Topic: Pinky peach or peachy pink French? / Murano? aeroplane

[Bernard C]

Something of an unusual mystery here.   In an outdoor fleamarket in France, I bought two of these glass aeroplanes, only differing in colour of the glass and painted decoration.    One I sold quickly, before I could record it, so here is the other for consideration.

The aeroplane has the form of a spirits flask, as the open front has been closed with screw stopper assembly set into a pierced cork, giving a simple way of fixing the rotating propellor, punched or cut from sheet copper or brass.   The body is a white opal, cased in the transparent peachy pink or pinky peach used for the applied wings, tailplane and wheels.    The applied wheels were impressed with an eight-petal daisy motif.   What remains of the charmingly naïve cold-painted decoration comprises a row of windows each side (passenger aeroplane), roundels on the wings and tailplane (military fighter or transport plane), and spokes on the wheels (wagon or bicycle).

Overall length and wingspan are identical, 19.5cm (8¾"), wheel diameter 2.3cm (a fraction under 1"), weight 218g (7¾oz).

Bernard C. 

[Bernard C]

As this topic had attracted no replies, I packed this aeroplane away in a box which disappeared into a far corner, and I forgot about it.   Having a thorough sort out recently, it re-emerged.

With 264 views in over five years, I'm surprised that there are no comments.    Has anyone any ideas?

The other one was more or less the same, but in a light green.

... and I've never used the attach image facility, so a moderator Anne? has been tidying up the wreckage of the changeover.   Thanks. 

Bernard C. 

[bigbri]

The markings on the wings could be zeros from the Japanese airforce although that's prob a very long shot.its funky though.

[bOBA]

Unusual, extraordinary. Possible dating 1940's-1950's? The decor on the fuselage seems to suggest a passenger plane...... This pink glass was popular in the mid 1950's but as for Nation of origin, I did hope the wing markings would help, but as Bernard suggest it seems a fantasy confection as far as aircraft accuracy is concerned. A really interesting piece. I think limited replies is just due to the fact nobody recognises the piece, myself included. France seems a clue but it doesn't look very French at all to me....... Still, a really interesting thing and to my eye, really well made!

Robert (bOBA)

[obscurities]

Never seen anything even remotely similar.... Unusual and interesting, but at a loss as to when, where, who, or why..... 

Craig

[Frank]

Missed this before. Out on a limb time....

Belgian 1940s frigger, Albert Beugnies or colleague. (Ask Stephen P-H)

[Bernard C]

...   Belgian 1940s frigger, Albert Beugnies or colleague. (Ask Stephen P-H)

Frank — there's a lot of clever and experienced design gone into this novelty, so I think the term frigger is most unlikely.

Consider, for example, the propeller.   Unless you remove it, very vulnerable when packed.   My solution would have been to have it cast in some cheap alloy, but there would still have been the occasional broken one.   This manufacturer's solution was to allow it to bend, shaping the propellor so that the bend was near the pivot, making it from thin sheet metal, using copper which doesn't work harden, and relying on the retailer to straighten up any bent propellors.   Brilliant, but not indicative of a whimsical, end of day piece, made to pay for the beer on the glassmaker's way home.

... and the cold-painted decoration.   Then almost certainly done by women outworkers on slave labour piecework rates, operating without any health and safety legislation protection.   Not, to my mind, indicative of a frigger at all.

Thanks for your suggestion, which I am following up.

Bernard C. 

[sph@ngw]

While Albert Beugnies ( Bernie) made a splendid 16 part horse and a cockerel. I do not think he made this.
Never seen it before but Belgium may be a good guess, or even Murano?
It does look like a frigger, but probably made as a run thus they could have the propellor made.Tthe green and salmon pink are definitely post war colurs of mid '50's to mid 60's when chemicals were hard to get.

[Anne]

Not me as far as I can recall, Bernard. I don't remember seeing the pics at all before.