :P  

Its an amazing quality piece and quite heavy too at 1.75kg, with what looks like seven or more different layers of coloured glass.  There are no markings on the flat base, but it has lots of wear and appears old.

#1. http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y195/glassie/gmb002.jpg
#2. http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y195/glassie/gmb3.jpg
#3. http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y195/glassie/gmb2002.jpg
#4. http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y195/glassie/gmb2001.jpg

The close-ups of the layers were difficult to photo, but starting from the exterior inwards, the colours are as follows - light blue, dark blue, navy blue, white, clear, white, cobolt blue.  When viewed from an angle, the light blue exterior colour can be seen  inbetween the navy blue and white layer (#2) but is not visible from the top.   Very intriguing. :?



Can anyone firstly give me an idea of how it could have been made and secondly any ideas as to the maker?  Many thanks. :lol:

Regards - Anne E.B.
Title: 7 layered geode bowl ? Scandinavian or Italian or other...
Post by: paradisetrader on September 06, 2005, 04:49:21 PM
Hi Wombly Anne
Lovely piece. It's Murano definately.
These are called "Geodes" because of the resemblence to mineral geodes which get struck in half to reveal the treasures within.
They were made by several Murano firms, but this opaque style is relavively unusual and Archimede Seguso was making them in opaque colors in 1958 according to Pina Italian Glass.
Another possibility is Vistosi who (unusually) used balck and white glass as well as taking the genre forward to sliced stone-like paperweights. No date is given on the particular example shown.
There could well be others. The master glassblowers , Maestri changed companies regularly and took their techniques and designs with them. Copying would also have been rife. Murano is small, people know each other, workshops would mpost of have had doors and windows open.
So it could be hard to pin down for sure.

the rim chips do affect value considerably as it is the simplicity of form which gives these pieces their modernist appeal but not not even 99p this must rate as a mega bargain and I hope you get much pleasure from it.

As to the technique that can't have been easy. As noted in the Repairs thread, the different expansion and contraction rates of different colors can cause all sorts of serious problems. See that thread for more info.
Title: 7 layer geode bowl
Post by: chuggy on September 06, 2005, 05:34:22 PM
By heck these Northern wombles are a cut above southern varierty. What a smashing bowl Anne forget the chips and value this is a beauty.
Certainly Murano as Peter says though I would say definitely not either Archimede Seguso or Seguso Vetri d'Arte, as never seen anything like these colour combinations from either firm. Vistosi certainly a possibility as could be Salviati, but whoever a lovely bowl.
Paul
Title: 7 layered geode bowl ? Scandinavian or Italian or other...
Post by: Anne E.B. on September 06, 2005, 05:58:44 PM
Thank you so much Peter for your comments  :P

I had already reserved a copy of Leslie Pina's "Italian Glass" at my local library some time ago.  There isn't a copy anywhere in Manchester would you believe!  Not even in the huge reference library used by thousands of art students at Manchester  Met. Uni  - many of whom do glass making on their 3-D design course.  :roll:  Hopefully a copy will be found sometime before Christmas so that I can check out the Murano :?  I will check out the 'Repairs' thread as you suggest.

Paul - Ayyupppladd - not bad for a morning's wombling down't'south in Falmouth last week! :lol:

It will now be put with my other small but growing collection of blue glass (Elme and Holmegaard). :D


Kind regards - Anne E.B. :wink:
Title: geode bowl
Post by: chuggy on September 06, 2005, 06:08:32 PM
Well I guess we should all be glad they made the mistake and put it out for sale otherwise it could have been chucked away. Hope you didn't hit the Cornish pastiess too much.
Paul
Title: Re: geode bowl
Post by: Anne E.B. on September 06, 2005, 07:33:11 PM
Quote from: "chuggy"
Well I guess we should all be glad they made the mistake and put it out for sale otherwise it could have been chucked away. Hope you didn't hit the Cornish pastiess too much.
Paul

:lol:  :lol:  :lol:


I thought this might be an interesting item for the Murano board now that Peter and Paul have identified it as such, but I don't know how to move it over.  Any suggestions on how to do this?  Simple ones please - not being technically bright :roll: :oops:

Anne E.B. :lol:
Title: 7 layered geode bowl ? Scandinavian or Italian or other...
Post by: Frank on September 06, 2005, 07:42:00 PM
Quote from: "paradisetrader"
As to the technique that can't have been easy. As noted in the Repairs thread, the different expansion and contraction rates of different colors can cause all sorts of serious problems. See that thread for more info.


People that are usually working in this type of coloured glass do take great care to use coloured glasses with similar expansion coefficients - so it is probably the case that Whitefriars were not as conversant with the problems.

If you explore glass supply websites you will inevitably find information on these points.

Even so, there will still be some variations and the annealing process prevents them from being a serious issue when they are cooled and later in their life.

Monart is a good example of glass stressing - in that despite the facilities at Moncrieff the annealing of Monart was not good. Vasart, on the other hand, with a most printive annealing system had a much lesser problem! It is quite common to find minute stress cracks in Monart, often as small as a fe mm and only affecting one layer. I once had an example completely covered on the outside with annealing cracks - it was the only damaged piece of glass Parkington bought eagerly! He had never seen the like before and was fascinated by it.