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Glass Discussion & Research. NO IDENTIFICATION REQUESTS here please. => Murano & Italy Glass => Topic started by: eggar on March 14, 2004, 12:45:01 PM

Title: VB OPALINE FLORENCE MADE IN ITALY
Post by: eggar on March 14, 2004, 12:45:01 PM
i'm trying to identify an opaline cased glass vase with the label ..VB OPALINE  FLORENCE  MADE IN ITALY any help most welcome...thanks  eric
Title: VB OPALINE FLORENCE MADE IN ITALY
Post by: Ivo on March 14, 2004, 05:33:31 PM
I Vetrai di Borgonovo, I would think
Title: VB OPALINE FLORENCE MADE IN ITALY
Post by: eggar on March 14, 2004, 08:23:53 PM
thanks Ivo, now to see if i can find out anything about them..eric
Title: Re: VB OPALINE FLORENCE MADE IN ITALY
Post by: Wayne on January 05, 2012, 11:12:15 AM
I know this thread is a bit ancient now, but it seemed the best place to post an update, as it's the top result for "Opaline Florence":

A while ago, I emailed the Vetreria Di Borgonovo website (http://www.borgonovo.it/), sent them a link (http://www.20thcenturyglass.com/glass_encyclopedia/murano_glass/opalineflorence_glass/opalineflorenceglass_home.htm) to my website showing lots of "V.B. Opaline Florence" items, and asked if they made them.  It seems they didn't, this was their response:

"This is hand made and most probably it has been manufactured somewhere in Empoli area.
Empoli is a province in Tuscany - Italy
Regards and good luck

Vetreria di Borgonovo SpA"


(The company is based in Borgonovo, not Empoli, although it's not a million miles away).

Since then, I've recently come across a couple of items with labels which read "Veritable Opaline Florence", so I'm assuming the V.B. is just short for "Veritable"?  See pics below.

It looks like Veritable Opaline Florence is just the style or range of glass, so the jury is still out on who made these.  My best guess would be Stelvia, who made similar glass and have similar labels.  Would love to know what others think, or if any new info has since been found?

(http://www.20thcenturyglass.com/images/items/glass_labels/glasslabels_murano16.jpg) (http://www.20thcenturyglass.com/images/items/glass_labels/glasslabels_murano50.jpg) (http://www.20thcenturyglass.com/images/items/glass_labels/glasslabels_murano26.jpg)
Title: Re: VB OPALINE FLORENCE MADE IN ITALY
Post by: Ivo on January 05, 2012, 11:32:27 AM
I think we've been over this before.  Empoli was the home of some two dozen glass makers which have merged and changed names, merged and changed names, and again and again ad inf.
Most companies moved out of Empoli to elsewhere in the region - notably to Poggibonsi and to Colle Val d'Elsa - and the chance of finding individual companies is pretty slim. Most were short lived between mergers.
Labels may be specifically made for importers and for retailers - hence the use of French.
Bravo if you manage to unravel this knotto gordiano.
Title: Re: VB OPALINE FLORENCE MADE IN ITALY
Post by: MuranoArtGlassChandeliers on January 06, 2012, 09:02:39 PM
HI

You are right Wayne.  Opaline is just the name of the range as I have a hand painted Amethyst baluster vase from Florence with the lable "OPALINA FIORENTIA"

Dean
Title: Re: VB OPALINE FLORENCE MADE IN ITALY
Post by: Ivo on January 06, 2012, 09:27:19 PM
 :huh2:

Not much fun trying to confuse labels in italian, french and english. You should know that Véritable is french for real, Florence is in english or french what Firenze is in italian. Empoli is in the Firenze province.
Opalina is - only in Italy - colour cased milk glass, while Opaline is (everywhere else) a solid semi translucent colour - so if you are selling "véritable opaline de Florence" in France, you're  not selling opaline but cased milk glass. There's confusion for you.
Title: Re: VB OPALINE FLORENCE MADE IN ITALY
Post by: Wayne on January 07, 2012, 08:47:57 AM
They don't make it easy for us do they?  I know the wording on the labels isn't very helpful in identifying a maker, as similar wording is used on Italian, French, and even Japanese glass, probably because it was what the importers + retailers wanted at the time, like you say Ivo.

The main reason for posting, is that up to now, we've thought that the VB were probably the initials of the manufacturer, but looking at how similar the first two labels are, it must at least be possible that the VB was short for Veritable?  I know there's no concrete evidence, and probably never will be, but there are a lot of these vases around, maybe somebody somewhere has one with a proper manufacturers label.  Hopefully they will see this thread and help us out!  :X:
Title: Re: VB OPALINE FLORENCE MADE IN ITALY
Post by: Ivo on January 07, 2012, 11:06:24 AM
Which would raise the question veritable what? in french it makes no sense @ all. VB has to be the name of a retailer, an importer or a manufacturer. As Borgonovo has left the building, it is probably one of the many others who have existed.
Title: Re: VB OPALINE FLORENCE MADE IN ITALY
Post by: Wayne on January 09, 2012, 03:11:22 PM
OK, going back to the drawing board, and looking for more clues, I came across this Empoli jar, with a label in the exact same shape and style as the first two labels I posted, but it reads "Hand, AV, Made in Italy":

http://www.flickr.com/photos/art-of-glass/5244367791/in/photostream/

There is also a vase on ebay at the moment with the same label:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MULTI-COLOR-MID-CENTURY-MODERN-MURANO-ITALY-VASE-LABEL-/380303997782

Ivo, I don't suppose there is an Empoli company with the initials VB, that later changed its name to have the initials AV, or vice versa?

Title: Re: VB OPALINE FLORENCE MADE IN ITALY
Post by: Ivo on January 09, 2012, 03:48:57 PM
I can only refer back to my earlier posting on Empoli companies.
Title: Re: VB OPALINE FLORENCE MADE IN ITALY
Post by: Tigerchips on January 30, 2012, 09:03:22 PM
AV could be for Arte Vetraria (art glass)?
Title: Re: VB OPALINE FLORENCE MADE IN ITALY
Post by: Tigerchips on January 30, 2012, 11:00:12 PM
I just noticed in the AV mark there is a fleur de lis, although it's not identical there is also a fleur de lis in the Stelvia mark, coincidence?

If S.t.e.l.v.i.a stands for Società Toscana Esercizio Lavorazione Vetri Industriali e Artistici, the AV could stand for Artistici Vetri (artistic glass).
Title: Re: VB OPALINE FLORENCE MADE IN ITALY
Post by: Wayne on January 31, 2012, 09:01:04 AM
Some interesting possibilities there!  Well spotted with the fleur de lis too, I hadn't noticed that, it does seem to hint at a link.  Unless, again, it is something that the importers and retailers requested?

I've been hunting for more pieces with the "AV" labels, so far I've turned up these three:

(http://www.20thcenturyglass.com/images/glassmessages/thumbs/empoli_av01.jpg) (http://www.20thcenturyglass.com/images/glassmessages/empoli_av01.jpg) (http://www.20thcenturyglass.com/images/glassmessages/thumbs/empoli_av02.jpg) (http://www.20thcenturyglass.com/images/glassmessages/empoli_av02.jpg) (http://www.20thcenturyglass.com/images/glassmessages/thumbs/empoli_av03.jpg) (http://www.20thcenturyglass.com/images/glassmessages/empoli_av03.jpg) (http://www.20thcenturyglass.com/images/glassmessages/thumbs/empoli_av04.jpg) (http://www.20thcenturyglass.com/images/glassmessages/empoli_av04.jpg) (http://www.20thcenturyglass.com/images/glassmessages/thumbs/empoli_av05.jpg) (http://www.20thcenturyglass.com/images/glassmessages/empoli_av05.jpg) (http://www.20thcenturyglass.com/images/glassmessages/thumbs/empoli_av06.jpg) (http://www.20thcenturyglass.com/images/glassmessages/empoli_av06.jpg)

The last one has a pattern normally found with the "VB" labels, so it does looks like both labels were used on pieces by the same manufacturer.
Title: Re: VB OPALINE FLORENCE MADE IN ITALY
Post by: Ivo on January 31, 2012, 10:40:58 AM
you may find this listing helpful

http://www.comune.empoli.fi.it/cdv/museo/vetrerie/mini.htm

i.
Title: Re: VB OPALINE FLORENCE MADE IN ITALY
Post by: Wayne on January 31, 2012, 01:15:57 PM
Thanks Ivo, I've been through that page before looking for clues (by the way, check out their gallery if you haven't already, it's a bit tricky to find [Link (http://www.comune.empoli.fi.it/cdv/museo/galleria/galleria.html)]). There are certainly a lot of possibilities on there for both sets of initials.
Title: Re: VB OPALINE FLORENCE MADE IN ITALY
Post by: Tigerchips on January 31, 2012, 02:42:21 PM
Thanks Ivo & Wayne

I came across this...
http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/fine-vintage-eames-deco-italian-murano-glass-vase
http://images.cloud.worthpoint.com/wpimages/images/images4/1/1007/01/1_0424b480bef525992e115aa351924224.jpg

It has two labels attached, the 'V.B Opaline Florence Made in Italy' globe label and what looks like a white 'Toscany Made in Italy' label.

You may be wondering why there are 'possibly' two importers on one item, so am i.  :24:

I'm presuming the Toscany label belongs to that vase rather than it being a stray. Toscany are more likely to be an importer since the same labels are found in many forms like 'Hand Blown Toscany Made in Romania' etc.

Gosh, this is confusing, a glass blower appears on this 'Opalina Fiorentina' label...
http://www.ebay.de/itm/Grosse-Henkel-Vase-Glas-Opalina-Fiorentina-un-1950-60-/250904564390

...the same glass blower appears in reverse on the AV label. Maybe, like you say, they just used the same images for their labels. Stelvia used a glassblower in one of their round labels but it's not the same.
Title: Re: VB OPALINE FLORENCE MADE IN ITALY
Post by: Wayne on February 01, 2012, 10:24:18 AM
Nice find, I've only seen that globe label once before.  I always presumed Toscany was an alternate spelling for "Tuscany", which is the region where Empoli is located.  When googling "toscany", lots of results about Italy come up.  So I thought the 'Toscany Made in Italy' labels were generic export labels.  I can't explain the link with Romanian glass etc though, unless it's just a coincidence?

I thought I had seen that glassblower somewhere before!  I'm pretty sure Stelvia used those scroll labels, but maybe other manufacturers did too.  Or maybe Stelvia were responsible for all these labels, both the scroll labels and ones with the wax seals, and was their attempt to imitate or compete with French glass?
Title: Re: VB OPALINE FLORENCE MADE IN ITALY
Post by: Wayne on February 01, 2012, 11:24:53 AM
Just posting a close up of the Stelvia label which might help:

(http://www.20thcenturyglass.com/images/items/glass_labels/glasslabels_murano51.jpg)

And a link to an item with one of the scroll labels, along with a tag that matches the Stelvia logo of a fleur de lis, with what looks like a lion next to it:

http://www.ebay.de/itm/Opalina-Glas-Vase-rosa-TOP-um-1960-very-rare-/120849505725?

*edit* Direct link to the close up pic of the tag, maybe it will stay active longer than the ebay listing: [Pic (http://www.cosmetic-galeria-juelich.de/auktionsdateien/111025/murano6_3.jpg)]