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Author Topic: Black bird  (Read 9549 times)

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Offline Terry

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Black bird
« on: August 02, 2016, 12:40:08 PM »
I am trying to trace the origin of this black and gold bird. I suspect it may be a Martinuzzi design as the technique seems very similar to the elephant shown in "Animals in Glass". Venini commented that "Similar birds belong to Martinuzzi drawings but we can't say that this is a Venini one." The base is highly polished and the gold seems to be on the surface (uncased). The bird is about 15cm tall and has an unusual round, flattened bill tip.
Can anyone help?
Terry   

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Offline chilternhills

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Re: Black bird
« Reply #1 on: October 12, 2016, 11:44:32 AM »
Terry, you asked if it could be Isle of Wight? Yes, that is possible. It has the typical look of black Azurene. I have never seen an IOWSG bird of this shape and size before, but it is possible that one of the glass makers tried something a little different from the norm.

Anton
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Offline Terry

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Re: Black bird
« Reply #2 on: September 19, 2018, 02:24:09 AM »
Thanks Anton and all who replied to my numerous emails. Still no wiser. Any new viewers with thoughts?
Terry.

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Offline chopin-liszt

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Re: Black bird
« Reply #3 on: September 19, 2018, 11:25:04 AM »
I'm very much with Anton on this. It isn't a known shape with that very long tail, but everything else about it screams IoWSG and it's perfectly possible it was an experiment.
Unless it's St John, which is sort of related.  :)
Cheers, Sue M. (she/her)

‘For every problem there is a solution: neat, plausible and wrong’. H.L.Mencken

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Offline Terry

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Re: Black bird
« Reply #4 on: September 21, 2018, 02:23:48 AM »
Thanks Sue.
Can you give me some more info on St John? Dr Google is of no help.
Kind regards,
Terry


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Offline chopin-liszt

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Re: Black bird
« Reply #5 on: September 21, 2018, 12:06:22 PM »
St John was a small company licensed to make some Maximals and Minimals, but they didn't adhere to the conditions of the license and things went a bit pear-shaped.
Some of the things they made were not of high enough quality and they changed designs in a manner Michael Harris wasn't overly happy with.
Cheers, Sue M. (she/her)

‘For every problem there is a solution: neat, plausible and wrong’. H.L.Mencken

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Offline Terry

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Re: Black bird
« Reply #6 on: September 24, 2018, 06:53:08 AM »
Thanks Sue.
Another correspondent suggested Tweedsmuir Glass. I am awaiting a reply to my email.
It seems a very well made and designed piece. Can I conclude it is not Murano?
Kind regards,
Terry


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Offline chopin-liszt

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Re: Black bird
« Reply #7 on: September 24, 2018, 12:10:05 PM »
Chris Dodds' Tweedsmuir glass animals tend to be sitting on small round pad feet.
Cheers, Sue M. (she/her)

‘For every problem there is a solution: neat, plausible and wrong’. H.L.Mencken

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Offline Terry

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Re: Black bird
« Reply #8 on: April 17, 2020, 12:23:56 PM »
Thought I would run this by people again.
After several years of diligent enquiry, I am still no further advanced. To my mind it is a simple but beautifully designed piece with very striking features (the bill for example). I suspect it is not IOW as everyone I have approached says NO. My initial thought that it may have something to do with Martinuzzi (after leaving Venini ?) was brought about by this quote out of " Press kit: Exhibition: Napoleone Martinuzzi. Venini 1925 – 1931" which said " Martinuzzi’s personal research for intrinsic plasticity becomes apparent in this very lively series of animal shapes in bubble glass, glass paste, or cased glass with gold leaf. Colourful elephants, highly expressive or even oversimplified horses, elegant pheasants and a wide variety of small little birds. Martinuzzi’s ability to interpret this subject seemed to have no limit.”
If not, does anyone know where "Azurene" was "invented"? Did IOW adopt it from some other manufacturer or was it copied from them by someone else?
Any thoughts?
Kind regards,
Terry


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Offline rosieposie

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Re: Black bird
« Reply #9 on: April 17, 2020, 02:33:35 PM »
I'm sure Sue can give more information than I can about Azurene glass,  but I know it did involve William Walker... over to you Sue:-
Rosie.

When all's said and done, there's nothing left to say or do.  Roger McGough.

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