Topic: Can someone here help me identify this?

[Piper]

Hi, I'm new here. I don't know a lot about glass. I got this in a box lot at an auction. I think it's beautiful. I was hoping that someone here might be able to tell me what this thing is and maybe something about who made it.

This pretty piece is 5 7/8" high. It is reverse painted olive green. The flower decorations are hand painted on the outside. It has 3 beautiful blown glass star shaped feet. The only marking on it is the nimber '5' hand painted on the bottom.

Thank you for any help you can give me.
-Piper.

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r288/zatzafraz/Picture.jpg

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r288/zatzafraz/Picture023-2.jpg

mod: images far too large - please use links only

[Frank]

Is the imnner surface painted or is it coloured. If painted there should be signs of it breaking up?

[Piper]

The glass must be colored because I can see no signs at all of paint breaking up.  you can also see signs of the same coloured glass on the feet where the gold has worn. I've never seen glass of this color before. Do you have any idea what this item is? Could it be a purfume bottle?
-Piper.

[Piper]

I'm getting more and more confused by this item. The glass appears to be colored olive green but when you look through the bottle at a bright light the light shines through a bright reddish-orange (amber) color. If it was colored glass wouldn't it appear green through the light? The glass is quite thick and is glossy.  Also the number '5' on bottom is painted over the pontil which appears to have been ground and polished. The glass makes a very clear "ping, ping, ping" noise when I flick it with my finger. It doesn't thud it pings. I don't know if any of this will be of any use in identifying the bottle but I thought it might help.
-Piper.

[Lustrousstone]

I think your glass is coloured and I've seen American and Bohemian glass in this sort of coffee looking colour although usually paler. If if has a reddish glow when held up to the light then it's some sort of opaline glass

[Max]

Slightly off the wall thought:  The three legs perhaps might convey some ceremonial aspect, or at least a nod in that direction?  I've been wondering if it was designed as vessel to keep ashes in as a keepsake?

[Sue C]

Hi Piper, while looking at glasshound web site there was a piece of hand painted glass that was only numbered on the bast by Baccara, so if someone could give Blaire a nudge he might have some clue, also i think it is a dresser box, for hair pins ect.

[Max]

clue, also i think it is a dresser box, for hair pins ect.

A hair-tidy type thing would be more probable than an ashes container I should think.  

[Piper]

  Um, it did have some ashes in it when I got it. I just thought that maybe someone used it as an ashtray. I hope they were only cigarette ashes because I washed them down my kitchen drain.

Lustrousstone, it isn't really coffee colored. It's the exact color of a green olive. But I do think that it is opaline. It looks like opaline glass.

Thanks to everyone for all their suggestions and attention to this item. I'm so glad I found this forum!! I'm learning so much about glass from these boards!! I didn't think I 'collected' glass. But as I took a good look around my house, it's amazing how many glass items I've surrounded myself with. I guess I am a collector after all I'll be here a lot. I may not post much because I don't know a lot. But I'll be around reading other people's posts and learning from them.
-Piper.

[Max]

Piper said:

Um, it did have some ashes in it when I got it. I just thought that maybe someone used it as an ashtray. I hope they were only cigarette ashes because I washed them down my kitchen drain.

Hmm...burial at sea, eh?     Don't worry about it anyway, this item could have any number of uses, or just be purely decorative.   

We're glad to have another collector on the GMB, feel free to add items for discussion or just 'show and tell' - we always love seeing people's glass.