Topic: Square Black Fishy Bohemian MOSER?? Vase

[Andy]

This vase is a special present to myself because i deserve it  :angel:

I had the great pleasure to meet Patrick Hogan and Ray Annenberg at my local auction this week, luckily they were a bit obsessed with a small Whitefriars Zoo  to notice this beautiful vase, which i was hoping to buy. It was described as Late 19th C European black glass vase enamelled fish......  etc . I dont mind saying, the estimate was £120-160 . I feel lucky to have got it for £110 (plus commission!!)
Ray, Patrick and myself, feel the most likely candidate is Moser, but i would love to hear other opinions from the Bohemian fans, I did consider Harrach, and id guess nearer 1850 than 1900. Its very pretty and quite unusual.
All the fish are Smiling . The reeds flowers and bullrushes beatifully enamelled. 4 Gilded cushion feet.
As a Glass collector and Fisherman, i love the design, pattern, shape, and im pleased to own it! 
I hope you all like it,
all ideas and views welcome.
Andy

[Mike M]

Hi

First question is is it real black glass or just dark blue or red etc made to look black?

If it's really black then only candidate really would be Moser (but most of their true black dates to 1920s and this style is earlier)

If its a dark colour then it still could be Moser, but another name to ponder is Riedell -they briefly owned a glasshouse that went in for enamelled square black vases c1900-1910 big time -often with striking Secessionist designs, but also some more traditionally decorated one like this.

Nice vase

Cheers

[Glasshound]

Definitely NOT Moser...probably Bohemian.....

/Blair

[Glasshound]

If it's really black then only candidate really would be Moser (but most of their true black dates to 1920s and this style is earlier)

Are you saying that Moser was the only manufacturer to make black glass?? In fact, it's the complete opposite. I don't think I've ever seen a Moser vase in black glass....

/Blair

[pamela]

Andy, is this his sister clock?
http://pressglas-pavillon.de/tafelaufsaetze/04501.html
Following Dir. Stopfer's (Vienna/Austria) version, could be Hoffmann then. 

[Andy]

Hi all,
thanks for looking, i will check colour in the sun tomorrow, i havent done that, i would expect a dark purple,
in brightest light tonight, still looks black.
a question, Ive seen these little dots on a few bohemian vases, decanters etc. , On this vase, dots are white, like tiny pearls, the gilt does Not cover the white dots! i would have thought the gold was done last, but it appears the dots ( i presume white enamel ?? ) are applied after the gilt!
It must have taken days to make it!
(the enamel on the fish , weeds , flowers etc, is quite thick, 1 or 2 mm, reminds me of Poshinger flowers??)

Andy

ps Pamela, thats a nice clock, i dont think its the same, my fish are different, and they are all smiling!! 
The artist must have had a sense of humour and done that on porpoise!  :rn:
(The fish on the clock are a bit like you see from the deep ocean, a bit ghost like, although the water effect and some of the background fish are similar,  so there may be a connection! Although, i think there may be 60 or so years different) 

[Mike M]

Hi

I agree probably not moser

but yes, it was very rare, but Moser were one of only a tiny number of glass makers that achieved the supposedly impossible real black glass - not very dark red, blue, purple, or green but black (I forget what they called it) - I've seen maybe 2 pieces -strange stuff (both with Rudulf Weis signed decoration on the surface)  -I very much doubt this is true black

There were I think a few other glass houses that managed the illusive black but don't know their names -not a cheap thing to produce I expect

Cheers

Mike

[Mike M]

Found the reference its called Hyalyth

and was discussed here http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,6084.20.html

[Andy]

Hi all,
Ive just held the glass up to direct sunlight, its thick! But as expected ,i  can see a pinprick of purple light.

So general opinion , probably not Moser, any other suggestions ? How about my idea of Harrach?
(just one of andys famous guess's    )

Thanks for all the input,
Andy

[johnphilip]

I thought the Count Buquoy firm was the one for black glass  ,Hyalyth . jp