Topic: Decorative glass bottle with stopper

[Jazzy_d]

Hello

Please see attached images of a decorative glass bottle with stopper that we are trying to identify.

There are two dragonflies in grass around the bottle. It is purple in color.

Any help anyone can provide would be most appreciated.

Thank you.

Allan

[brewster]

We are arguing over where we have seen these before (in Australia, possibly in a gallery or other retail outfit). Can we see a close-up photo of the bottom of the bottle, please, preferably taken on an angle so the texture shows?

Trevor

[Jazzy_d]

Hi Trevor

Thanks for your response.

Please see image of base as requested.

The size of the bottle is 21cms with the stopper, 9cms without stopper, and 8cms diameter at thickest.

I'm not really sure what the purpose of the bottle is - I assumed decorative, but other than that, perhaps perfume?

Appreciate your time, thank you.

Kind regards

Allan

[brewster]

It would be called a 'perfume bottle' or 'scent bottle' although the purpose is mostly or entirely decorative. See my blog article on decorative glass perfume bottles (link below).

There is writing on the base, although it is none too clear in the photo. It looks like it says 'Stephen Morris' - and perhaps some other stuff as well. What do you think?

The noted Australian glassblower Stephen Morris has produced some highly varied output, and this item is well within his scope although the particular design is not one I would identify with him. He has a website, so if on a closer inspection you agree with the possible identification, you might ask him.

http://www.stephenmorrisglassware.com.au

Trevor

[Jazzy_d]

Hi Trevor.

Thanks for your response.

I have seen those markings on the base of the bottle and I could not work out what they were. They're not very clear unfortunately.

I looked at the studio glass website you mentioned and agree that they are a bit different to the style we have here, but perhaps this was produced at an earlier stage or something. I'm not really sure. It is difficult to say.

Thanks so much again for your time.

Allan

[flying free]

Can you produce a larger photograph of the signature please?  but still in focus, so it blows up much bigger on the screen?

That bottle is done in cameo with the dragon fly carved into the glass.  Hopefully you'll be able to find the maker as I'm not sure there are that many doing cameo work.

Thanks
m

[flying free]

see my post above - am thinking it's similar to a Sarah Cowans piece for Okra that I had, with the iridescent layer on the outside and sand blasted cameo work. But the pontil mark is a little odd I think.
However if you look up Sarah Cowans Okra this does come up
https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/17781641_an-okra-cameo-glass-vase-and-a-black-glass-bottle
it has 'some' similarities.

This link shows my paperweight. Sorry I didn't  have a pic of the base but I think it was ground completely flat.  No pontil mark or scar on show at all.
http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,39471.msg218679.html#msg218679
m

[Jazzy_d]

Thanks M.

I am working on producing a better photo of the base and signature. I am going to use my digital camera and macro lens. Scaling it down to the required size for posting on the notice board will be (and has been) problematic but I will see how it goes. To be honest, I'm not expecting to see too much. One lot of markings look like cursive scratchings (I was not even sure if it was a deliberate marking/signature or just random scratching) while the other lot of markings look more deliberate and I can make out letters but they don't mean much to me. I will see what I can produce. It may take a while.

I agree with you, it does seem to be cameo work. The pontil I thought was odd as well. My limited amount of research suggests you can age a bottle by its pontil, but I don't know what to make of this one. Do you have any ideas?

Would the iridescence be a modern technique? And the engraving on the wings, I guess they could be hand done but a machine would have been much easier perhaps to maintain that same consistency and depth.

Thanks for your time. I'll have a look at the images you suggested and post another photo as soon as I can.

Allan

[flying free]

reduce your photos by amending the pixels to 600 x 400. That should leave the detail fine but allow you to get within 125 kb for posting.

It is I would say definitely contemporary - last 20 years or so perhaps younger.
difficult to tell but no, I'd say you can't age this one based on the pontil mark.  Studios did leave them unpolished although I would have thought on a cameo, that the mark would have been eradicated somehow.
Cameo work comes out of a few studios/,makers, not many do it.  It's specialised, takes time and costs money. 
There is also work that comes out of Japan as well as the countries which more easily come to mind such as Australia, GB, USA etc. and probably many others as well.  But as far as I know only a few studios/makers specialise in it. 
The only sticking point is the pontil mark because it would normally be finished flat or finished somehow as far as I have seen.  But I have seen blown studio glass finished like that.  It does look as though it has been polished but I think the scar where the pontil rod was broken off was too deep to grind the pontil mark any more without damaging the glass piece.
It's a lovely bottle.

m

[Jazzy_d]

Hi M

I have uploaded one of the sets of marks. These are the ones that look deliberate to me. The first letter possibly looks like a D while the fourth looks like a W. The second and third, well I'm not sure, F and P's? And I think possibly a fifth, which could be an I.

I will try to upload the other marks as well.

Thanks

Allan