Topic: Is this an overshot glass or what else?

[Samarcanda]

Hi to all.
I have owned this glass for about 50 years. In my opinion it is a biscuits barrel that has lost its lid but I have always used it as a flowerpot. I would like to know if, according to your experts, it is an overshot  glass or what  other type of processing it is. And what can you tell me about the manufacturing era? It has no mark either on the glass or on the metal ring.
Thank you for your kind attention.

[Paul S.]

would agree with the biscuit barrel suggestion.         If it appears that this matte, slightly rough surface has been created by applying tiny fragments of glass marvered into the surface (applied whilst the body was hot), then yes, very likely to be overshot.        Unfortunately, can't see too clearly from your pix, but your suggestion looks correct.           Sometimes the surface might have been fire polished afterwards to lessen the sharpness of the feel.
Other methods of decorating surfaces that might have a vaguely similar appearance are ………..   coralene - used often to create coloured pix on vases etc.     The cheap sort used glue - better stuff was fired on.         The surface pieces here are too small for coralene IMHO.
Acid (etching) was used to create random surface decoration, but the pattern created should appear below the surface not above as with overshot.
Crackle allows the surface to remain fairly smooth, which this one appears not to be and is a more obvious looking decorative effect .

Have the fuchsias and leaves been painted on smooth areas of glass, or is the entire surface overshot?

Date wise  -  anything from the late C19 to 1930s  -  without marks you're probably onto a loser in pinning this one down to even a particular decade  -  but it's v. attractive and I wouldn't use it as a flower pot  -  too good.

[Paul S.]

unfortunately, the 'Modify' facility disappears far too quickly, so unable now to add to the above words - apologies, as I should have included  'welcome to the GMB'

suspect most people here will understand the word 'coralene - but if not then just to say it's a process which applied small glass beads to the surface of the main body - clear or coloured  -  a decorative feature very common in the late C19 and on into the C20 for several decades.
I stand to be corrected but, I think the idea originated with the fact that the first use of this decorative feature was to create literally the appearance of coral  -  usually on vases.
As already mentioned, this one is NOT an example of that type of decoration.

[Samarcanda]

I too must apologize for not having said that I’m grateful to have entered this forum, that I appreciate very much, and I thank you for your prompt answers. The surface of the barrel (let's call it by its name) is very fine and appears as covered by a very thin layer of sugar, the decorations are on smooth glass and not on the grainy surface. I think I have an example of coralene in this blue vase but it appears thicker and coarser. I think the lack of brands or signatures is the most important problem for glass collectors. I have about 250 glass pieces and no one has a definite brand or signature. I have identified many of them thanks to Pamela and Angela, and I thank so much for their work. The same for some Kralik or Loetz just comparing them with the catalogs of their patterns. However I thank you for your courtesy and I believe that you will soon have other requests from me.

[Paul S.]

your description of the surface of this biscuit barrel does strongly suggest an 'overshot' decoration - shame the lid is missing.

I hate to be a pessimist but - and again my opinion is influenced by the fact that I can't see detail of the decoration on this blue vase in close up  -  is there a possibility that the surface decoration of birds etc., is simply thick enamel painting??   -   or is the decoration composed on tiny glass fragments/beads?
Decoration using bright colours applied in the form of enamel paining was a very common feature at the end of the C19/beginning C20, on glass.
If you have a lens/loupe, this should confirm one way or the other.
As mentioned, the very early art nouveau coralene pieces were decorated with images formed in the shape of pieces of coral - whites, pinks and reds. 

Two hundred and fifty pieces - all without a backstamp or makers mark of any kind, must be some sort of record - it does make for a difficult life when it comes time for attribution
Art nouveau (Stile Liberty) glass (last quarter of C19 and a tad beyond) not my area, though I can appreciate the beauty of all those Baccarat, Daum, peach blows, Tiffany lamps and iridescent peacock feathers.            I might be able to help if you have a drinking glass though

Look forward to seeing more of your glass collection.

[Lustrousstone]

It looks very fine and even for overshot. It could created using what is known as Matthey Crinkles

[Paul S.]

Christine is correct to remind us of the possibility that the biscuit barrel surface decoration might be something called 'Matthey Crinkles.
Regret I know little about the history of this type of decoration - made principally I thought in the 1940s and 1950s, so could post date this biscuit barrel.           Plus - and Christine will have the answer I'm sure - were Matthey Crinkles produced in clear?  -   they appear to almost always be seen in a variety of colours.
An American invention I think, but made both under and out of licence, in a number of countries.

[Lustrousstone]

Matthey Crinkles did come in white. And Johnson Matthey is a British company. They also supplied the gilding for British glass and ceramics

[Samarcanda]

Thanks for your attention. I think I have a glass with the Matthey Clinkes effect that is definitely the 50s, but the barrel was bought in the late 60s (when I was still around 20 years old!) in a small antique shop, its texture is decidedly finer and more luminous and after all nothing of its shape and its decoration makes one think of such an advanced dating. I believe that at most we can think of the 1930s perhaps in a more provincial area where the deco style was not yet common.
I thank you anyway for your very kind answers


PS. I'm sorry for my bad English, but the translations are done via Google.

[Paul S.]

the fact that the op has commented about the coloured areas on the biscuit barrel as being on smooth glass is not what would be expected if the decoration was MC.               Usually, MC is applied in solid banding/covering, rather than leaving areas smooth for decorating  -  that's not to say that a resist couldn't be used, but it's not how this surface texture is seen, usually.

Thanks to Lustrousstone for the corrections.

I'm not sure if Samarcanda has posted the blue vase as an example of Matthey Crincles ??  -  which it definitely isn't, but if I have that assumption wrong then apologies.           Unfortunately, we've no idea of size - it might even be a bulb vase - but the surface decoration might be the result of etching (acid), where the blue has been eaten through to expose the clear - there is a vaguely similar abstract acid etched pattern (originally from the C19 apparently) called 'vermicular' or 'vermicelli'  -  something to do with shreds or long threads, perhaps.         Does that sound anything like this??