Topic: Continental? glass iridescent gold enamelled vase. ID: Loetz

[azelismia]

It looks like webb also has a similar glass

http://www.trocadero.com/cotswoldantiques/items/684631/item684631.html

the thing is that it looks like this has a polished pontil and mine does not.

[Galle]

All of the suggested names have run through my mind, and the bottom mark (the four digit number) is what keeps throwing me. Harrach didn't ever use that kind of mark as far as I know, neither did Kralik, Loetz, or Poschinger. I have seen stourbridge pieces with a four digit number (Webb?) The thing is, I think that Frank is right about the date, particularly on the early end of that range. This piece looks like 1890s to me. (the base with the gold ring painted around it) Webb works for me, but I am far from sure.

[azelismia]

They say webb bronze has a green base glass, does teal count as green in broad terms? it's definitely a teal, not a pure green or pure blue. Like Kristi said as well, It might have been sold to a decorator and they marked it after they decorated it?

[krsilber]

OK, I'm going to say something that is certainly wrong, and I don't even believe it myself, but the first thing I thought when I saw it was Turkish.  Isn't that bizarre?  It's that decoration that's throwing me.

The rim seems rather unfinished, or poorly finished to me.  Doesn't seem to me like the kind of thing Webb would do.

Thanks, Warren, for your comments, even though you'd already discussed it elsewhere.  I was wondering what you thought of it.

[azelismia]

Turkish or Moorish was a common design element for the time period. it was romantic and mysterious I have seen rims similar on English pieces before.

[krsilber]

Yeah, I know, but this seems especially exotic to me for some reason.  Still, I know it's an outlandish thought.

Lobmeyr did some fabulous designs inspired by ancient Persian enamel work.  Brocard did, too.  And plenty of others!

[azelismia]

I am typing out a section from the book 19th century glass by albert revi, that quotes a trade journal "london,  august 29th 1878 the followign commentary By Her Majesty Queen Victoria, with the specific reference to Thos. Webb and sons "bronze glass" appeared

"we noticed a fine selection of the new bronze glass, discovered and made by Messrs. Thomas Webb and sons, of stourbridge. Its purple bronze surface shines with the hues of the rainbow, such as they appear on molten lead, or on pieces of steel which have been tempered in gradually diminishing degrees of heat, in fact, the appearance of these jars, vases and bowls is such as of they had been made of oxidized steel or copper and their remarkable weight and solidity makes us believe that some metallic preparation is used for coating or impregnating the surface. The Shapes are in preference borrowed from Dr. Schliemann's finds at troy and Mycenae, owl-faced and curiously-lipped vessels predominating. Although the specimens we have seen combine the character of curious adn ornament, the manufacture might apply their process with equally good effect to vessels which in shape belong to more advanced periods of greek and roman culture, and therewith meet the taste of the refined public. Like the iridescent glass, an invention of the same firm, bronze glass will find admirers, and be utilized in many ways for the purpose of ornament. It has already attracted considerable attention at the paris exhibition (1878), likewise at Grosvenor Gallery, where Mr. Goode placed some of his finest specimens"

but then revi goes on to say that it was a mirror like sheen not a fine velvety sheen. I'd call this one velvety. France was also big into the iridescent glass. They say in Bohemia lobemeyer was the leading exporter of iridescent glass.  I just went over to look at it again, it is shiny and not velvety when looked at straight on but when looked at an angle and in light you can see velvety as I captured in the pics. So having not seen enough examples of both kinds I am not sure how you'd count this.

[Lustrousstone]

It's definitely not English, no one in England at the turn of the 19th century or thereabouts would have written a 7 like that. It's hardly common now... I would plump for Frank's original thought. It looks like someone trying to imitate the Loetz Phanomen finish. Lovely vase 

[Galle]

Remember what I first told you about this vase? I found it...

http://hometown.aol.com/alfavil/index.html


Loetz 1898 design.   :chky:

[azelismia]

OMG!!! you are the best! it looks like this fellow knows his stuff too! YAY!!!  well even if I did pay a little too much for the moser piece this one more than makes up for it I think.