Topic: FBS mark (French, Scottish, Italian & Czech glass) ... Solved - See Post 88

[Frank]

Just had a report of another piece of Monart that clearly did not get exported....

One piece is the GL shape same colour as the piece in you book. However this vase has a "WATSON'S CHINA HOUSE , HIGH STREET, PERTH LABEL" and around the ground base it has the circular "FBS" mark, the base has been marked 3 times with the FBS mark.

 :sc:

[sao125]

Mod: The posts from here to reply 59 have been merged with the older FBS thread

 :help:
Hello forum members -- Finally somewhere to maybe find this info! I have read all your posts on the FSB mark on glass, but havent been able to find much on FSB mark on ceramics.

I have an oblong/oval shaped dish withthe FSB inside a big Y mark and then a large circle around it (as shown in a photo on the other FSB discussion forum on this site. It also says Italy on the bottom of the dish and it is numbered == I have #3 of 104  (3/104). There are 2 different raised scenes on the dish -- one side if nudes (draped with cloth) standing, and the other side of the dish -- well, let's just say they have gotten LOTS friendlier!!! Very interesting artistic dish!!!

I've been researching the FSB for weeks and have have done extensve internet searching as well as tons of antique books and books about Italian marks and no luck. This is the only place I've been able to find anything close and thought maybe someone could help me out and that this may help in your research of the FSB trademark.

I can post photos of the dish if you'd like. I'm liquidating my mother's estate and very anxious to find out more about this dish!
Thank you to anyone who can help! I'll anxiously await replys
sao125

[Frank]

We tend not to mention that it is found on ceramics too, because we are a glass board!

I have been hunting this mark for 20+ years so plenty of time for you yet  but you will probably get no further than we have... unless of course it has been covered in a pottery reference somwhere... let us know if you get anywhere please.

[TxSilver]

I've wondered about the mark, too. As mentioned before, it is like the mark for Barovier-Seguso-Ferro (BSF), a company in Murano in the 1930s that became Seguso Vetri d'Arte in 1937. I've wondered if they may have been involved in the marketing of the things that have the symbol. My thinking is probably naive, and going way beyond in inference -- much based on Seguso VdA managing Salviati. The companies did so much more than we are often aware of. I haven't been able to find anything about BSF beyond their glassmaking, but there were people who had connections in England, Czechoslovakia, and France. Who knows?

[Frank]

Tsk Anita and you never commented in our mega FSB thread, could be an interesting avenue to explore. Do you have an example of the BSF mark?


MODS: This thread needs to be merged with the original thread... Mod: Now merged

[TxSilver]

I read the original thread as it was happening, but didn't have anything definitive to offer beyond what was already written. I thought it probably just a coincidence that the letters were arranged around the Y in the same way, though I never fully dropped the idea that the mark may be something to do with BSF. Reading about the tie between Seguso and Salviati, and knowing Barovier and Salivati had ties with the three other countries made me wonder further. I put a picture of the BSF label on the Murano 101 labels the other day. I'll put it here, too, so people won't have to travel out of the thread to see it.

[TxSilver]

BTW, there is a company that uses the letters FSB. I saw a piece the other day while I was looking that had their mark that was written in a straight line. Could they be German? I would have to backtrack -- I found a bit more about them, but didn't pay a lot of attention, since they weren't what I was looking for at the moment.

[Frank]

This is intriguing Anita, all we now need is to find a company set up by these three as a general marketing organisation for European 'art' wares. The lack of results to date could well because it has a non 'English' speaking origin.

[TxSilver]

Another thing, which may perhaps be coincidental, is the dates for the company (1932-37) coincide with the 1930s time frame that someone on the group mentioned for the mark.

I don't want to lead people down a bad path, so should point out that I am just speculating. The facts I have are sketchy, so it is a risky inference to say the mark is BSF for sure.

[Frank]

We have nothing but sketchy so far... a US importer was my favourite to date but a European factor/exporter is an unexplored avenue. The time I have spent looking for US companies is great, I have never looked for an exporting organisation. Speculation is a starting point and your label is definitely the same mark. Timeframe is spot on too!

Now do we have any Italian members that can help trace Italian companies?