Topic: Etruscan vase bright azure blue opaline c1850,what is the picture,which country?

[Ivo]

shape?
http://www.expertissim.com/verrerie/vase-ovoide-en-opaline-bulle-de-savon-o12123914.html

[flying free]

similar ish.  Here's another one
http://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/a-french-19th-century-oplaine-baluster-vase-in-op-199-c-2c96993bf3
again similar ish
and here are the Richardson white opaline Etruscan vases for shape comparison - the pictures are transfer printed -
http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=3331856&partId=1

[flying free]

Just for future reference, it's taken a while of searching but I've found a Richardsons white opaline vase actually enamelled (rather than transfer printed) with a female Grecian warrior.  Dated to 1845-1850
The enamelling is colourful and different to that on my vase.  It has a bulbous foot that looks as though it was hollow as well as a knop on the stem, but the shape is not like my vase above and nothing on the vase bears any resemblance to mine.
 As a matter of interest, for those who like their glass perfect , it's in the Stourbridge collection as a Richardson bequest but has a completely damaged foot that is repaired.
Description just in case it disappears is 15.2cm high and 'Vase, white opal glass, waisted body, enamelled with figure of female Grecian warrior holding a spear, gilt swag decoration below rim, knop and domed damaged foot..'
http://blackcountryhistory.org/collections/getrecord/DMUSE_ST125/

m

[flying free]

Ok, finally I've found a green opaline vase with classical decoration - Richardson vitrified marked and with a satin surface - for comparison.

The glass looks very like translucent opaline and seems fairly thick. 
However it's also transfer decorated and the vase is nothing like my blue one in shape - the only thing in common is that it is coloured opaline glass:

http://www.portobelloglass.com/antique_glass_vases.html
m

[flying free]

Continuing my search for French pieces

 adding to Ivo's shape find and the one I found linked above, I've come across this pair of vases which I think are French. 
Again they aren't exactly the same shape but the spirit is similar, the open foot the thickness of the glass at the foot and the way it is rounded/formed, and they have a cupped rim also.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=161073168289&item=161073168289&lgeo=1&vectorid=229466

In addition to which, I have a few pieces of blue opaline glass and recently acquired this salt (see pic below) which I'm sure is French.  It seems to be the same kind of opaline glass, and also the same colour - although photographing them both together to show the colour match has been a tad difficult because the vase is frosted so reflects the light differently.

I've been wondering who the list of possible makers might have been for both pieces and so far for the time frame, can only come up with Baccarat or Clichy - would Sevres have been around at that time? 
I've been speculating whether the vase might be Baccarat - is it possible the salt might be from Baccarat and would it date to a similar period as the vase - the blue is uncannily similar/the same? 
The salt has a large polished pontil mark on the base - the pontil mark is highly polished, but I tilted it to catch the light so you could see the shape and size of it.
 
 Any thoughts much appreciated and thank you:)
m

Edited to add - St-Louis and Choisy le Roi to possible makers?

[flying free]

ok, call me stubborn if you like but I'm afraid I still believe this vase is Russian not French.

Apart from the opaline colour which is a very near match if not a match (see small bucket shaped salt above), looking under French glass I've not been able to find a single other piece that resembles my vase in shape (none with the foot, or merese or the shorter neck going into the cupped rim), colour, blue satin opaline glass in the same colour, or the particular type of enamelling.

By contrast, under Russian Glass, I've searched the Christie's sales going back to 1999 and the Sotheby's sales and also the Hermitage Museum site. 
In doing so, I've found many, many vases and ewers dating to the period, that all resemble the shape and proportions of my vase:  the particular 'heart' shaped body, the length of the neck, the wide cupped rim (though many have that constructed of ormulu), the rather large 'fat wide' merese that joins the body to the foot and some with the wide bulbous foot, and all with the similar proportions to my vase.

I've also found:
- a Russian 'Etruscan glass' vase that is very different to mine but has a similar design effect that is on the rim of my vase and also has people that look more similar to the way mine are enamelled.
- many pieces of blue opaline glass in satin and that look to be the same colour as mine
- two pieces with what looks to be the same peculiar off white enamel colour decoration on them

I've added some links below, so these various pieces can be seen, but also one more pic of my vase for easy comparison
I know this isn't an exact science, but gut instinct says to me that the way the enamelling is done on the vase is Russian hence my persistance.

 - the picture of the four cut glass vases is just there to demonstrate how many I've found that are similar in design and proportions to my vase (many many of them)

http://www.hermitagemuseum.org/tmplobs/ZQRJFYYXWOJDV4N13.jpg







http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2005/continental-furniture-n08109/lot.224.html

http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2012/fine-european-furniture-n08879/lot.110.html

http://www.christies.com/lotfinder/lot/a-russian-red-and-gilt-decorated-black-smalt-5223947-details.aspx?from=searchresults&intObjectID=5223947&sid=27f2f407-86ff-4536-a8f1-f2adfebd1305

http://www.christies.com/lotfinder/lot/colored-glass-bratina-second-half-19th-century-4887122-details.aspx?from=searchresults&intObjectID=4887122&sid=64b761b2-117e-4146-bd89-760c12459b35

http://www.christies.com/lotfinder/lot/a-russian-ormolu-and-blue-opaline-glass-4941966-details.aspx?from=searchresults&intObjectID=4941966&sid=524d9d0c-1509-4869-81a9-1abef17e3379

and this lantern appears to also have that off white enamelling on it though it is a little difficult to be sure
http://www.christies.com/lotfinder/furniture-lighting/a-russian-ormolu-mounted-white-painted-and-parcel-gil-circa-5019298-details.aspx?from=searchresults&intObjectID=5019298&sid=524d9d0c-1509-4869-81a9-1abef17e3379

[flying free]

http://www.hermitagemuseum.org/fcgi-bin/db2www/fullSize.mac/fullSize?selLang=English&dlViewId=U%2B23C7TDW5LQJDUT32&size=big&selCateg=glassware&dlCategId=TB$V25CFC760EC0Q&comeFrom=quick

http://www.hermitagemuseum.org/tmplobs/YN7NWRQLM_23WH5P2A6.jpg

Opaline vase in the Hermitage with off white enamelling
m

[keith]

Similar salt...?
http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,28849.msg156276.html#msg156276

[flying free]

Keith thank you   I've come across  a similar enamelled decor, attributed to Harrach iirc but also a vase on a good Antiques site, identified as Baccarat.
And then there's the becher shaped vase thingy I linked to above id'd as Russian on the Hermitage Museum website.

I'm trying to do some comparisons - may I ask a big favour?  please can you upload some very clear pictures of the pontil mark on the base of your salt (is it very wide pontil mark?) and also a non fuzzy one of the enamel decor please?   

I felt on the basis of the pontil mark, that my salt was French.  However, that's just a 'feeling'    The cut rim could also be Bohemian but the large pontil mark is not something I've ever seen on Bohemian glass (that means nothing of course, as it could be that I just haven't seen one lol).  So for now, I'd like to try and compare all the enamelling like this that I can find to see what the differences and likenesses are.
Thanks so much!
m

[keith]

Would do but I'm having a problem with the camera at the moment,will ask if one of the 'kids' can do me a photo or two,