Topic: Opalescent amphora vase - miniature 7cm. Is it Murano or Venetian ? & date

[flying free]

This arrived along with something else I bought.

It's tiny at just 7cm tall.  Firepolished rim and snapped off pontil mark.  Opalescent glass handles. Swirly white glass in or under a clear glass.  The stem is not broken, it's just clear glass .  I'm wondering how the foot has the white in it?  I don't really know. 
The black speckles in the body are in the glass. 
Excuse the dirt around the inside lip base of the rim. I just resized some pics I took when it arrived.

Absolutely no idea of who might have made it or the date.  Any help much appreciated


Thank you for any thoughts.
m

[ian the sculptor]

The white specks in the foot suggest the clear glass for the stem was rolled in white glass frit which was then worked into the clear glass. It looks as if they are blending into the white foot.
Ian

[flying free]

Thank you for looking and trying to help

The little specks do look like frit.  I wonder if that helps to date it?  It is strange how the body looks opaque and with the white having a  swirled effect though. Not an effect I would have thought it might have looked like had it been rolled in frit.  It's an odd thing.

m

[ian the sculptor]

I think frit has been used for a long time but don't quote me on that.  My understanding is that the clear glass is rolled in it, then put back in the kiln and as it melts is worked into the glass so it becomes a solid colour. The specks in the centre have remained untouched, and those at the inner edge of the white foot less so.
I think this method can be used to create swirls of colour (such as in Hartley Woods), but I'm not a glass artist so someone here may need to correct this.
Ian

[glassobsessed]

That sounds logical, the way spots of colour can be worked into streaks is apparent in much of Midsummer Glass's production. Does anyone else agree that this is very unlikely to have been lamp worked? Is there a layer of clear glass over the white? Presumably the foot and body were made in the same manner and then joined with a small gather of clear.

From the photos it gives me the impression of early 1800s - perhaps with the possibility of a contemporary museum reproduction.

John

Looking again it seems skilfully made, graceful handles.

[flying free]

Thank you both for your input

John I've been wondering whether it was made in one piece with the foot drawn down from the stem and body ...or vice versa rather .  That's what it looks like to me.  There isn't any evidence it was joined with a clear join but it could have been done that way, very carefully I presume?  That is what is curious. So my thoughts were that the white glass may have been an opalescent frit which when added to the gather has gone opalescent on reheating or cooling.

When I say old, I just meant that I didn't think it was made yesterday but that's just a feeling on looking at it.  I honestly have no idea of how old it could be but I don't think it's an old old shape if you see what I mean?   It just strikes me as a shape that might have been made late 1800s onwards really.

And I'm not even sure it is Italian (shape/application of handles).  I'd been wondering if it might have been made elsewhere but can't think of where apart from Lauscha.  But then, would it be lampworked glass most likely?



m

[flying free]

Is there a layer of clear glass over the white? Presumably the foot and body were made in the same manner and then joined with a small gather of clear.

John I've had another look.  I think the foot was made with the stem pulled out of it all in one piece   then that was applied to the bottom of the vase body. I say this because I can feel a very slight change in thickness on the bottom of the vase body.    The rim of the neck at the top is firepolished.  I presume the pontil mark is there where it was held to smooth the rim then apply the handles?

[glassobsessed]

That sounds simpler. It would be something along the lines of blow a bubble, make the foot on the end of another rod and attach it to the bubble. Remove the blowing iron then open the bubble out forming the shape of the rim. Add the handles. Just like that and all working in red hot glass, not easy.

[flying free]

Just bumping this tiny vase to see if anyone has any further thoughts

All/any ideas appreciated.

Is it inconceivable that this could be Murano glass and date c.1800s?  Is the shape right? 

Would the handles application and the way the white glass specks have been worked in the clear gather preclude it being made even earlier than that?

I've come across this which is why the questions

http://www.archiviodellacomunicazione.it/sicap/ENG/ArtWorks/14408/?WEB=MuseiVe

But I can't think the shape of mine sits right for anything earlier than the 1800s really? 


m

[glassobsessed]

I suspect you are asking questions that few of us here have any experience with, apart from drinking glasses there are so few items pre 1800 to be found. However the Venetian vase you have found is striking, interesting to compare yours with it - from the photos they would sit well alongside each other.

In terms of shape I am not sure I would agree, would it not go back to the Roman era in terms of glass and even earlier as a form?