Topic: Help ID Borske Sklo?

[Tim]

Hi I came across this in a charity shop. Something about it caught my eye, thought it might be Borske. It is 11 inches high, the colour seems right as does the shape. It has a machine cut and polished rim. However it does not have an impressed cross on the base which would have been left by the four part mould. If anyone has any ideas I would love to hear them; even if it turns out to be from TK Maxx.
Thanks Tim

[Chris Harrison]

Any mould lines could have been fire-polished after the vase was shaped.  Though it looks as though the horizontal ribbing was perhaps done by hand.

How is the base?  Ground flat?  With a polished or torch-melted punty mark?  Could you post a pic?

[Lustrousstone]

The base will be "from the mould", as the top rim is ground and polished. The item will be mould blown, not hand shaped.

[Chris Harrison]

Probably, but not guaranteed. 

If the vase is decorated with ribbing on the inside, the piece would have to be cracked off the blowing rod and stuck up on a punty to allow access.

[Tim]

Hi thanks for the response. I have posted another picture of the base, and it is ribbed on the inside.

[Lustrousstone]

Internal optic ribbing is created by blowing into a smaller ribbed mould and then blowing to size in a smooth mould. This removes the outer ribbing but leaves the internal ribbing; thus a base attachment to a pontil iron is unnecessary.

[Chris Harrison]

In a factory or large studio you would use a mould.  If you can't afford to have a mould made up, you can also do it manually, using a tool shaped rather like a Zulu knobkerry (a stick with a ball on the end of it), and then re-shaping the outside of the vase on the marver.  That's how it was demo'd to me, anyway. The ribbing was spiral.

[Tim]

Hi thanks for the info. It is definitely moulded. Any ideas as to manufacturer?

[Chris Harrison]

Novy Bor / Borske Sklo is as good a guess as any.
Though I have a blue jug and glasses with a similar optic finish, and was told they might be from Empoli (Italy).

[Tim]

Thanks for that. Is there anyone else out there with any idea who manufactured the vase; I would love to know for sure?