Topic: Large Blue Bowl/Vase - please help with identity!

[abloketalkin]

Hi folks! I bought a couple of boxes at my local auction 2 weeks ago, specifically for a 1949 William Wilson vase which had gone un-noticed by everyone else. There was also a piece of Royal Bohemia, an art nouveau brass & elm ink blotter & a bunch of other stuff (£25 & half my Xmas pressies bought - wahey!) Anyway, also in one of the boxes was the vase shown below. It's approximately 220mm long, 140mm wide & 160mm at the highest point of the rim, which drops slightly at each end to give a wave effect. The base is flat and polished, though scratched with age. I guess it weighs somewhere between 3 & 4 Kg.



I only have these two photos & my digital camera is out of action, but I'd be seriously grateful if anyone can help me identify it.



The second photograph includes a Whitefriars jug in Kingfisher colourway, purely for comparison as it is identical.

I've only been collecting glass seriously for just over a year, so my reference material is limited and my knowledge even moreso! I'm itching to know where this piece originated. Someone put a great deal of effort into producing this - I've scoured every book in my local library, every website I can think of, so pleeeease can someone help me??!!!

[Sklounion]

Possible idea, Metelak for Harrachov, who did a range of similar vases @1958, bowls not sure, but will see what turns up,  but please post an image of the Bohemia piece
Marcus

[abloketalkin]

Thanks very much LeCasson, you're the first person who's had so much as an inkling of an idea! I will post the Bohemia piece, but it's a very common pattern - a four-sided vase with ovoid/oval patterns on each face about 180mm high - a lovely dark green colour though!

[Ivo]

My guess would be Maastricht or Leerdam , it does not speak Czech to me....

[abloketalkin]

Thanks Ivo - everything you say about the form rings bells with me. For instance, the clear casing together with the depth of blue glass which comprise the base are almost exactly 50% of its height - each time I examine it carefully I notice something new....

[Sklounion]

Ok so Vizner is my Hero du jour ( well ever since I found out about him really and my hero worship just gets worse as I find out more).

Well Peter, if you can get a copy of the catalogue Frantisek Vizner: Sklo 1951 to 2001, William Warmus, you will find a useful background to the man and his work, tho much of the book is filled with images of small edition works, and a relatively small range of mass produced stuff, ie the Rudolphova vase etc. Warmus does give the impression of a romantic artist/hero character, a loner, working on his own, and in some respects the hero-worship is almost over-done. But as a resource, probably well worth the money. Not remaindered and only affordably available through Antique Collectors Club, USA web-site. Unless you (like Peter)  drool over the man's work, don't buy if you are only looking for a price-guide.

[aa]

http://www.barryfriedmanltd.com/

click on artists and then Frantisek Vizner and then drool! He had the whole collection at SOFA Chicago... it was fantastic!

[Ivo]

I just checked on my previous hunch: Two very similar Serica vessels by Floris Meydam from 1952 feature in the Meijdam book. True they're H11 x D14 cm and H6x D13,5 cm; True, they're in purple; True, the clear casing in yours is more pronounced - but also true,  Meydam designed tons of items between 1944 and 1986, and he might have dunnit.  

http://tinyurl.com/6gfc5

I think you might run the item by Antikprat in Sweden as well - it could be Johansfors, or Maleras, or Reijmyre after all....