Topic: Amber Vase with Foil? Inclusions

[NevB]

I think the inclusions in this vase are gold or silver foil/leaf. The outside is smooth, but the inside is lumpy around the inclusions. It has a ground pontil, fire polished rim and quite a bit of wear on the base. The closest I've found are some miniature vases by Salviati which have the same dents and gold inclusions, one shown here on Wayne's site.

https://www.20thcenturyglass.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=275_276_322&products_id=4840

[glassobsessed]

Yours looks like mica rather than any type of metal foil.

John

[NevB]

I meant to add it's about 15cm. x 15cm. and so some of the inclusions are quite large, I thought too large for mica. The central one in this photo is 13mm. long.

[Lustrousstone]

Definitely mica; too square and lumpy for silver foil and definitely not gold, as you wouldn't use expensive gold under amber. I would say Czech/Bohemian. Your large inclusion is several mica flakes clumped together and as foil is microns thick you wouldn't be able to feel it.

[NevB]

Yes mica, this link is quite interesting, there is more information online. It would appear the lumps are possibly formed by "off gassing".

https://glasswithapast.com/knowledgebase/fusing-with-natural-mica/

[chopin-liszt]

Some of us who are old enough  might remember the very small ovens that were used by occupants of rented bedsits, which had mica in the doors instead of glass.
Or may have encountered lab equipment in school chemistry classes which used mica.
It is see-though and heat resistant.

It was also used for windows in gorgeous old wood burning stoves and cookers - and still seems to be used and available.
https://coalpail.com/coal-forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=52265
https://stoveglassdirect.com/product/mica-stove-glass-5-x-4/

[glassobsessed]

Out of idle curiosity, have you checked for a reaction with UV?

[NevB]

I tend to check every piece of glass, I can't help it    , I didn't expect it to glow, and it doesn't.

[glassobsessed]

I was wondering if there was a link to the uranium amber items that do crop up occasionally, from memory I think they are Victorian/ Edwardian in date and possibly English, maker currently unknown. In that case I would fall back on my usual observation that mica was sometimes used by Czech makers. The indents in your vase are often found in nouveau era stuff but I wonder if the more bulbous shape suggests a slightly later date - maybe in the 30s. All very nebulous gibberish...

[NevB]

Yes, I have some uranium amber glasses by Walsh and Webb from the early 1900's. I did hope it might be Loetz Cephalonia pattern due to its shape and the use of mica but I'm moving away from that. I'm glad Christine suggested Czech/Bohemian as elsewhere someone has said that, from the pontil, it's Chinese modern.