Topic: S&W "Dolce Relievo" Cameo Glass cup and saucer

[mom2esf]

Thank you so much, Flyingfree. I will call them both on Monday.

Brenda

[mom2esf]

I found this S&W piece:

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/184647653445199195/?e_t_s=button&e_t=8756eac3c17b4c4ca860d7dfd12b93fc&utm_source=sendgrid.com&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=send_pin_user_share_conversation_share_conversation_pin_share_conversation_pin_to_user

[Lustrousstone]

No, you found something attributed to S&W. Doesn't mean it is. It's similar but I don't think it's the same quality as yours.

[mom2esf]

Thank you, Christine.

[mom2esf]

The rim decoration on this piece is similar:

http://www.rubylane.com/item/820292-G-185/Vessiere-Nancy-Cameo-Glass-Art?utm_source=thefind&utm_medium=productfeed

[flying free]

It's hard to know where to start on these things.  Sometimes they do turn out to be something other than originally thought.  But you do have to start somewhere to eliminate and investigate.
My feelings as a 'start point' are that it's 'probably' English and probably not the same 'range' as the perfume bottle, if that is Stevens and Williams ( I agree with Christine your cup and saucer look better quality, somehow as though they have more work in them).

It could take a little while, but hopefully someone else will also happen along who can add to the discussions and information Christine and I have found.

Meanwhile I spent the evening watching my son swimming and reading a bit more about acid etching and how it started, how difficult the technique was to develop and use.  Not easy at all.  I would like to write a good portion of it out here as then it helps understand the real difficulty of using acid etching in the 1800's but it's too long, and to precis it would not do it justice.
And that's if your cup and saucer turn out to be acid etched and not also carved in some way.  Because sometimes these pieces were acid etched and then also carved.  Looking forward to seeing more pictures. And another thing that Christine mentioned was to find out if the white glass is uranium glass by using a uv blacklight.  That could also help.

I really hope the V&A or the Corning can help you more.  In the meantime I would still be investigating Dolce Relievo or similar (perhaps Webb's did do something like this.)
m

[flying free]

You found the pink scent bottle with the seller saying they'd been told it wasn't French but was Stevens and Williams.
I've found the same model in blue, identified as Baccarat
http://www.antiquecolouredglass.info/images/BlueScrollScent.JPG

I think this demonstrates how difficult it can be and how much work has to go in to trying to identify something like the cup and saucer.
I'm afraid I don't have the Baccarat book and there is no source for the id for either the pink or blue on those sites unfortunately.  It isn't helpful that the seller of the blue one has many pieces by Stevens and Williams, therefore one automatically 'thinks' , ah, if the bottle was S&W they would know.
It's less than helpful that the seller of the pink says for their source, 'someone told them' it was S&W. 

This is a link to a Baccarat pair of vases dating to 1867.  They are acid etched. 
http://www.adrianalan.com/FullScreenZoom.aspx?photos_zoom=AlanAdrphoto/Alan2272008T173953.jpg

I am hopeful you will get more information over the coming weeks.  It's such a beautiful piece.
I think if you contact the Corning you might send a link to the Dolce Relievo vase in the Broadfield House museum, as well as the one found online attributed as Dolce Relievo, along with pictures of your cup and saucer.
m

[flying free]

Actually, looking at that pink perfume bottle that you linked to, I think it demonstrates a two layer piece, pink over white, and shows what the outline looks like if you acid etch or carve back the pink and polish the 'raised' layer outlines of what's left of the pink.  It doesn't have the 'contrast' that your cup and saucer do. So I am wondering if your cup and saucer might be three layer.
m

[mom2esf]

Here are the photos I was able to take yesterday. They are taken in natural light.

The cup and saucer are not uranium glass as they do not glow under black light.

I was able to feel a change in height from the dark to the light pink.

I hope this helps.

Thanks again,
B

[flying free]

Thanks for the further information and the photos.
I'm afraid I can't help much more.  For me even with the close up photos it's very hard to tell how it was made unless you have it in your hand.

I cannot tell how this might have been made as I don't have that experience, but in my humble opinion, it looks as though it has been cased in three layers, white, cased in pale pink, cased in dark pink.  In terms of the process, it might be possible that the outline of the decoration all over was achieved by
- acid etching the background areas back to white leaving a dark pink pattern.
- Then polishing the dark pink pattern all over
- Then carving the dark pink off in areas back to the pale pink (I'm unsure whether cameo makers would work on an already polished surface though)
- Leaving the dark pink highlights glossy
  and showing the pale pink as an unpolished/cut surface?
  and showing the white as a  mattish acid etched surface?

Did you notice whether the white and pale pink were as shiny as the dark pink highlights btw?

I think it is a beautiful piece and if it has been hand carved as well, you need specialist help to identify it so it sells at the right price.  Actually either way I think you need specialist help for it    I'm sorry I can't be more helpful.  Hopefully Christine might have found more information for you.
I will continue to look for any examples that might help and come back if I find any.

Would you please let us know if The Corning Museum comes up with any id for it?  I'd love to know who made it.  I still think the large polished pontil mark and the colour might point to Stevens and Williams, but that is just a guess.
m