Topic: Old large blue 'opaline' vase,thick white enamelled stork scene,glass cabochons

[flying free]

thanks for your lovely comments I've had a good look at the vases with children on and it's true that the way this vase is enamelled, along with the detail in it and the size of the picture which extends almost right around the vase, is a different quality I think.

I've attached a couple more pictures that should show the sheen on the enamel as the previous ones made it look very matt.  It should be possible to see how the layers are created one by one with different detail on the picture. 

Paul  you're possibly right that it depicts a crane.  I'm going to investigate habitat a little more and see if we can pin it to one or the other.

I've attached a link to some information on Japonisme from the Met Museum
http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/jpon/hd_jpon.htm

It states within that information - 'After Japanese ports reopened to trade with the West in 1853, a tidal wave of foreign imports flooded European shores.' and 'Parisians saw their first formal exhibition of Japanese arts and crafts when Japan took a pavilion at the World's Fair of 1867.  But already, shiploads of oriental bric-a-brac—including fans, kimonos, lacquers, bronzes, and silks—had begun pouring into England and France. '

I would imagine that information and style had filtered back very quickly Europe wide and it fits in with the dates given of 1860s-1870s.

With regards to whether this can be described as opaline glass, the answer is I don't know.  It isn't the same as my mid 19thc white opaline glass that I believe is French.  Neither is it as translucent as some green opaline I've had or still have both mid 19thc I believe.  Nor is it exactly  the same as a 19th century turquoisey blue opaline scent bottle I owned.  All were more sheeny, not as densely coloured as this glass.  Perhaps it might be called blue opaque glass? but you can see through it when you hold it to the light, I can see my fingers and the reverse of the bird and the decoration, so it's not opaque and is translucent.   I still think it is 'opaline' glass.
There's a picture here of a vase sold by Alexia Amato that appears to be a similar type of glass
http://alexiaamatoantiques.com/sold5.asp?stock=O7

I'll report back on the bird or if I find anything more
Thank you again for your help.  I'm enjoying this vase a lot!
m

[azelismia]

I think this is Blau milchglas.  but I do not think the difference between blau milchglas, blau opaline or Blau alabaster make any difference on the value or even the honesty of the description. They're all very similar in look and value.

[flying free]

http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,51535.msg292220.html#msg292220
link to a similar piece
m

[flying free]

Is it possible this vase is a lot earlier than 1870? 
In my book Das Bohmische Glass Band II Biedermeier Empire
on page 32,33,34,35  there are a number of examples of pale blue, taupe and dark blue vases with thick white enamelling.  Some are identified as Franz Anton Zahn Steinschonau 1825-1830.

 None have the level of detail or size of enamelling pictures that are on either of my taupe or blue vase, but there are details in one in particular that are very similar - page 32 (Zahn 1825-1830) a matt taupe coloured large vase with white enamelling frond type leaves that are similar to those on my stork vase, as well as having the decorative leaf band (laurel?) and gilded bands.  The enamelling on both the stork and swan vases is of a similar high quality to this.

 There are three pieces in light blue opaque glass, enamelled, none are as turquoise as my vase but two are not matt, one has the white enamelling of a small bird, and the banded leaf detail and little flowers.

In addition there is a vase on page 30 that also has similar white enamel laurel? leaf decoration and also has an applied foot that appears to be open at the base.  It is matted white opaline attributed as '1825-1830 Falkenau oder Kreibitz'.  Need to look those up as I know nothing about those.
These are very large vases - I think with a lid on the taupe vase would have stood around 34cm or 13"/14".


I can see that some of the techniques will have been used over time, but I think it's possible my vases date to an earlier period than 1870.  Storks were seen as good luck, so I'm not  sure they date to the period of oriental influence necessarily.

m

[flying free]

Just while I'm batting back and forth between periods and to add for information

there are turquoise vases in a similar colour to mine listed in Truitt' Bohemian glass 1880-1940 on page 94 under Mulhaus (a decorator, not a manufacturer).  None are shown under Harrach in that book.

So I suppose what I'm wondering is whether turquoise opaque or opaline glass was made around 1825 -1830 period - there are none in Das Bohmische Glas as mentioned above, and there are no black ones either (having found a black one that looks to be the same range as my turquoise one).  That could of course just be because they didn't have examples to photograph.
m

[Ivo]

Jasperware imitations in glass may have started as early as 1800 (Jasperware was introduced 1775 and still produced today I think)  but the Portland vase incident of 1845 may have triggered the boom.

[flying free]

thanks Ivo.  I haven't come across any more in my books unfortunately.  Something to keep an eye out for though.
Did you receive the pictures I sent?
m

[Ivo]

Yes i did thank you - will mail you.

[flying free]

http://prisma-gallery.com/index.php/glass-tour
Fourth photo down is labelled 'monumental Harrach cameo vase'. 
Difficult to tell but it appears to be in a similar style to mine, at least the blue one.
m

[Ekimp]

This bohemian glass catalogue from the cmog has items with similar looking quality white on blue enamelling. I think the catalogue was an unknown maker and date but might give an idea from the other items available at the same time.

https://www.cmog.org/sites/default/files/collections/8B/8BAD4EA5-28AC-4863-9FEC-CBC42630EA43.pdf