Topic: ID Please on STRANGE Glass vase with acid etched FOREIGN no it's base

[Greg.]

Some additional info about some of the earlier Foreign marks/stamps in the link below:

http://www.porcelainmarksandmore.com/resources/historical.php

[scavo]

The problem with that Greg, is that it is specifically about goods imported to the US. The reason why I asked Kulashaker where he is because it matters a great deal.

And, I think it is safe to say from the design of this piece that it is 20th century.

Best Art Glass (Japan) 'Foreign' http://www.glassbudvases.co.uk/bestartglass.htm

I hope Kulashaker comes back to us with a photo of the mark as it might help attribute a maker and solve the mystery at last?

[Greg.]

Scavo, i posted it purely because I thought it may be of interest. 

[scavo]

And it is. I read that when I was trying to find a definitive answer to this same question before, probably concerning German Pottery. Sorry if I came across as antagonistic. I don't mean to be - I'm just frustrated at not being able to  find the answer I'm looking for.

[Lustrousstone]

Little is rarely black and white. You are assuming that the item was imported to the UK for sale; maybe it just arrived in the UK in somebody's household goods. It may have been sold through the US base shops in the UK. Maybe the manufacturer just marked everything the same regardless of where it was going.

[Greg.]

Just to throw another thought out there....just glancing through Andy McConnell's 20th century glass there is a brief mention on page 15 of anonymous 'Foreign' stickers / labels 'as commonly applied to Swedish 1960s glass' Although, I don't know if any companies in Sweden ever used 'Foreign' acid etched marks. I still think Czech/Bohemian might also be worth exploring further as there are certainly some similarities.

 

[scavo]

Little is rarely black and white. You are assuming that the item was imported to the UK for sale; maybe it just arrived in the UK in somebody's household goods. It may have been sold through the US base shops in the UK. Maybe the manufacturer just marked everything the same regardless of where it was going.

If it had been destined for the US market, then legally it would have had to state country of origin. I'm not sure about the legality of marking a product as 'foreign' and selling it in the home market would be allowed. These things tend to be determined by treaties. If for example it were made in Sweden for sale in Finland, would English be used?

Just to throw another thought out there....just glancing through Andy McConnell's 20th century glass there is a brief mention on page 15 of anonymous 'Foreign' stickers / labels 'as commonly applied to Swedish 1960s glass'

This is news to me and I appreciate anything that adds to my (often limited and sometimes stubborn) knowledge. I look through Wayne's 20thCenturyglass.com's 'Hooped' glass section shows some cousins if not brothers and sisters.

We know as a general rule that German ceramics (would it follow that glass was similarly marked?) were no longer marked 'foreign' in the '60s. As I understand they switched to 'Germany' as quickly as they could because it was popular knowledge that German = Quality. Is it possible that Scandinavian glass companies were trying to cash in on the confusion as 'foreign' marked goods disappeared from the shelves in the hope that people would think their goods were German? Unlikely, when Scandinavian glass was being emulated around the world. I find the quote "'Foreign' stickers / labels 'as commonly applied to Swedish 1960s glass" a little surprising - although I do not dispute it as I have no evidence.