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Glass Discussion & Research. NO IDENTIFICATION REQUESTS here please. => Scandinavian Glass => Topic started by: scoutshouse on July 18, 2010, 04:16:13 PM

Title: Please help identify cordials (Kaj Franck?)
Post by: scoutshouse on July 18, 2010, 04:16:13 PM
Good Morning!
I was wondering if anyone can help identify these little grey cordials...
They look a lot like the litalla "Ote", by Franck, but they are handblown, with the clean
single edge typical of his handblown pieces.
They are 6.5 centimeters high and the grey has a bit of aquamarine to it.
Any help you can give would be appreciated!
Title: Re: Please help identify cordials (Kaj Franck?)
Post by: scoutshouse on July 19, 2010, 02:59:30 AM
I hope this is not out of line or confusing, but I'm adding an image and two questions about this Tapio Wirkkala bowl 3588.

I passed on it yesterday, because of the chip, but decided it was still well worth what I paid for it.

Now that I'm looking at it, the cordials (I bought them from the same place) look like they might actually "go" with the bowl. Just a thought, since the color and basic shape are so similar. Although, if Wirkkala made cups to go, they would probably look much more similar with solid bases and curved walls. I probably wouldn't be asking if I hadn't bought them in the same place (a thrift store) and knew they came from the same household.

1. Does anyone know what the 3588 bowl was actually for?

2. Also, a 3588 is on eBay for $700, also with a chip. Does that not seem extremely high?
Title: Re: Please help identify cordials (Kaj Franck?)
Post by: scoutshouse on July 19, 2010, 05:22:11 AM
I feel a little silly writing back and forth to myself, but
I noticed that the Wirkkala bowl on eBay (270597701583) has a soft, smooth pontil, while the one I have has a flat polished one.
What is the significance of the different features? Date, I assume?
Title: Re: Please help identify cordials (Kaj Franck?)
Post by: Lustrousstone on July 19, 2010, 12:41:16 PM
The bowl on ebay doesn't have a pontil mark; those are just lines that occur during annealing.
Title: Re: Please help identify cordials (Kaj Franck?)
Post by: scoutshouse on July 19, 2010, 07:34:31 PM
Thanks, Christine...

Weren't these bowls hand blown?

Why are some polished or finished differently - would that date an item in any way?

Title: Re: Please help identify cordials (Kaj Franck?)
Post by: gfirob on July 25, 2010, 02:14:44 AM
This series of bowls are listed as "mold blown" in the "125 years" Iittala book
Title: Re: Please help identify cordials (Kaj Franck?)
Post by: Lustrousstone on July 25, 2010, 09:24:23 AM
Hand blown can be mould blown. Most things that are hand blown yet are required to be pretty consistent in shape and size are mould blown, i.e., a man with a blowing iron with the gob of glass in a mould. Mould blown can also be machine blown.
Title: Re: Please help identify cordials (Kaj Franck?)
Post by: gfirob on July 25, 2010, 02:17:20 PM
There was also a change in the style in the production of some Finnish glass in the 70's as the economics of the business changed and cheaper ways of production were sought out.  This might show different techniques in the same model line of glass.  The change in the Sarpaneva Finnlandia line is an example of this (where the clear, polished bottoms were replaced with stippled graphite molds to save labor costs).
Title: Re: Please help identify cordials (Kaj Franck?)
Post by: scoutshouse on July 25, 2010, 09:32:27 PM
Thanks for your input, everyone.
I contacted a Finnish glass gallery and they were very helpful.
They had seen the cups before, and were kind enough to look thru their own reference materials, but can't remember where.
On the bowl, agreed there could be two styles of bases in the same style and that it is authentic.
Even so, it was mentioned that the 3588 was either blue or lilac clear cased, and this appears
smokey gray to me. It's possible some people might see it as lilac. It is clearly not blue...
Anyhoo, thanks again!
I still wonder why the one on eBay is priced so so high.