Topic: Heavy, ice or rock-textured ashtray... Iitalla / Scandanavian?

[justjeff]

Hi all. I picked this piece up just because it was so unique, seemed to be older, guessing 60's to 70's... and only cost $1 The glass is thick and the outer rim of this is made up of angled panels. The base has layers reminiscent of an iceberg perhaps? It is 8 1/4" across at its widest and 2 1/8" tall. There appear to be letters molded/stamped at the bottom but I can't make them out. Anyone have a clue?

[px]

I would say probably just inspired by Iittala or other Scandinavian.
Sorry that I cannot help more, I haven't seen one before, and I did not see any mould marks in the base to try to figure out anything.

[justjeff]

Thanks for the reply. It felt like a long shot but worth trying. Wish the molded wording was easier to make out but no matter how I hold it, I have a hard time seeing it. Looks like four letters resembling V A O B or V A D E. The first two are the clearest.

[chopin-liszt]

Have you tried doing something akin to doing a "brass rubbing" over the marks?
Place a bit of paper over the raised bits and then use the side of a pencil point to rub over the paper. The raised bits should give you a mark on the paper much more easily than the rest.
The side edge of a wax crayon would do the same job.

[justjeff]

Have you tried doing something akin to doing a "brass rubbing" over the marks?
Place a bit of paper over the raised bits and then use the side of a pencil point to rub over the paper. The raised bits should give you a mark on the paper much more easily than the rest.
The side edge of a wax crayon would do the same job.

I gave it a shot but it is impressed and didn't show well. After holding the glass at a weird angle I think I came up with "2884 V" (a mold number maybe?) which probably won't be helpful in this particular case but if it is, please let me know!

[chopin-liszt]

  Worth a try.
I tried putting some putty-like stuff on one once, to see if I could make an impression of a mark. (it was a registered official moulded mark, in the middle of the bottom of a jug. Difficult to get to or turn in different lights.  )
Blu-tack, plasticine or play-doh?