Topic: Help identifying three retro pieces please.

[Anne E.B.]

Can anyone help identify these three please?

Left:  Green/white marble effect bubble decanter with a white stopper.  There is a thumb size hole on the base, and what can only be described as a nipple on the inside base.   Approx. 22.5" tall.  I think it might be Italian but not sure.

Middle: All black 21.5" tall vase.  Has an old price label on the base with $174.  Hopefully Blenko?? but wishful thinking :roll:

Right.  Heavy clear cased green bottle type vase - four sided, with "basketweave" textured panels.  13" high.  Looks Scandinavian but again not sure .

I've had the black one for some time, but have just bought the two green ones this morning.  Also bought some small bowls and matching liqueur glasses which I think might be Erikson(?). They have heavy controlled bubble ball feet.  Seem to remember seeing something similar in Leslie Pina's 50s glass book.   I'll try to get some pics done.

Many thanks for any help given :lol:
Regards - Anne - (now skint!) :wink:
http://tinypic.com/6p57bb.jpg

[chuggy]

Hi Anne
Any chance of a picture of the base of the left hand decanter with the nipple showing as the shape and size point to one of the Murano houses, but the base sounds interesting.
Paul

[Anne E.B.]

Hi Paul.  Many thanks for your response. :lol:  As requested, pics. of the base.  The hole in the base is approx. 0.5" deep and 0.75" diam.  This forms the nipple on the inside, which can be seen on the pic.  I've also added another picture of the piece which shows the markings more clearly, the opening and the stopper, which is 8" in total.
Anne
http://tinypic.com/6p9kle.jpg
http://tinypic.com/6p9lj8.jpg
http://tinypic.com/6p9m48.jpg
http://tinypic.com/6p9nqs.jpg

[paradisetrader]

Middle: All black 21.5" tall vase. Has an old price label on the base with $174. Hopefully Blenko?? but wishful thinking  

Blenko have done items in black glass and have certainly done items that tall but the shape says Italian to me.
I have one 17.5" in blue case with clear at the base ...looks the same same shape as yours and I always thought it was Italian.

I don't see anything like it here
www.blenkocollectors.com/
but it's a big site with lots to see.
Hopefully Cathy G will drop by again soon

[Anne E.B.]

Thanks Peter.  What a fantastic link!  I've just O.D'd on colour, and the shapes.......  
Check out the Illinois personal collection!  Just amazing.  No wonder the poor (but lucky!) guy is slumped in his chair after all that dusting :wink:
I would love to own a piece of Blenko but just don't come across it on my travels, and certainly not for the price that I could afford if I did. Thats why I was hoping the black vase might just possibly turn out to be one -  a long shot I know, but you never know. :roll:
I've just spotted the green bottle vase on a U.S. website for sale, but unfortunately it states maker unknown.
Regards - Anne

[mat]

Hello, Anne,

there is one vase on ebay at the moment similar to your green "basketweave" one, item no. 7335031476, identified as "Opalina Fiorentina". I have a few "Opalina Fiorentina" vases myself, and also a few "Opalina de Murano" and "Veritable Opaline. Murano". I guess these two come from different factories than the first ones -I mean, Murano and Firenze are obviously not the same-, but I am not too sure. Opalina Fiorentina has a very distinctive label, and with that label I have seen awful vases that look like copies of old french opaline, and also richly coloured, sculptural vases, very 60s and 70s, which I love.

Does anyone know anything else about this "Opalina Fiorentina" label, please? I have browsed the internet but found nothing about it, apart from the ebay items.

Regarding your first striped decanter, I own one similar to yours in red, with the same stopper. It was sold to me as italian, and there are a couple of similar ones, without the stopper, at http://www.decodame.com/decorativearts/art_glass.htm , classified as "italian art glass" only.

I will follow this thread with great interest too, therefore!

Regards,

Mat

[Anne E.B.]

Hi Mat - many thanks for your reply  I've checked out the eBay basketweave vase - the first I've seen elsewhere.  I initially thought it might be Holmegaard because it is a bit like the Jacob Bang (?) designs, so its a surprise to see its Italian.  I don't know anything about "Opalina Fiorentina", but someone will know and will be able to help.    I'll be interested to see what it goes for. Mine only cost £7 on last week's carboot safari. I had intended to sell it, but like it so much, have decided to keep it.

I've been unable to access the link for the decanter, so will try again later.   I've got to figure out how to clean the inside which is grimy.  Its a really awkward shape unfortunately.  I also got that one at the same car boot, along with a Riihimaki vase for £8 for the two, so I was really pleased :lol:
 
The green basket weave vase looks great with my red Italian pieces (I've added a pic.)  These are all identical in colour, two of which have the same Made in Italy sticker (see pic), but I don't know who the maker is. Perhaps someone might know from the label design.   I seem to recall seeing a similar one, described as being like Murano Fratelli 20s or 30s vase with their vivid bright red colour and shape, but I wouldn't know...  I believe mine date back to the sixties.  Like you, I just love glass from that period.    I've seen the bottle shaped one on the far right, described as Holmegaard on eBay a couple of times!  :roll:

Hopefully, all will be revealed  :shock:
Watch this space...  :shock:  
Anne :wink:
http://tinypic.com/6tfwn8.jpg
http://tinypic.com/6tgxaq.jpg

[brywil1970]

Just to let you know the person whose collection you refer to "illinios collection"  Is a regular on Ebay's PG&P board.  She is also the Pres. of the Blenko collectors society.  If you think you have a piece of Blenko post it there and you will get a quick and accurate ID.

[Ivo]

Opalina Fiorentina was produced in Empoli FI, where you would find a large concentration of manufacturers of giftware and bottleplants - it is the largest glassproducing centre in Italy, after Murano.  The scale of production in Empoli (most factories have resettled elsewhere in the Florentine region) is much larger than any of the Muranese producers.

[Mat]

Anne,

Ivo, thank you very much for the information about "Opalina Fiorentina" and Empoli, some light on this finally! This makes me think that much of the stuff that is sold as Murano without labels could be from Empoli, or maybe anywhere else in Italy...

Cheers!

Mat