Topic: Displaying colourless or cut glass - views

[Paul S.]

I think decorated colourless glass is just for those of us fortunate to be blessed with good taste

Bottom line is probably that people's entire view of their surroundings has changed.   We have left behind C19 ideas of conservatism (didn't they once cover the legs of pianos?) - and after all, if given the chance of filling our lives with colour, we now jump at the chance.    And yet having said that, it's also very true that the Victorians, although very prudish, were nuts over the sort of frilly, ostentatious coloured pieces that adorn the pages of Gulliver.     Also maybe a lot to do with simply whether you're someone who sees art in conceptual artistic contemporary coloured glass, or whether you're drawn to the skill and beauty of much cut and wheel decorated material.     I enjoyed Robert's first contribution ("I'll speak up on behalf of clear ("colorless") glass etc".     At the end of the day, I think it's simply personal taste, and subconsciously we like colour more than clear, with a minority of us liking the artistry of decoration by cutting.
Clear, particularly cut clear glass, has had a bad press for many years owing to the mountains of boring cut glass vases you see in every bric-a-brac shop window, and so many people forget, or simply aren't aware of the stunning pieces of post war modernist designs from the big factories on the Continent and in the U.K.

Mind you, I think the Georgian and Regency period knock us into a cocked hat with regard to drinking glasses........some of the deep amethyst, green, blue, and red rummers and wines are unsurpassed...........if you like colour that is.         No good if you want to see what it is you're drinking .

Just for the record, my favourite piece of glass (in my own collection) is a large citrine coloured cut vase from E&L, dating to somewhere around 1950, possibly, with which I get the best of both worlds.       I also like the colours produced by Stennett-Wilson for Wedgwood  -  colours, if you are going to have them, should be subtle  -  nothing more guaranteed to kill the appeal in something than garish, kitch tasteless colours.  

[flying free]

'colours, if you are going to have them, should be subtle  -  nothing more guaranteed to kill the appeal in something than garish, kitch tasteless colours.'  

 :cry:
Oh dear....

[Paul S.]

nope, sorry m, "either that wallpaper goes, or I do" - isn't it just a tad OTT for the colours of the glass

[Anik R]

m, your displays are truly wonderful.  (And by the way, my heart is softening to having more colour in my world... last weekend, we repainted our livingroom.  My husband said I should go wild, and choose a real colour, and not anything beigy or off-white.  So I bravely chose soft-creamy-brown.  It was only when we got to the register and paid for the paint did I realize my husband exchanged the soft brown for a funky lilac.  But it's not as bad as I thought it would be...  :usd:)

[flying free]

Paul    difference of opinion and the way we view things is good.
 I struggled for a long while to display anything in there, until I realised that the strength of the walls needed cased opaque glass.  The floor is black and white chequerboard, and the only picture is a huge vintage black and white poster of Bette Davis casually smoking a cig  :angel:

Anik, lilac is a very calming colour and I'm sure your Czech glass will look fabulous with it.  Lilac looks fantastic with dark wood furniture as well.
m

[chopin-liszt]

Paul, I don't do subtle.  :smg:

[flying free]

Sue that's  a great shot 
m

[Paul S.]

as always, I'm being a little contentious, deliberately  -- hell, what does it matter whether it's coloured or clear that floats your boat, as long as we ALL stay friends.
I'm sure it's to the advantage of all of us that we are an eclectic and disparate bunch

[johnphilip]

You old smoothie Paul , did they put you thru a juicer tonight ? :thup:

[langhaugh]

Thanks for the photos, Robert  Teh grouping works for me.  Interesting to see some North American glass there, and it certainly is an eclectic mix.  The Wirkkala 'Pinus' vase is one of my favourites. 

Also, interesting that m's grouping appealed to me, also.  Not something I would choose in my house (by which I mean it wouldn't suit the house), but it's certainly a grouping and a setting  I can admire.

David