This small pink opalescent dichroid creamer arrived a few days ago. It is a very interesting piece.
I suspect it dates to around 1840 ish. Possibly. And is possibly Bohemian.
It’s biggest attraction is that it is dichroic or girasol glass i.e.in reflected light it is pink opalescent glass but in transmitted light it is bright orange and nearly transparent (So for example in the second photo down, you can actually see even the facet cut ribs of the opposite side of the creamer through the glass)
It is cased in clear. The opalescent layer interior goes right to the rim of the jug with no clear rim showing. (There is sometimes a clear rim showing on Bohemian Biedermeier bechers that have a rosalin or rosaglas interior cased in clear, for example).
The rim is firepolished not cut.
The foot has a very shallow, very large polished pontil mark covering the entire foot – almost as though the foot was ground flat, but it isn’t as can be seen by the extreme ring of wear around the rim of the foot.
It is not heavy for size and glows slightly yellowy under blacklight (the clear handle).
It is impeccably made in every respect:
- The opalescence has some white vertical streaks in it exactly to the left of each of the facets, but it is not faceted on the inside, it is completely smooth and round. These are not reflections from the facet cuts.
- The facet cutting on the exterior is absolutely immaculate and perfectly done. Down to the fact that the handle is finished at the base in a facet cut triangle that joins the vertical facet of the body, and to the touch appears as though the handle rises out of the body rather than being applied to it.
- Where the handle is applied to the top , the rim of the jug is pulled up slightly and there is a tiny circle indent where a tool has been used to apply the circle,as though to ensure the glass body and the handle adhere.
- The entire body is facet cut in vertical facets ending in petals at the top at the rim and at the bottom of the flared foot.
- And then it has a horizontal band of facet cuts glass around the collar.
The horizontal facet cut band goes all the way around the body but then stops under the handle and the horizontal band is left smooth and curved instead at that part.
- The foot is part of the whole piece not applied.
I have attached lots of pictures to show some effects of the glass:
1) The first two are one showing it pink in reflected light against a black background and then the next showing it orange in transmitted light against a white background.
This is so a comparison can be made with photos taken in the same way, of a very old piece of Bohemian opalescent dichroid glass in the British Museum. That piece dates to around 1680 and is in the Rothschild collection. I have attached a link to the photos taken of that piece:
http://wb.britishmuseum.org/MCN138#1489945001A lot of recent research has been carried out on that lidded beaker and one of the comments in the link is
'...The beaker is moulded with sea gods at play. Traces of arsenic in the glass make it appear to change colour like a precious opal.'
2) The third photo shows the pink jug on a white background in daylight so it can be compared to the colour of a tall cut gorge de pigeon flacon in the link. That piece is sold as French but I have seen that design (tall in metal holder) produced in Hyalith glass and said to be from Buquoy. So I am not entirely sure of that ‘ gorge de pigeon’ piece:
http://www.poussecornet.auction.fr/_fr/lot/flacon-a-eau-de-melisse-en-opaline-de-cristal-gorge-de-pigeon-taillee-a-motif-de-7739162#.WM0gClWLTIUhttp://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/auctionmediaphotos/c/e/1/1426679246993081.jpeg3) The fourth shows a photo of the jug taken in daylight but with some artificial lighting landing on it – this is what is looks like mostly on the shelf. It looks pink but with an orange tinge. That can be compared to a cut gorge de pigeon perfume flask that I have linked to:
http://www.anticstore.com/DocBD/commerce/antiquaire/galerie-ouaiss-antiquites-674/objet/59505/AnticStore-Large-Ref-59505_02.jpgBasically it is very similar and has a very similar effect under lighting, to Gorge de Pigeon glass and certainly some of the ‘more pink’ Gorge de Pigeon pieces shown in Baguiers et Verres a Boire (Leon Darnis).
It is different to some other Gorge de Pigeon pieces I have seen though, which can sometimes have a more violet tinge to them. Links provided to show the comparisons if I can find some good online examples.
It would not be classed as Gorge de Pigeon glass though. That is French and is not cased in clear. It is coloured in the mass and is usually classed as an opaline glass. The little facet cut perfume bottle is a very good example of this as a comparison because it is facet cut but not cased in clear and the effect can be seen well in the link.
However this jug is, I think, basically an internal layer of gorge de pigeon pink but then cased in clear.
Some information: From the book quoted above, it appears to me that Gorge de Pigeon glass dates from c1820 to 1830. It appears to have been made by Bercy and also Montcenis. Some is just blown but other pieces are cut as well.
I am not sure where my creamer originates. It looks Bohemian and glows yellowish under blacklight which my 19th century Bohemian glass also does. However the rim is not cut but is firepolished ( this is a bit unusual for Bohemian glass) and the base is not polished flat but has a very large polished pontil mark (this is unusual for Bohemian glass but is seen on French glass).
I’ve added some more pictures in the next post to show the various aspects of the jug.
Hope you like it. m
Topic: 'Unusual' pink opalescent girasol antique creamer, facet cut, cased- show& tell (Read 4504 times)
