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Glass Identification - Post here for all ID requests => Glass => Topic started by: David E on July 02, 2005, 07:34:05 PM

Title: Neodymium revisited - a green/blue one! Murano/Czech?
Post by: David E on July 02, 2005, 07:34:05 PM
Recently there was a thread about the properties of Neodymium glass and how it would change colour subtly when exposed to fluorescent light; normally this is between pale lilac in daylight, to pale blue under fluorescent.

Well, recently I obtained a bud vase (similar to a Murano sommerso facet) that looks totally clear in daylight, but changes to pale blue under flashlight and pale green under fluorescent!

The following are totally unedited for colour or brightness/contrast in any way – from left; Photos taken in Daylight, Flash, Fluorescent:

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v288/dencill/Neodymium/t-green-blue03.jpg) (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v288/dencill/Neodymium/green-blue03.jpg) (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v288/dencill/Neodymium/t-green-blue01.jpg) (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v288/dencill/Neodymium/green-blue01.jpg) (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v288/dencill/Neodymium/t-green-blue02.jpg) (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v288/dencill/Neodymium/green-blue02.jpg)

Click on any photo to enlarge.

Sadly it does have a slight bruise on one of the base corners, so the value has also changed!  :cry:  Hope these photos help, but can anyone ID this at all?

Height: 6½" (16.5cm)
Width: 1¾" (4.5cm) square

Base is ground flat and polished.

With thanks.
Title: Neodymium revisited - a green/blue one! Murano/Czech?
Post by: David E on August 17, 2005, 11:53:09 AM
Just a slight correction here: the vase in daylight does have a very slight lilac tinge and is not clear as first mentioned. Is best seen in slightly dull conditions as bright sunlight does make it look clear.

I'd still be interested in an ID though — any ideas? With thanks.
Title: Neodymium revisited - a green/blue one! Murano/Czech?
Post by: glasswizard on August 18, 2005, 07:40:45 PM
Sorry David, no ideas but I think its fascinating. Maybe someone else will come up with something. Terry
Title: Neodymium revisited - a green/blue one! Murano/Czech?
Post by: Max on August 28, 2005, 12:03:01 PM
David...only looked at this again because Anne highlighted it in another thread!

I should think your neo-vase here is Murano, wouldn't you?  It seems a fairly standard Murano shape (alright! alright! I know the Czechs did something similar!)  Anyhoo, I know this is a bit vague...but it's a start.  :D
Title: Neodymium revisited - a green/blue one! Murano/Czech?
Post by: David E on August 28, 2005, 10:36:46 PM
Hi Max,

It does have the same look as the sommerso facets often seen on eBay, but I've never heard of one with Neodymium before. I did think Czech as they seem to produce much of the Dichroic glass, but I must admit I really am stumped  :?

BTW, I'm not entirely sure of the validity of the 'blue' tint as seen under flash light. But there's no doubting the green: looks dead cool with an almost uranium glow :)
Title: Neodymium revisited - a green/blue one! Murano/Czech?
Post by: Max on August 29, 2005, 09:41:26 AM
David, would this be any good?

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/neodymiumglass/

 :D
Title: Neodymium revisited - a green/blue one! Murano/Czech?
Post by: Anonymous on August 29, 2005, 12:10:30 PM
David, to me shape, brilliance and cut is very much MOSER Karlsbad Alexandrit Glas (which they had registered in 1929) - my pink (of a completely different shape) is vividly green if exposed to energy-saving-lamp light  :idea:  :?:
regards
Pamela
Title: Neodymium revisited - a green/blue one! Murano/Czech?
Post by: David E on August 29, 2005, 12:51:11 PM
Max, well-found - now if I can just remember my darned Yahoo User ID... :oops:

Pamela, many thanks for this  :)

Now I have a possible name this does give me some leads, which I'll follow through. In the meantime I did find this:

http://www.erfurt-antik.de/wwwroot/cat_glas_art_deco_1920-1940_9.html

... which shows a "Vase Moser um 1920, Alexandrit Glas, ..."

and:
http://www.glasshound.com/moser_glass_reference.html

... where another is listed.

My only query is the shape that, to my untrained eye, does look more like 1950/60s Murano (but I don't think is). So do you know how long Moser were using Alexandrit(e)? Reading '20th Century Factory Glass' by Lesley Jackson, it seems to indicate they were still experimenting with new colours inthe early 1930s, but I'm not sure if this continued into the 40s.
Title: Neodymium revisited - a green/blue one! Murano/Czech?
Post by: Anonymous on August 29, 2005, 01:30:18 PM
diving into my Moser catalogue this evening and shall report later...
fact is that Moser brought several items with a perfectly square base
Pamela
Title: Neodymium revisited - a green/blue one! Murano/Czech?
Post by: David E on August 29, 2005, 01:39:12 PM
Hi Pamela,

Thanks, much appreciated.

BTW, are you the Pamela from www.pressglas-pavillon.de? If so, greetings and thanks for your efforts! Always glad to return a favour, so if you need help with your web site, just ask :D
Title: Neodymium revisited - a green/blue one! Murano/Czech?
Post by: Anonymous on August 29, 2005, 04:30:29 PM
This is for David to admire:

http://tinypic.com/beedl0.jpg    :wink:

Classy eh?
Title: Neodymium revisited - a green/blue one! Murano/Czech?
Post by: pamela on August 29, 2005, 05:53:25 PM
Hi David,
yes - the 'guest' was me writing from the office -  :?:  :?:  Obviously I can only log in from same IP address as profiled last week which is my home.

Well, just returned from my museum reading a bit in MOSER 1857 - 1997
IF your vase should in fact be Moser, it is designed by R. Eschler mid-Thirties.  In 1934 he designed the famous drinking set 'Bar'  and in 1936 a trinket set with square bases.
The latter is also pictured on cover of their 1946/48' catalogue (at that time 'Ceské Sklo formerly Moser')
Ceské Sklo have got registered Moser's coloured glass (Seltene Erden 'Neodym and Praseodym' colouring Beryl, Alexandrit, Royalit, Heliolit, Eldor and Carnelolit) again in 1945 and you can find Alexandrite vases also in their 1960's production.
Resulting from the great success of Eschler's design it is said to be produced still today.
Enjoy your vase - it is really a BEAUTY!
Title: Neodymium revisited - a green/blue one! Murano/Czech?
Post by: David E on August 29, 2005, 07:52:18 PM
Pamela, many thanks for this! So the date could fit with Ceské Sklo production in the 1960s, but quite surprising it might date back to the 30s. Does raise more questions, given Ivo's earlier mail, but this digging around is all part of the fun! :wink:

Re. Eschler: interesting as I'm quite a fan of M.C.Escher, the Dutch artist/architect. :shock: I'll take a look at some of Eschler's work later and see if I can find some examples to compare.

Thanks all: most illuminating :idea: If/when I find anything I'll post it.
Title: Neodymium revisited - a green/blue one! Murano/Czech?
Post by: bubbles on July 14, 2006, 12:46:05 PM
Hi David,
I just did a search for dichroic glass and re read this thread.  Did you ever find out about this vase?  I have just bought a lilac bud vase which changes to blue in fluorescent light.  It has a Murano label and thought you might be interested to see it.





http://glassgallery.yobunny.org.uk/displayimage.php?pos=-2563