Glass Message Board
Glass Discussion & Research. NO IDENTIFICATION REQUESTS here please. => Murano & Italy Glass => Topic started by: Anne on July 31, 2007, 01:12:48 AM
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This label has been discussed in the Murano board previously so I thought you'd like to know that I have just had an email via the GlassGallery from a lady called Sylvia Hamowy who says:
HI, I SAW THE QUESTION ABOUT J.I. CO. LABEL. THAT WAS MY FATHER'S CO. IN MURANO ITALY IN 1950'S. HE HAD AN ITALIAN PARTNER AND A SHOWROOM ON 23 STREET AND FIFTH AVE. NYC. MY FATHER DESIGNED THE GLASS. IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO CONTACT ME YOU HAVE MY EMAIL ADDRESS. SYLVIA
I've removed Sylvia's email address from her message as spam-protection but have it stored safely if anyone wants to contact her privately (please email me for details.) I've also asked if she can tell us more about her father's company and invited her to join us here on the board.
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Anne, this is such good information. Someone wrote in another group that JI Co was an import company. Apparently they did their own glass, rather than handling that of others. Good to know.
Anita
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Anne,
Thats really interesting information, I have several pieces with the label, and have always thought it was just the importing company. Did they also import Fratelli Toso paperweights, according to Lesley Pina, Fratelli Toso, Page 199, Fratelli Toso paperweights were in the J.I.Co catalog.
Sandra
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I bought a copy of a partial J.I. catalog from the West Virginia Museum of American Glass. The front of the catalog is penciled 1958. The introduction talks of the company being "one of the world's leading importers of Venetian glass. Each piece shown here is brought direct from our own factory in Murano." Of course, that's no guarantee that they actually had a factory. Although it's an incomplete catalog, the glass that is shown is fairly consistent with the glass I've got that has the JI label, fairly pedestrian. The prices in the catalog are great, though. $1.50 an ashtray.
The pamphlet also comes with copies of a few trade ads for some more upscale glass. These include Mottahedah in NY and Toscany Imports who showed New Empoli Glass, including vases, flasks and ewers for $7.50 per dozen.
BTW, unfortunately the reprint is in black and white.
David
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Wow, I always thought it was only an importer's label! Does this mena that pieces with the J.I. Co label can't be attributed to any other Murano designer?
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Anne,
that's wonderful information. it's great to finally have a definitive answer as to whether JI Co was a producer or importer (or both). i wonder, since he had a partner in italy, if there's any way to find out which artists worked on executing the pieces that Sylvias father designed.
thanks for sharing,
bidda :)
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I have emailed Sylvia, and this is her reply,
I am happy to hear that Jordan's Importing Company is finally getting the recognition it deserves. Many times I see my father's work attributed to other artists of that time because they do not know the maker.
My father, Jack Blanco designed all of the glass. He had a partner, Spartaco Colelli in Venice who took care of the manufacturing.
My father opened a beautiful showroom on the corner of 23rd Street and Fifth Avenue. He hired a decorator and had a cocktail party to show the new designer glass. The showroom was all glass with windows on two sides. It was magnificent. We had never seen anything like it. My father had exceptional taste and was always before his time.
I will email Sylvia again, and ask if she knows where the workshop was located.
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Hi,
I might have some second hand info on this...
I recently bought 1 piece, that is clearly Alfredo Barbini, and it has the J.I. Co. label.
it is a very nice Black, White and Gold Seashell (which I collect) and is clearly Barbini, so I think the J.I. Co. imported pieces from Barbini as well. I dont think that ALL the pieces were designed by the owner like the daughter says. im sure most pieces were in fact made by his partner, but they also imported pieces from Fratelli Toso, and now Barbini (specially from that shell I got).
Javier
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This is good to hear. I recently saw a bowl that I had considered to be Fratelli Toso with a JI Co label on it. I sold a couple of these bowls a few months ago, so I was concerned when I saw the gondola label on one of them. I am still concerned that I misattributed the bowls -- something I don't like to do, but unfortunately have done a few times.
Anita
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Javier, that is very good information, and thanks for sharing it! I saw a basket form piece that I would have sworn was Fratelli Toso, and it too had the J.I. Co. label.
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I just ran across a Murano paperweight on eBay (220170351673). I have had a couple of paperweights that look just like this one. One of the paperweights had the Fratelli Toso label on it. Assuming someone didn't put a phony label on the paperweight, these must be made by Toso and some were marketed by JI Co. Something that concerns me is that buyers may see the JI label and assume the design is by JI Co, so will assume an attribution to Fratelli Toso is wrong. It is good to know that JI Co is a NY company that imported their own and other companies' glass.
Anita
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i wish i'd known this a few months ago when i sold (what i'm now quite sure was) a fratelli toso bowl w/ a ji label for $15. ;)
bidda
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Aye, it is the problem with the label. Labels have a huge psychological impact on buyers -- even those who have been collecting for a while. The other day I saw a familiar Fratelli Toso piece that had a blue shield label. Even though I knew the piece, I got this uneasy feeling. It was like the glass had a scratch, because it had a label that didn't look normal on it. I guess what sellers can do is write that it was made by a certain company for JI Co. and it will help alleviate the bidder angst. I wouldn't want to remove the label, because it is good information if it is interpreted right.
Anita
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I agree it's very problematic! I've passed on a couple pieces recently that looked really good, and it was because they had the J.I. Co label, and I thought, "Well then it can't be what I think it is..."
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I have had a reply to my email to Sylvia, asking her if she knows anything else about her fathers importing company, and also the wherabouts of the workshop.
She has no information on the workshop, so I'm sure Javier is right, in that they imported from different workshops.
I have several pieces with the J.I.Co label on, some that I'm very sure are from Fratelli Toso.
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I wouldn't want to remove the label, because it is good information if it is interpreted right.
Anita
oh my gosh, no, never! accurately attributing is hard enough With labels :chky: i'd never, ever remove one. heck, i've got pieces that i'm afraid to clean with anything but q-tips for fear i'll disturb the allmighty label.
bidda
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You know what would be awesome? Someone should write a book on J.I. Co. It's been a mystery to me for a long time, so I always take special notice of glass with that label. Some of it is really nice, and their clowns seem to sell especially well on ebay. I also noticed a couple pieces of J.I. Co glass (without labels) in Leslie Pina's Circa Fifties Glass. A book, article or SOMETHING might help to clear up confusion amongst collectors and sellers, and might just help the prices of J.I. Co stuff as well.
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This topic really interests me, so I guess I'm making it my pet project. I've started a collection of J.I. Co glass images for research and reference, so if any of you have some to add, I'd love to have them! IN searching around I saw this:
http://www.goantiques.com/detail,pair-blackamoor-candlebearers,1447491.html
Veeeery interesting indeed. I wonder if we can add Seguso to the list of J.I. Co glass makers?!
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Now, if I could find some with the label still on I would be convinced....
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:hiclp:shandiane, That's a great idea, I'll start off with some of mine, I've always collected JICo, probably because they could be picked up for next to nothing, love the twisted vases. In my emails to Syliva she said she had no glass at all of her fathers, so I sent these photos to her, and I'm sure she would appreciate seeing more.
http://glassgallery.yobunny.org.uk/displayimage.php?pos=-8660
http://glassgallery.yobunny.org.uk/displayimage.php?pos=-8659
http://glassgallery.yobunny.org.uk/displayimage.php?pos=-8658
http://glassgallery.yobunny.org.uk/displayimage.php?pos=-8657
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Those are great! Thanks for sharing them. Once I get a good collection of images going, I'll get them hosted up somewhere so anyone interested can browse them.
One question though...I read somewhere that there is some "fair use" law where you can use internet images for research and study without worrying about copyright issues - As long as you aren't publishing them in a book or using them to sell something, etc. Does anyone know the details of this? I have a lot of images now, but most of them are without permission, so I don't know if I could legally put them into an online album or not. As long as I'm not profiting in any way, I think it would fall into that fair use category?
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Shandiane, you are more than welcome to create an album for images you own or have permission to re-use on GlassGallery. It's the dedicated image hosting gallery for this board, so anything you upload there becomes a permanent reference source connected back to the board.
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Shandiane, I would not use a photo without permission. Fair use usually refers to taking small amounts of documented text. Photos are protected under copyright law. I doubt that many people would mind if you used a picture, since it wouldn't be for profit, but there may be one or two who would. For long term use, I would include only pictures that had permission and were credited to the original photographer if he/she wants the name mentioned.
Anita
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Bumping for anyone who wants to check out the gallery and/or contribute. 47 images so far!
http://glassgallery.yobunny.org.uk/thumbnails.php?album=532
Shannon
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That's really good, Shannon, well done. :clap:
Do you think a credit for the image contributor would be a good idea? It could go into the file information section for each image, also any more info about each piece as you find it - dates, makers, etc... it'll make a really good resource in time.
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Those are great suggestions, Anne. Unfortunately, I have not saved the information regarding the sources (I can find them again, but that will take a while), and I've been uploading so many images that I haven't had time to provide details or descriptions. Eventually I will put up my own site for images, and to this I will add as much information as I can offer. My husband is a computer geek, so he could easily make a web site for me. :-)
Do you think you could put me in contact with Sylvia so I can pick her brains a little?
Thanks!
Shannon
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Sure Shannon, Sylvia has already consented to my doing this, so I've emailed you her details.
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I've got the gallery up now, but still have more images to add, and the accompanying informational site is not ready yet:
http://gallery.blancoglass.com/main.php
Shannon
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Very interesting information about J I Co! I have had pieces in the past with the label and I have always been lost about getting information about their origin. I currently have a tall flattened vase, stunning blue case in amber. Picture is below.
http://glassgallery.yobunny.org.uk/displayimage.php?pos=-9219
thanks again! Carlo
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Hello,
I worked and lived in Murano most of my life. The partner of J.I. Co in murano owned his own glass factory for 30 years and was my boss. Therefore I know he was the designer and fabricator of the pieces which he exported all over the world. J.I. Co. was one of the export companies he use to export to America. Mr. Blanco did have wonderful taste and had a good eye for fine pieces of Murano glass. I had a chance to meet Mr. Blanco, he was a very nice person. (Tobacco pipe! )
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Hello Venice 1...............I was thinking of how nice it would be if you could give us the name of the glass house you worked for all those years and possibly sharing some details of the company with us!? And I would tuely be interested in knowing where you fit in! Many thanks for sharing your inside information on J.I.Co. I am looking forward to seeing anything else of the J.I.Co. relationship that you might provide for us. Again, many, many thanks..................................Jerry
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Venice1:
Many thanks for that information. Mr. Blanco's daughter said that he lived in New York with a partner who supervised the factory. Was that your impression? I don't know if you've had a chance to looks at the JI glass on this site: http://gallery.blancoglass.com/main.php Were all those pieces made at the one factory, including paperweights? I agree with Jurgen it would be wonderful if you could give us more detail about the factory.
Thanks again,
David
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Hi,
My position in the factory was supervisor of all exported merchandise. The owner of the factory started exporting with the J.I. Co. in the mid 1950's until the mid 1970's. The pieces that are on the blanco.glass.com/main.php were designed and fabricated by owner of the glass factory in Murano including the paperweights. The original factory is no longer in existance but the beautiful pieces that were fabricated there live on all over the world.
Mr. Blanco owned the export company that exported the glass from this factory to the U.S., he was not the owner of the glass factory.
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Interesting information, thank you! We'd love to hear more. What was your boss's name, and what can you tell us about the factory?
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My name is Bobby Blanco. I am Sylvia hamowy's brother and the son of Jack Blanco. My dad was the owner and sole designer for Jordan's importing company. Dad's nickname was Jordan. The factory was in Milan, Italy. Ive been to the factory and I was amazed of the artistic talent of the hand blower's. Most of their products wer under $3. Today those similar items sell fir upwards of $50-$100.
The union took over the factory in the early 70's and subsequently put J.I.C. Out of business.
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This post is a few years old, but I wonder if Bobby or Venice1 are still around, as I would love to learn more about JICo, especially the glass clowns.
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Hello veebee and welcome to the board. I've just checked their profiles and neither Bobby nor Venice1 have logged into the board for a number of years, but your reply to this topic may alert them to new messages in it via the board's notifications settings. Fingers crossed!