Topic: Large Woodland Vase

[gemmacler]

Hello to all
I would like your help with identifying a large glass vase I have had for a few years. It stands about 11 inches high and is about 9 inches wide at the top. It is very very heavy. The colour is brownish/ amethyst. The shape is unusual, like a chalice The inside is clear polished,also the rim and base, the outside surface is very deeply moulded [ or cut ? ] with a wood, tree trunks and branches. The design is different all round, it doesn't repeat. When the vase has a light shining on it the scene is 3D like a picture. I have included a picture of it with a light and without. It came from France. There is no mark or signature. I wonder if anyone has seen anything like it before, or could suggest a maker.
Thank you for your help
Best regards
Gemma

[Tigerchips]

Suggestion = Sabino?

[Ivo]

Barolac!

[gemmacler]

Hi
Great to have your suggestions. The Sabino work I have seen seems to be in very pale colours, and I have not seen many Barolac pieces but they seem pale too, opalescent very often. I suppose there might be some in this darker colour - it actually can seem to be brownish mauve amethyst sort of colour,  or a golden brown depending on  how the light falls on it - don't know if that helps.
Best wishes
Gemma

[Glen]

It was made originally by Barolac (i.e. Inwald for John Jenkins). There have been some recent repros too.

[Mosquito]

I agree with Ivo & Glen. Barolac, catalogue no. 11589, shown in the 1949 Glassexport catalogue, available from www.pressglas-korrespondenz.de.

Re. colours, the vase is shown in the Markhbeinn catalogue (also available from SG at pressglas-korrespondenz.de) which lists available colours as: Fume Mat, Ambre Mat and Blanc Mat. The 1949/52 glassexport Barolac catalogue indicates Blue, Amber, Smoke and Rose were available. This pattern also appears to have been produced in both types of Barolac opalescent glass.

As Glen pointed out, there are repros. Marcus has highted versions of this vase with modern Libs stickers. However, I suspect the Libs versions may be from a different mould. I had a Libs seahorse vase, placing it next to the original none of the details matched and the mould seams followed a different path.

Don't forget to take a look at my gallery too http://www.glassgallery.yobunny.org.uk/thumbnails.php?album=144 . I have been documenting my Barolac collection for reference, though, as yet, I don't have a picture of one of these forest vases.

Steven



 

[msiscoe]

Hello, I have an identical vase in clear glass with a Verlys signature and also "signed" by Carl Schmitz. There are currently 2 of these on eBay, one listed under glass vases, and the other listed as Rene' Lalique! The "Rene' Lalique" vase has an opening bid of $4000.00. Is it possible to get a scan of the Barolac catalog?

Thank you and best regards

[Sklounion]

As Steven rightly says, 11549.

Can we please make it absolutely clear that "Barolac" is a trade-mark, used by Josef Inwald a.s. and John Jenkins, and is NOT the name of the manufacturer. The original manufacture took place at Rudolfova hut', and moulds were later moved to Rosice, then Libochovice.

Moulds at Libochovice, were of inferior quality, and as Steven suggests, some may have been later remakes of the moulds.

One aspect is not clear at the moment is whether designs were licensed out for production elsewhere, ie Verlys, but my suspicion is that the "Carl Schmitz" is a spurious indicator of designer. Some items were initial sketches by Douglas Jenkins, forwarded to Inwald, from John Jenkins, the UK importer, and professionally draughted by Rudolf Schrotter.

Barolac catalogue:
http://glassgallery.yobunny.org.uk/thumbnails.php?album=701

Regards,

Marcus

[msiscoe]

Carl Schmitz designed several pieces for Verlys of America. They were: Seasons Vases, Girls and Deer Bookends, Girl, Lamb, and Ewe Bowl, Greek Horse Ashtray and Cigarette Box, Americana Bowl and Candle Holders, and the Fleur de Chine Vase. Carl Schmitz was the most famous artist to design pieces for Verlys of America. In 1934 he won the Linday Morris Sterling Memorial Prize for metals and bas-relief. In 1935 he deisngned the figure of a historic postman for the Post Office Department in Washington D.C. His work also appeared in the Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission buildings in Washington, D.C. This information is from "Verlys of America Decorative Glass" by Carole and Wayne McPeek. Someone obviously thought engraving the Verlys signature and the Carl Schmitz signature to this vase would increase it's value. Thank you for the link to the Barolac catalog. It is most helpful.

[Glen]

Original drawing (Jenkins/Inwald) for this vase.

The vase was called "In the Forest".

GT
PHOTO BELOW COPYRIGHT G&S THISTLEWOOD