Glass Message Board
Glass Discussion & Research. NO IDENTIFICATION REQUESTS here please. => Scandinavian Glass => Topic started by: Captoonahab on March 30, 2010, 10:13:27 PM
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Hi everyone
I think i have just bought a turkey. Bought a plum coloured Kosta Bowl signed Kosta LH 1677. I didn't notice but when i got it home there is a very small "2" engraved in the middle of the base below the signature. Im guessing that its a second can someone confirm this please?
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Someone will correct me if I am wrong but I believe that Kosta Boda only began putting a 2 in Roman numerals to denote "second" quite recently, within the last few years. Before that, items were simply not signed.
Your bowl sounds to be a lot older. Please put in pictures, including one of the base.
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The bowl dates to the early 60's so I'm with Aine in thinking it's not a second. It's a classic modernist bowl, i.e. clean lines, no decoration, so it should be fairly obvious if there is a flaw.
David
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I have trouble distinguishing whats a flaw and what is an acceptable quirk of quality hand formed glass.
Ill put some pictures on later.
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No second pieces are signed, but sometimes pieces slip through and get signed anyway. If the piece is i.e to high(and not fit the box) it will be signed with a roman 2 and sold only the KB second stores.
I assume this could have happened back then as well.
If you post a pic of the signature it will be much easier.
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Thanks for your help
I'm pretty sure now that it is a second. It has a small bubble on the inside that has burst at the surface. The colour is less even in its graduation than i would like. The top of the bowl is very slightly uneven maybe 1-2 millimetres higher at one side. I am new to collecting and ill just have to chalk this one down to experience.
The number is a "2" not a numeral by the way. I guess i have learned just what a minefield glass collecting is, bought it from a specialist glass fair too they must have seen me coming.
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Don't feel too bad as even more experienced collectors make mistakes, and I've made many worse than you just made. However, I'm not sure how much of a mistake it actualy is. Some collectors want pristine pieces; others (me) are less concerned. Hand blown glass inevitably gives rise to imperfections, some of which I'm happy to accept, such as broken bubbles on the inside of the piece. I've got an Ohstrom Expo piece that has a little bruise on it, which I show quite happily. As I type I look up and see a a Palmquist Kraka piece with a stress fracture (bought for $9.75, I'll admit) that still gives me pleasure, and I've got a studio glass piece that the maker told me was a second, as he didn't quite get the effect he wanted. It looks great to me and I got it for 1/2 price. The key thing to me is whether I like it in its current state. Of course, it would concern me if the seller had misrepresented it to the extent the price was out of line, but I would still think about whether I liked the piece.
Do send a picture in and/or try to locate another picture some where on the net or in a book so you can compare your piece.
Good luck
David
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I agree with David. If I only bought things that were totally symmetrical etc. , I wouldn't have a collection at all. ;D
In fact, an utterly smooth, completely flawless piece can lack "soul" in my eyes. One man's turkey is another man's swan... I hope you can still enjoy your bowl.
Thanks Daniel for the clarification re. signing of seconds.