Topic: Loetz Creta Papillon - ca 1900 Production p/n 7729

[obscurities]

OK.... while i am at it.....  Another amazing find for not much money in a local antique mall a couple of weeks ago....  I expected it to be cracked or chipped, or severely damaged when I saw it and then saw the price. The only saving grace was that they were not sure it was Loetz and had a ? on the tag....   No ? for me.... knew it the second I saw it.... even from across the room...

Stands at approx 8 inches tall and a touch under 6 inches wide at the body. the shape drawing indicates 4 pinches which are also present on the piece...... 

A really nice sized example at a un-sizely price....  my favorite combination...

Craig

[flying free]

Nice find and a good size   I like the symmetry of the shape.
m

[obscurities]

Thanks M,  It is quite a bit larger in person than the dimensions have it seem.  Other than my Rosa Argentan vases, it is the largest piece of Loetz I own....

[flying free]

Is the iridescence on yours a  different colour Craig, or is it just light?  I meant is it blueish?  and does the green (creta) ground come in different greens?
Just wondering about one of mine.
m

[obscurities]

It can vary with angle and lighting. Papillon's also vary quite a bit in terms of iridescence.  Loetz also used different grounds in green. Post some pics in the thread here and let me take a look at it.... I won't consider it hijacking...   

[flying free]

oh ok then  thanks
I've attached a pic - very hard to photograph because of the angle of the wall of the vase, so however you shine the light the iridescence 'flattens' the oilspots.
It's 5 1/4" high by 6" wide and the foot is 4" diameter with a very large 2 1/2" diameter pontil mark.
m

[obscurities]

Can I see the underside please?   

[flying free]

will do - and oops , the pontil mark is 2 1/8" diameter not 2 1/2" - I was trying to remember all the measurements without doing them one by one as I typed 

The iridescent spots are gold but reflect purples and gold .  I've turned the base so that the iridescence doesn't shine to show the pattern.
I think I'd come to think mine was Loetz oilspot Cisele ? wracking my brains.
m

[obscurities]

I think I would classify this is a Creta Palillon. My take on it would be that it is a later piece as opposed to earlier.  Papillon was produced for a rather long time. It was quite popular.  You will also find a pretty wide variation in Papillon decors through the years. To me, Ciselé is more mottled on the surface, and I generally associate it will some lighter grounds and different overall color range than this piece of yours.... just my humble opinion though....

Nice example though... strong colors and good decor treatment. My gut would be that this is post WWI.... but that is gut only....
nothing else really to base it on...

Craig

[flying free]

Thanks so much
 I can't remember which site to be honest but I  think there was a pic of a rather bright green oil spot with what seemed to be elongated gold spots on the Loetz.com site and it was id'd as Cisele oilspot - the colour and the gold I think it what made me think mine was.  But having had a cisele vase the spots and the surface was very different to this one.

I also thought it was post WW1, I can't remember what I read that made me think that though  was there a kind of 'revival' of some of the decors such as Olympia or something?  And perhaps because the shape reminds me of an Olympia vase I have, I assumed they were both later pieces.  (note to self - write down research )
m