Topic: Need help with ID of decanter sets

[pnutsateup]

I have two cranberry with white overlay decanter sets. The tallest one in the picture has 15. inside the opening and on the stopper, and the shorter one has 71 inside the opening. These marks are the only ones that I can find on any of the pieces, including the glasses. The two amber pieces to the left in the picture have no marks on them. Thank you for any information you can offer on these pieces.

[johnphilip]

Those numbers are so you have the correct stopper in each decanter as they do differ .

[pnutsateup]

I would like to know by who and when these were made. And a idea of how much they are worth. One is 12.5" high (16" w/ stopper), 4" base, and 2" opening. The bottom is pictured. The matching cups are 2.5" high, 1.5" base, and 2.25" rim. The other is 11" high, 3.5" base, and 2" opening. The matching stem glasses are 4" high, 2.5" base, and a 2" rim. The two amber pieces are 5.5" high, 2" base, and 1.5" opening.

[Paul S.]

you may have to be patient for a while - not everyone looks in on a regular basis.            I've just looked through the Truit's book, and these white cased (usually over cranberry, but sometimes over blue or even clear), seem to have been produced not uncommonly from the 1880's through to the years leading up the second war  -  a lot appear to have been made in the 1920 and 1930 period.      There are high end pieces from a number of factories including Harrach, Biedermeier, Oertel, the Pfohl family (who appear to have also produced some pieces in the 1980's)  -  and then it seems there are unidentified producers.           
So, you may a difficult task on your hands, unfortunately  -  but am sure someone will be able to offer some help. 

Board members tend not to offer valuations  -  the value of anything is very subjective and what one person values highly, another may not.  Your best bet for values is to contact local aution houses, or looking at ebay may well offer some guide.

[pnutsateup]

Thanks for your response. If there is more specific information that may be helpful in identifying these, let me know and I will post it.

[Paul S.]

Sometimes wear can help to indicate age (or not) - the undersides of older decanters can often show considerable wear, and if this were from the C19 you'd expect some reasonable signs of wear.            I notice that you don't offer any information as to the source of these pieces  -  were they from an auction house, some great aunt twice removed who went on the Grand Tour, or did you buy them whilst on a holiday in recent years.
I suspect these things have been made more prolifically than might be imagined, and an attribution could be nigh on impossible.          But you're right in saying that these are generally described as Bohemian, even though technically that country ceased to exist in 1918 (I think) - it's an historic description I believe, and I get the impression that collectors prefer the word, rather than saying Czechoslovakian - it sounds more romantic. 
Now Dirk will come and tell us we should still use the name Bohemia

[Ivo]

There is still current production of similar items, not only in Bohemia but also in Hungary and in Russia/ Ukraine so these may be more recent than you'd hope. A set of six often points at recent - not all six would survive a longer period.

[pnutsateup]

I believe you are right. Some of the wind went out of my sails after finding a spitting image of the set with the tall decanter on eBay being sold as Moser. The two small amber colored pieces do have a 1/16" wide ring scratched into the surface, but the cranberry sets look brand new on the bottom. They were purchased at the estate sale of a late doctor in Tennessee. His obituary read that he traveled many places throughout the world with his wife. We obtained lots of goodies from this sale, including a box with coins from Hong Kong, Singapore, USSR, Finland, Norway, Great Brittan, Sweden, Germany, Portugal, Bermuda, and more. Those along with the other items we acquired, tell that the good doctor got around and had no intentions of taking his money with him. This gives me hope for the other set with the smaller decanter and stem glasses. It is much lighter and has that ting when you flick it, like crystal is supposed to. And the stopper is missing so maybe he didn't buy it new. Until Dirk shows up and bursts my bubble, I may as well guess for the best. Thanks for taking the time.       

[dirk.]

Avoiding the topic of czech-german relationships  I´d like to add Poschinger to the list of contemporary suspects. They are (or at least
have been until recently) working in this style and they use a kind of cranberry for the inner layer on some of their objects. It is however
a bit more pink-ish than on these pieces if I remember correctly.
The good news would be that Poschinger could be easiest excluded by simply contacting them and asking. They have been helpful towards
other members here in the past.
 
I´ll go rummaging tonight... there must be some Poschinger somewhere @home.

[dirk.]

This one was a collateral purchase that came with an auction lot. Everything´s a bit different to the decanter
pieces though - flowers, colour etc... Perhaps worth trying to contact Poschinger nevertheless...