Topic: Blue green sommerso vase. Country? maker?

[jakgene]

This is a very pretty little vase - 5.5 inches or 14 cm to top of beaked lip , 10 cm or 4 inches at widest point.
deep blue interior layer, cased in green.
It is not oval - but has definite  "arms" or "wings" each side - one coming forward, one going back - I have tried to show the shape in the picture taken from the top down.
Polished base - no markings, not much wear.

Does anyone have any idea of its country of origin? I thought Murano  from its photo when I bought it - but the shape makes me wonder about Czech?  Or perhaps it is just from the far East?   It was bought here in Australia.
Any advice appreciated

Jackie

[Lustrousstone]

I think Murano. I have a similar one
http://lustrousstone.co.uk/cpg/displayimage.php?pid=1545
http://lustrousstone.co.uk/cpg/displayimage.php?pid=1546

[jakgene]

Thanks - yes I see the similarity. same winged effect.

JAK

[rocco]

With that bevelled base rim I would think there is a possibility that the vase is Czech, ZBS.

>> link to a labeled piece, very similar shape.

And though the colour combination seems a bit unusual, there are 2-coloured pieces around (one of mine >> here; Dirk has even got one with a Uranium casing), and both that emerald green and blue were used by ZBS...

Michael

[ahremck]

There are a series of Rikaro vases that have been in Australia for some 10 years or so that are essentially very similar in shape.  I have one that is two colour - neodymium outer and aubergine inner.  Currenttly they have two colour + clear vases but the colours are side by side.  I think this is more likely to be Murano because of the three layers throughout the whole vase.

Ross

[rocco]

Ross, I see what you mean... (especially as Jackie is based in Australia as well).
I just found the 2-coloured and clear vases via google, no idea where those could have been made.
Is Rikaro a retailer?

This labeled Rikaro vase does look decidedly ZBS, though... (almost identical to my 2-coloured vase).

Michael

[ahremck]

Michael I suspect you are correct in your assumption.  A quick scan of http://www.rikaro.com.au/ shows they are an importer.

Ross

[kane_u_pain]

Rikaro has been around for a while. Importers of Japanese and Czech Glass. Not bad quality stuff in my opinion.

Not sure if they imported Murano though as I have not seen any confirmed Murano pieces with a Rikaro label. Although I see lots of Rikaro 'pieces' listed as Murano which is obviously Japanese or Czech.

My opinion would be the piece is Czech as it does not look Japanese.

[jakgene]

Thanks, everyone,  for your comments - now I am really confused.   

However on looking at all the links, and although I am not too happy at saying it - I think Ross's Rikaro vase seems to be closest to mine.

The reason I am not too happy is that when I had a Rikaro peacock a few years ago I wrote to them and asked where it was actually made - they answered honestly enough - made in the Murano style in China.  ( I have since seen that peacock advertised for $495  )  (No I didn't keep mine- It was a bit lumpily made which is why I had queried it with Rikaro in the first place.  )
However one of the other links has a label which says definitely -  Rikaro made in the Czech Republic - so if mine was made there I would be much happier about that     Their web site says <Inherent in these products is the thousand year old tradition of crystal and glass making in the heart of Europe and other glassmakers from around the world> so maybe some of it is made in Europe.
It is a pretty vase, and quite nicely shaped and finished - so it will probably stay up on the shelf next to my real Murano sommerso pieces!.

Thanks again

Jackie

[kane_u_pain]

Do you have a pic of Peacock jakgene?

I am assuming that Rikaro have only recently started buying Chinese pieces...at least in the last 5 to 8 years...

Rikaro has been around for a while so it would be assumption that to stay in business they would be buying the best of the cheapest produced (no pun intended on Chinese Glass).

I would be assuming that buying the Japanese and Czech pieces produced today would be outside of there budget. Not enough profit to be made or to expensive to sell. Since they don't produce there own glass.

I don't think your sommerso piece is Chinese. Chinese produced sommerso glass has yet to capture the style of the Murano and Czech pieces. Simplicity...and most of all, colour combo!