Glass Message Board
Glass Discussion & Research. NO IDENTIFICATION REQUESTS here please. => Murano & Italy Glass => Topic started by: horochar on September 22, 2007, 05:16:30 PM
-
I bought this very large and heavy bowl for my living room coffee table. I believe (and hope) it's a Flavio Poli Seguso piece. I based this on the colors and shape. I would not mind, though, being contradicted with the information that it's Venini or Cendedese. ;) As always, any information or opinions would be greatly appreciated.
Charles.
(http://i6.tinypic.com/68797qh.jpg)
-
Hey Charles x
I agree, it's a lovely looking piece. Are you going to oblige the members with the dimensions of it? ;) :)
-
Certainly. 26.5" (38 cm) long, 15" (12 cm) wide, and 4.5" (10.5 cm) tall. Any thoughts, anyone? Guesses?
Thanks,
Charles.
-
Here's a clue I found while trolling for an answer on the internet. (None of my books are of any help, although my library is far from complete). http://www.danripley.com/catalogs/modernauctioncatalog/Image_0011_0443_0001_Med.htm (http://www.danripley.com/catalogs/modernauctioncatalog/Image_0011_0443_0001_Med.htm) described as Seguso Corroso, which fetched $625 and has dimension of 5 1/4 x 7 inches. For what it's worth...
Charles.
-
What is the surface of the piece like in terms of texture and finish? It's hard to determine from the picture. When I tried zooming in, I got some very nice and square pixels. The corroso surface is quite irregular, whereas he plate looks quite uniform.
David
-
David-
It's difficult to capture in a picture, but the surface is regular (even throughout). The dappled shinyness on lower portion is an illusion of light. Hopefully the picture below will better illustrate the texture.
Thanks,
Charles.
(http://i15.tinypic.com/530foee.jpg)
-
No help from the peanut gallery so far (come on, guys!), so I'll have to continue trying to answer my own question. It appears on further internet research that Seguso, with or without Poli, did a fair amount of "corroso" work in the 1950s. There are two Seguso corroso pieces on the website http://www.design-and-arts.com/de/show-products.php?category=19 (http://www.design-and-arts.com/de/show-products.php?category=19) that give me more comfort in my attribution.
I'm not posting this self-reply out of self-indulgence, but for educational purposes. I encourage anyone interested in Seguso or Cenedese to click on the link. It's an unbelievable photographic collection from a German dealer with discerning taste.
-
The colour and shape look right, but my expectation of a corroso surface is very much like the one at Design and Arts. quite irregular and hitw soem of the surface clearly eaten away by the acid to create a crazed crater effect. Your bowl seems much smoother. Again, it could just be I'm not seeing the photograph very well. Also, it could be another interpretation of the technique; after all, it's merely acid applied to the surface. It's a lovely bowl, whatever it is. Venini also did a fair amount of corroso, if I remember. (I'm not suggesting it's Venini).
I've bought a few things from Design and Arts, who are very easy to deal with. I've been pleased with what I've received.
-
There are two examples of corroso pieces in GlassGallery if you want to compare the finish with yours:
http://glassgallery.yobunny.org.uk/displayimage.php?pos=-2113
http://glassgallery.yobunny.org.uk/displayimage.php?pos=-7843
http://glassgallery.yobunny.org.uk/displayimage.php?pos=-7842
-
Thanks Anne & David. My bowl is definitely done in the corroso technique, and will stay in the collection (and on display!). It's nice to once in a blue moon to find a "better" Murano piece to upgrade the collection, without paying an arm and a leg. This I picked up at an antique show for under $200.
Charles.
-
Charles:
I came across some information that may interest you in Rosa Barovier Mentasti's book on Fuga. In the technical section at the end, she defines "acid etching." "The technique uses hydrofluoric acid, the only acid that can corrode glass at room temperature, in a wide variety of mixtures that attack the glass more or less aggressively.... A variation of acid etching is the Venetian 'corroso' technique, characterized by a surface that is similar to ice, or craquele. The surface of the glass is covered irregularly with wax using a sponge. The object is then plunged into a tank full of sawdust soaked with a hydrofluoric acid compound."
My last post had it the wrong way around as corroso is a variation of acid etching.
-
I would have no qualms about attributing this to Poli, if it were mine. he did a lot of work in these subdued brown/amber colors. The aesthetics of the piece, as well as the technique, are correct. It also appears to be technically flawless, which is a sign of Poli's work for Seguso Vetri d'Arte.
Very nice find!
-
Thanks Laura. I really appreciate your authoritative assistance. Neophytes such as myself really appreciative of experts who generously take time to answer these questions.
-
I think this looks more like a Galliano Ferro piece than Poli from its shape.