Topic: Black appearance + enamelled Bohemian / European Vase with robin bird

[Paul S.]

Mod - Split from: http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,25733.msg142333.html#msg142333

Wouldn't have believed this colour anomaly thingy without the explanation earlier in the thread.   The pics. are of something that i bought at about 6.30 a.m. GMT today, and which I assumed had to be black glass, albeit rather more grubby before cleaning.   However, remembering this topic made me hold it up to the bright sun, and sure enough the colour is not black but quite strong purple.         The shape of the feet make me think of Victorian, although I suppose the Robin cud come from anywhere in Europe, and its possible the flower is just stylized rather than representing a specific plant.    Anyone have strong feelings about the country of origin??  - and is it enamel rather than paint?     Thanks for looking.           cheers             Paul.

Mod:  Photos in correct rotation further down

[Andy]

Hi Paul,
nice vase, 6.30am! Bit early, are we talking car boot? I bet you paid less than i did  :mrgreen:

Theres a few similarities,in the leafs to my thread: http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,25733.msg142333.html#msg142333 and i would not be surprised if they came from the same place, maybe the same artist.
I would think yours is 19th C, and also Bohemian.
Maybe seeing the 2 together may help others decide a factory ?

I will take Jindrichs suggestion and send a photo to Moser. Its worth a try.
Cheers
Andy
 

[Lustrousstone]

That is really nice quality work Paul  :clap:  :mrgreen: It's almost certainly enamel, i.e., fired-on. Cold painted wares have a much more raised appearance and are less glossy (you can also pick them off with your finger nail)  Those twiggy feet are unusual on this sort of painted vase. I would say Victorian through to Edwardian for date. Not sure I would like to say definitely Bohemia, could be English and almost certainly worth much more than you paid for it.

I don't think the flowers are imaginary, too much detail, although I don't know what they are

I have also turned you round

I suggest this is made into a new topic please moderators.

[Max]

New topic started.   

[Paul S.]

thanks for the replies -  and yes, it was a bootsale Andy  -  although i expect that by the time I have shoved tons of fossil fuel in the car, I dont suppose it was that cheap.   Its just that when I paid a fiver for it it seemed a bargain at the time.
Sorry Christine - I got the pics. the wrong way round again.   But my thanks for the explanation of the technical differences between paint and enamel.  Tell me, do you often go around scratching other peoples wares with your finger nails to test the difference?      I also see that you have given me a wide margin of manufacturing dates -1837  to 1911  -  I guess it must be in there somewhere.    But thinking again I now believe that this is a case of glass copying a Greek or Roman style of terracotta type of vase.      Somewhere in the dim distant past I have seen something like an Amphora with legs like this - a large clay vase body which has a pointed bottom, and consequently needs supporting on legs.       Anyway, there is a connection there somewhere, I'm sure.            Having looked a lots of pics. of British vases, I dont see anything with legs like these, so perhaps not from this sceptered isle, and Andy is right with Bohemia, or very similar.    Lets see what response he gets back from Moser.
I bet if we had the time to go thru books showing illustrations of examples of Mediterranean terracotta wares, we might find something.
If you wud like to buy it Andy - its £110. (and without commission).
As for the flora - when I first looked I thought the flower part seemed a bit Clematisy - but the leaves are wrong.        When I have the time I will look properly in a book.
Streuth - where wud we be without books!!                       cheers     Paul.

[Jindra8526]

I am not sure with this piece, it can be also Bavarian (German) from Zwiesel, I have seen excellent simmilar examples of their work in museum there.
Jindrich

[Lustrousstone]

The only paint I scratch off glass involves those ubiquitous white or brown spots that seem to be compulsory. But you can tell the difference non-destructively with your finger nail. The style of wear is also different; cold painted leaves no residue, fired on leaves a faint trace.

Painted vases do seem to have been made over a very long period.

That style of feet supporting a round bottomed vase is not that unusual per se (and yes they are based on an amphora in a stand), but I have never seen them on a painted vase.

I have just looked through Silber and Fleming. There are lots of back painted vases, some on amphora style (or rather vases available in black) but none with robins and none with looped inward feet. The only added feet are either buns or flicked out.

Unfortunately the European Robin is too widespread to be much help

[pamela]

pink flowers are my absolute favourites in nature: anemones 
I could miss a silver ring at the top of yours?

[Paul S.]

hello Pamela and thanks for your comments.          I am still inclined to think the flower is stylised more than accurate  -  although I think you are correct in that the flower head looks very like an anemone  -  its just that the leaves certainly are not.   I have trawled thru most of the 8000 plants in the RHS Gardeners Encyclopedia, and I'm not really much wiser, so I shall give up and just admire the beautiful vase.      Glad you like pink  -  at least you are maintaining tradition  - blue for boys etc. etc.
Must apologise for being a little 'thick' - but I'm not entirely sure what you mean about the silver ring.   Are you saying that the vase wud have had one originally??
hope you will reply.                    cheers                Paul S.

[Lustrousstone]

I think Pamela is just wondering whether there should be one. The flower could be an anenome; there are 150 varieties and not have complex leaves, apparently