Glass Message Board
Glass Discussion & Research. NO IDENTIFICATION REQUESTS here please. => Scandinavian Glass => Topic started by: BJB on June 29, 2005, 06:48:21 PM
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I have just bought 9 very large glasses with Iittala labels and signed on the bases 'TS' so I think they might be by Timo Sarpaneva. :)
They look like Finlandia, but I don't know what they are called. I can't post a photo until tomorrow when I pick them up.
But how popular is this designer? I have googled but can't find any similar in size or design to mine. Ebay seem to be lacking in his work, apart from candle sticks!
You would get a very large drink in them, about 1/2 a bottle each go! :oops:
Will try to post a picture tomorrow evening, but they are amazing :wink:
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:D :DHello Barbara, What a wonderful find if they are Finlandia! Iittala pieces only sometimes have the designers initials engraved on the base and it was Timo Sarpaneva who designed Finlandia - there are pictures in Lesley Jackson's 20th Century Glass. It was made by blowing the glass into a wooden mould which then caught fire. The pictures in the book show a texture that looks like charred wood, it's just WONDERFUL! I suspect that it's only the candlesticks that turn up because this sort of stuff is rarer and nobody wants to part with it anyway! The date is given as 1964. If the moulds caught fire, I suppose they can't have been used very often and new ones made frequently, making it a labour intensive range. :D :D
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I take it these are the red I labels, transfers, decals? If so, then the chances are the TS signature is an addition, and not necessarily contemporary, get my drift???? Having bought some boxed, and mint, unsigned, and genuine, (with Iittala receipt) myself I'd be suspicious. Having bought a labelled, TS initialled, allegedly unique, but stylistically correct paper-weight, which was later confirmed by Sarpaneva's family as a fake (ouch!!!) my advice is watch it.
Be careful, there are some "cads" out there, who think it fun to practise their limited range/knowledge of graffiti on glass, rather than underpasses, trains, bridges etc. Their financial gain is the motive.
Regards,
Le Casson
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the reason that candle sticks turn up in droves is because they are still in production - both the Arkipelago and the Festivo range.
Finlandia are vases blown in a still wooden mould, not tableware. For tableware they would use steel moulds, otherwise you cannot warrant the conformity.
I think it is more likely that you've stumbled ont a set of "Juhlalasi" ("love beaker", 2 knops in stem) or one of the other designs. Should you find a good resource for researching vintage Iittala, please post it here.
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This any help?
http://www.ilmi-johanna.com/design/ic_designers.html
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"Should you find a good resource for researching vintage Iittala, please post it here."
Replacements Ltd is pretty good source for Iittala's tableware designs although sometimes they only have a drawing of the design and not a photo. Designer's name is not given.
http://www.replacements.com/crystal/IIT.htm
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Here is a picture of one of the nine (would have been ten, but one was split off at the base of the bowl :cry: )
They came from auction, but were from a house clearence, (and I know as I work there :) ), so unless the original owners were conned I think they are genuine.
http://tinypic.com/6iurth.jpg
I have tried to photo the base, but the TM is in the middle and it is engraved so is very hard to get it to show up. I will try when it gets a little darker.
Each glass is 8" tall, and all are slightly different with the decoration on the bowls and the knops on the stems.
Barbara
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These are called Senator and are basically from the same range than Festivo candlesticks - the foot is pretty much the same. I wish I have nine of them (or even less)!
Rest assured, they are genuine.
TMaritta
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Thank you so much for all the information. When do you think they might have been made?
I would like to sell maybe a set of 6 and keep the other 3, but to sell all 6 or in pairs I don't know, its the postage cost problem again,as they are so big :?
(Might rescue the broken one and glue it, the bowl has sheared off cleanly from the stem, so is a straight break and easily fixed, so I could keep a set of 4 :wink: )
Barbara