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Glass Discussion & Research. NO IDENTIFICATION REQUESTS here please. => Far East (excluding China) => Topic started by: busterj on January 11, 2013, 10:47:38 PM

Title: Pulegoso bowl with gold foil. ID = Iwata, Japan
Post by: busterj on January 11, 2013, 10:47:38 PM
Hello all,

To be honest, I'm not really sure this is Murano but it has many characteristics that point in that direction.

It stands 9 cm H and 11 cm W. Very thick walled and heavy for it's size. It has a ground pontal that shows a fair amount of age.

I can't say I have ever seen a piece of Murano glass with gold foil geometric shapes and a black figurative or abstract design on pulegoso technique. Although I have come learn that the little island of Murano is full of surprises!

Any help with this would be very much appreciated.

Thanks,

rob
Title: Re: Pulegoso bowl with gold foil
Post by: rocco on January 12, 2013, 12:55:15 PM
Rob, what a beautiful piece.
With that abstract decoration I thought of Beranek pulegoso from the 1940s first (like >> this one (https://picasaweb.google.com/104509467784289017506/MagicOfGlass3?authkey=Gv1sRgCObJqrf-rcTALw&noredirect=1#5424995395847364242)), but I have never seen a piece with gold by them, neither does the shape fit.

So rather Murano?

Michael
Title: Re: Pulegoso bowl with gold foil
Post by: busterj on January 12, 2013, 03:45:34 PM
Thanks for responding Michael.

I can see the similarities in the pulegoso technique and I was also thinking this piece could be from the 30's or 40's.

Something I noticed this morning while taking more photo's of it is that the glass that encases the pulegoso is a champagne coloured and not transparent with fine gold dust as I first thought.

It's a great little piece and I'm hoping that there is someone here who has some definite information on it.

Very nice collection you have Michael. Not at all jealous!
Title: Re: Pulegoso bowl with gold foil
Post by: rocco on January 12, 2013, 04:30:03 PM
Thanks for the kind words, Rob -- my small Murano collection can't compete with yours ;)
Sorry I can not be of more help regarding your nice bowl...

Michael
Title: Re: Pulegoso bowl with gold foil
Post by: obscurities on January 12, 2013, 07:13:02 PM
I would have to say that it reminds me more of Beranek than Italian also....  Likely 40's if it is..... 
Title: Re: Pulegoso bowl with gold foil
Post by: bOBA on January 12, 2013, 07:19:46 PM
Looks very non Czech to me, the gold leaf decor looks more 1970's-1980's to me, never seen it on a Czech piece of glass, Italian perhaps? Can any collectors recall any pre-1960 usage of thin square sheets of gold? Was it pioneered in Murano?

Robert (bOBA)
Title: Re: Pulegoso bowl with gold foil
Post by: glassobsessed on January 12, 2013, 07:41:32 PM
I think Salviati was using gold leaf c1900.

John
Title: Re: Pulegoso bowl with gold foil
Post by: bOBA on January 12, 2013, 08:04:03 PM
In this square, floating applied style? That seems early but I did think it Italian somehow... more commonly today, I see it in modern use, it seemed to have a big revival in the 1980's...


Robert (bOBA)
Title: Re: Pulegoso bowl with gold foil
Post by: glassobsessed on January 12, 2013, 08:12:20 PM
Mmm, not in isolated pieces like this.
Title: Re: Pulegoso bowl with gold foil
Post by: busterj on January 12, 2013, 09:21:23 PM
When I first saw the piece I thought of Franz Klines 1940's abstract expressionism paintings. http://accorsinotes.tumblr.com/post/6670033375/accorsi-kline

I also thought the shape represented the 40's pretty well but am basing my opinion purely from an aesthetic awareness rather than a knowledge of glass.

Not sure this will help but I think photo is much better than the one I originally posted.

Thanks again for your valued input.

rob
Title: Re: Pulegoso bowl with gold foil
Post by: busterj on April 11, 2013, 08:54:34 PM
Hello everyone,

I've had this bowl/ashtray for a while now and had pretty well given up finding who the maker was, until today. Hope springs eternal?

Someone on another site suggested I do a search for Toshichi Iwata or Itoko Iwata. After looking at a few photos I can see that the use of gold leaf and in some cases, soda glass are similar to this piece but not the shape.

So I'm hoping that I might find a few more leads from you knowledgeable folks who know about Japanese glass.

It stands 9 cm H and 11 cm W. Very thick walled and heavy for it's size. It has a ground pontal that shows a fair amount of age.

Any help would be much appreciated.

rob
Title: Re: Pulegoso bowl with gold foil
Post by: Anne on April 12, 2013, 12:18:43 PM
I've merged your post from yesterday with your earlier topic about this item, which already has a number of replies, and I've moved the whole merged topic into GLASS, which is the proper place to ask for an identification of a piece of unknown origin.
Title: Re: Pulegoso bowl with gold foil
Post by: rocco on April 13, 2013, 10:43:31 AM
Thanks for sharing this, very interesting discovery!
Unfortunately there is so little info available about post war Japanese glass...

>> This vase from the Metropolitan Museum of Art collection (http://www.metmuseum.org/Collections/search-the-collections/210005205?rpp=20&pg=1&rndkey=20130413&ft=*&where=Asia&what=Vases&who=Iwata+Glass+Co.%2c+Ltd.&pos=2) has quite a few similarities to your lovely piece; and 1959 seems reasonable regarding the shape and the age related ware.

Michael
Title: Re: Pulegoso bowl with gold foil
Post by: busterj on April 13, 2013, 11:49:03 AM
Thanks Michael,

Thats one of the pieces that I came across which made me think that this could actually be Japanese.

You're right about there not being much information about post war Japanese glass. The glass that I have looked at so far has certainly spark my interest.

I hope that someone who is knowledgeable about Japanese glass will see this thread and maybe give me a few more leads.

Fingers crossed,

rob
Title: Re: Pulegoso bowl with gold foil
Post by: KevinH on April 17, 2013, 01:13:15 AM
There was a thread back in 2006 asking about Toshi Iwata, a few links were given:

http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,3903.msg30404.html#msg30404
Title: Re: Pulegoso bowl with gold foil
Post by: busterj on April 17, 2013, 02:04:55 PM
Thanks KevinH,

Some good leads. Will pursue later today.

Thanks again,

rob
Title: Re: Pulegoso bowl with gold foil
Post by: racer on March 28, 2015, 05:16:00 AM
This is by Iwata, but is a design by Hisatoshi (known as Kuri) who was the son of Toshi.  I have a number of vases in this design, which I think date to the 1980s, and which I have given the name Calligraphy (I don't know the studio name!).