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Glass Identification - Post here for all ID requests => Glass => Topic started by: flying free on October 30, 2010, 07:54:41 PM

Title: face sculpture/box
Post by: flying free on October 30, 2010, 07:54:41 PM
Well I have no idea what it is to be honest.  I bought it because I really really would love a Bengt Edenfalk thalatta vase..... ::)  (a nice ariel or graal piece might suffice though ;D)  but that is unlikely to ever happen.
 
So when I saw this, I just could not resist.  I think it is absolutely fascinating.  Especially since it came as a lidded box.  I don't think the two pieces are supposed to be together really but they came together and were bought by the previous owners together.
However, I have absolutely no idea where it has come from.
I have searched interminably and zilch so far.  There may be a number of possibles but nothing I have been able to pinpoint.  I had one artist who I thought may have been the originator but have lost the link  :thud:
So, I'm passing the puzzle over and if anyone knows?  that would be fantastic  :)  I believe it was bought originally in Denmark.

Many thanks and I hope you like it.
m
Title: Re: face sculpture/box
Post by: flying free on October 30, 2010, 07:57:22 PM
more pics
Title: Re: face sculpture/box
Post by: a40ty on October 31, 2010, 06:10:35 AM
No idea, but it's lovely, well done! :hiclp:
Title: Re: face sculpture/box
Post by: flying free on November 01, 2010, 02:16:40 PM
thanks  :) 
The design is all internal.  I wonder if the  face texture, which looks like millions of bubbles, may have perhaps been orginally a material of some sort?  I think the eye is amazing - it looks at you, very weird.
I did find somewhere, a reference to someone experimenting with ink and bubbles etc, but I lost the link  ::) -  so annoying - and now I can't remember who it was they were referring to.
m


Title: Re: face sculpture/box
Post by: Cathy B on November 02, 2010, 03:20:26 AM
It almost looks like some sort of fibrous stuff that's burnt away and vanished in the process, leaving only trails of bubbles. :sm: Or maybe not, just an idea :)  :ooh:
Title: Re: face sculpture/box
Post by: chopin-liszt on November 02, 2010, 02:28:05 PM
I'm keeping my beady eyes on this - it's fascinating and lovely.
It has a lot of the features I love about Benny Motzfeldt's work - strange inclusions. I wondered if it might have been glass fires used to create the effect.
I don't think it looks like a Benny piece, but I'm still watching and waiting to find out what it is.
I'd have grabbed it too.... if I'd seen it, and if M. wasn't looking, and if I had a spare place I could sneak it into, and if I had any spare cash!
Title: Re: face sculpture/box
Post by: flying free on November 03, 2010, 10:40:22 PM
thanks all :)  Cathy yes, I thought maybe 'something' textile ish may have been used to create the face effect.  Sue, I knew you'd like it as well :) and it does have something Benny ish about it.  Can I ask what do you mean by glass fires?  I've tried to look that up but I don't understand terminology that well so I'm probably looking in the wrong place.
I seem to have exhausted my entire list of Scandinavian designers who did bubbles, texture etc (not to say I've exhausted them all, but the ones I have been able to find and recall) and moved onto maybe Czech.  But I keep coming back to Scandinavian.  Bertil Vallien was mentioned when I bought it but I discounted him on the basis it would presumably have been signed and it didn't look like any of the sculptures I had seen that he has made.
Also I did find my link and it was to do with Bengt Edenfalk but I misremembered what I had read and it talked about experimenting with 'dies'  ;D  not inks!  I'll keep going.
I wonder if it is either a quite early piece from someone and has some age to it, or is from a young designer perhaps?
Strangely on one of my searches I came across some Kubus glass lidded boxes from Wilhelm Wagenfeld - it looks as though it may be paired with a box that looks similar to one of those (but I couldn't match the size so probably not his)- but that led me onto yet another area.

I'll let you know if I find out any more.
m
Title: Re: face sculpture/box
Post by: Cathy B on November 04, 2010, 01:42:21 AM
Glass fires = glass fibres? That would be possible, the little bubbles might be trapped as the fibres were marvered in, then reheating makes them disappear?
Title: Re: face sculpture/box
Post by: a40ty on November 04, 2010, 05:59:37 AM
I too am keepin an eye on this thread ;)
I'm 100 % certain that the box part isn't WW as they aree more rounded and made of matt glass ( if matt is the right term )

http://www.lauritz.com/Item/Item.aspx?LanguageId=1&ItemId=2046258&ReturnUrl=http%3a%2f%2fwww.lauritz.com%2fItemList%2fItemList.aspx%3fLanguageId%3d1%26DC%3d1%26CPIn%3d2%26ISz%3d0%26PSz%3d30%26PSzG%3d30%26SO%3d3%26ST%3d0%26IgId%3d36%26TTyp%3d0%26TVal%3d0%26FLId%3d1%26FCId%3d1%26FText%3d%26LLan%3dFalse%26New%3d0%232046258EndTagRU#

Bertil Vallien did do texture in glass in the 60's and 70's but I don't think it's him either.
I look forward to "hearing" more
a40ty :)
Title: Re: face sculpture/box
Post by: chopin-liszt on November 04, 2010, 12:19:07 PM
 :ooh:

Typo, I did mean glass fibres, yes, sorry.
As in fibreglass, angel hair for xmas trees, house insulation, and optic cables.....boat building material....
Title: Re: face sculpture/box
Post by: flying free on November 04, 2010, 08:45:53 PM
oh yep, see what you mean Cathy thank you, and thanks too Sue... I'll be off to investigate further on that technique now.
A40ty, I think know what you mean by the boxes slightly misty?- I didn't think it was his as I couldn't match the size either, but I am discovering lots of wonderful glass on this trip to work this one out which is very interesting.
Erik  Hoglund did some glass plates with faces, which I also checked for similarity in design but they are quite different.
Currently mystified....
m
Title: Re: face sculpture/box
Post by: flying free on August 26, 2011, 04:39:46 PM
just resurrecting this topic if no one minds  :sun:
I've been puzzling over the way it was made intermittently and also wondered if anyone had any further thoughts on which country if not the maker please.
All ideas very welcome and thank you.
m
Title: Re: face sculpture/box
Post by: pamela on August 26, 2011, 05:47:09 PM
 :hi: Michelle

 Heiner Düsterhaus  (http://www.goldglas.de/) ?

just a thought  :usd:

Title: Re: face sculpture/box
Post by: chopin-liszt on August 26, 2011, 06:18:41 PM
I have seen something similar, but not quite as interesting, made by Reidel.
I've not forgotten your face, m, how could I? - it's such a happy one! :24:
Title: Re: face sculpture/box
Post by: pamela on August 26, 2011, 06:52:52 PM
I've emailed H. Düsterhaus  :X:

 :sm:
Title: Re: face sculpture/box
Post by: flying free on August 26, 2011, 07:01:32 PM
Pamela thank you, that's very kind  :sun: He says in his precis that he is often at trade fairs etc, so even if it may not be his, he may have spotted something similar somewhere on his travels.
I'm not entirely sure his work is done in the same way to be honest, but I absolutely LOVE the face bookends!! they are gorgeous and so effective.
Thank you again
Sue  ;) I knew he wouldn't be forgotten.  When you said something similar by Riedel did you mean similar to the box or to Pamela's link artist?  I'm going to have a good look at graal technique information this evening and see if I can work out how whomever made him has so perfectly managed the winking eye and the dimples bubbles.
m
Title: Re: face sculpture/box
Post by: Frank on August 26, 2011, 08:44:22 PM
Looking at most detailed images it looks like the effect is lines of very small bubbles? If there were a series of lines scratched in the hot glass at various angles, perhaps using a pinwheel or just a point dragged along, large bubbles by piercing harder, then the outline with either that faux graal paint or enamels. Once cased again the scratches would give fine lines of bubbles and the indents larger bubbles.

Dusterhaus doesn't appear to use this approach, nor does he do smiling mouths. But nice work anyway - thanks for link Pamela.
Title: Re: face sculpture/box
Post by: CultureVulture on August 26, 2011, 09:52:59 PM
It reminds me of some work Pablo Picasso did on pottery "Little Devil" i think he also painted some glass with a horned person on. Would be nice if it was..If it turns out right remember me in your will :24:
Title: Re: face sculpture/box
Post by: flying free on August 26, 2011, 10:42:28 PM
Culture Vulture, that would just be perfect  ;D sadly, I think completely unlikely, however the 'tone' of the facial expression is remarkably similar a sort of cheeky expression.
Frank, I have to confess I see the word 'faux' and it makes me nervous  ;D  what is this faux paint? I think with the texture of the face, there are so many lines that either it would have had to have been done with a textile of some sort as Sue suggested or with a wire paint brush or something, in order to get the number of lines and crisscrossing if you see what I mean.  I've looked again at the dimples on his cheeks and I think they were made by dropping lumps of frit/stones onto the glass then cased over which created the bubble on top of the stones (which, I think, I can see under a strong magnifying glass deeper towards the base of the piece).  The eye bubble is just a bubble then with what looks like a drop of blue glass dropped into it and the line of dark glass/ink/faux paint behind it.
So, is it a 'kind of' graal technique then?
m
Title: Re: face sculpture/box
Post by: Frank on August 27, 2011, 12:35:30 AM
The 'faux' graal paint was a poor/lazy mans' approach to achieving graal effect without the hassle of masks and sandblasting. An American development but I find the colours gaudy - it cannot achieve the subtlety of real graal LINK (http://www.scotlandsglass.co.uk/cms/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&page=shop.browse&category_id=226&Itemid=6) - but it is not a 'bad' thing, just another tool in the glass artists arsenal    Graal has a intermediate cold stage which would give plenty of time to  scratch out a design  with a stylus, I am not sure if bubbles would result if done cold. For large bubbles, not frit but either some vaporisable material or pricking gives those, the latter more likely in this case. Working on a cold blank makes sense, and would explain the way the blue has 'smudged'.
Title: Re: face sculpture/box
Post by: pamela on August 27, 2011, 08:54:18 PM
Received an answer from Düsterhaus, it's not his work. Sorry, no further information included.

Title: Re: face sculpture/box
Post by: flying free on August 27, 2011, 09:12:33 PM
Oh but thank you Pamela for asking - much appreciated  :sun:
Frank, I'm pretty sure I can see lumps of something in the glass behind the bubbles of the dimples and it doesn't look like 'paint/ink/faux stuff', it looks like stones  :-\  That said, it is very difficult to see as I'm looking through a strong magnifying glass and the thick glass sides that distort everything >:D
I see what you mean  on the graal from Lindean....lovely pieces !!
m
Title: Re: face sculpture/box
Post by: Frank on August 28, 2011, 09:44:15 AM
The bubbles could have been made by dropping some material that evaporates when covered in hot close - thus creating the bubble, incomplete burning away would leave a residue. The paint would simply be used for the line.
Title: Re: face sculpture/box
Post by: chopin-liszt on August 28, 2011, 11:35:42 AM
The Reidel piece I saw was like your face box.
It was in the passing on an ebay search - and I didn't make a note of the listing.  I looked at the two images together, yours and the listing at the time, and decided there was simply too much difference. So sorry. :pb:   
It was a box, it had a funny face on it - but it didn't have the same expressiveness, it didn't have glass fibre inclusions (which is what I'm convinced your box has - they're far too like the Benny Mozfeldt glass fibre inclusions I had a few examples of) and it didn't have any colour.
Probably a bit of a red herring mentioning it - although it did cross my mind that their box might be a "tribute" to the designer of yours.
Title: Re: face sculpture/box
Post by: flying free on August 28, 2011, 01:24:25 PM
Sue many thanks :)
I will investigate a little further and see what comes up.
m
Title: Re: face sculpture/box
Post by: chopin-liszt on August 28, 2011, 01:55:07 PM
I found one on ebay...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Riedel-Design-Glass-Vase-FACE-Austria-signed-Label-/220623599387?pt=UK_Art_Glass&hash=item335e30f71b


See? not the same thing at all - just a wee bit similar  :thud:
Title: Re: face sculpture/box
Post by: flying free on August 28, 2011, 02:12:59 PM
lol   ;D - seriously though, thank you for continuing to look for me - I have seen the Riedel ones before and I can't think why I didn't realise which ones you were referring to.
This one is going to remain a mystery probably, but I enjoy the search every now and again hoping something will pop up.
have you seen the pics I attached on the thread asking for info on Dave Hobart?
m
Title: Re: face sculpture/box
Post by: flying free on August 20, 2015, 11:06:15 PM
http://www.botterweg.com/Copier_A_D/Leerdam/Lot-7084.aspx?tabid=59&lotid=7084&language=en-US&auctionid=19&tag=Copier_A_D
The paint effect on this bowl is very very similar to the way the face on the box is done :)

http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=37027.0;attach=59577;image


m
Title: Re: face sculpture/box
Post by: flying free on August 21, 2015, 05:37:59 PM
some interesting similarities here also
http://www.nationaalglasmuseum.nl/index.php?option=com_memorixbeeld&view=record&Itemid=25&id=gla:col1:dat10624&tstart=
m
Title: Re: face sculpture/box
Post by: flying free on September 29, 2016, 10:15:28 AM
I've come  across this vase from Björkshult Sweden
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bjorkshult-Sweden-Blue-Glass-Vase-/232087810844?hash=item360982f31c:g:9eYAAOSwxg5X0XVJ

some good photos of another piece here
http://thescandinaviangroup.com/art-glass/1960s-hans-christian-wagner-bjorkshult-sweden-tall-studio-glass-vase-label/

Two more pieces here on the glass message board
http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,52342.msg297113.html#msg297113

and also this piece (similarity only in the kind of 'feel' of the design of the glass)
https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/453317138/vintage-bjorkshult-sweden-hans-christian?ref=market


The owner of the first piece 'decadesofantiques' has this to say about Björkshult:

'Björkshult glassworks was founded in 1892 by Carl Petersson, Oscar Johannson, Oscar Carlstrom and Robert Nyrena and was originally called Björklunda. After having had several owners, its name was changed from Björklunda to Björkshult in 1919. In 1934 the company was sold again to three glasblowers who modernized the company. In 1974, it became part of the Krona-Bruken AB (who also owned Gullaskruf, Maleras, Skruf and Aseda), and which went bankrupt in 1977. Björkshult produced household and ornamental glass, as well as cut glass. In the 1930s, it started to produce specially toughened glass that was used in industrial applications such as lights, but also for tableware. In the 1940, the designer Ragnar Johansson started to design glass animals, which were a success. The main designers at Björkshult were: Hans-Christian Wagner (1957-1976), Margareta Schlyter-Stiernstedt (1953-1968) and Carl-Einar Borgstrom in the 1970s.

Just adding this as a reference for research later.  The blue vase at the top has similarities with the box face.

m
Title: Re: face sculpture/box
Post by: flying free on September 29, 2016, 10:38:46 AM
Also if you search using
Picasso Tete de Faune   or Picasso Tête de Faune
Lots of similar design examples come up so possibly this was the inspiration for the box.
(went back to revisit CultureVulture's earlier suggestion for searches of Picasso but using Tête de Faune rather than little devil )
just one example here
http://www.artexpo.be/art-antiques-london/#more-4382

info on Picasso and glasswork here
http://www.nms.ac.uk/explore/stories/art-and-design/pablo-picassos-capra-goat/


and a good search of images here
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=Egidio+Costantini+picasso&espv=2&biw=1366&bih=662&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiPsuTFtLTPAhVHJsAKHQlhDDMQ_AUIBigB#imgdii=caxmQCB3csdEXM%3A%3BcaxmQCB3csdEXM%3A%3Bb_t5T3ogHzlyrM%3A&imgrc=caxmQCB3csdEXM%3A


https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=picasso+tete+de+faune&espv=2&biw=1366&bih=662&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiE5O6bsrTPAhXoLcAKHUJeBfEQ_AUIBigB#imgrc=n1F4FiUULgntWM%3A

and one more link to exhibition pieces showing Tête de Faune
http://www.enrevenantdelexpo.com/2013/04/30/picasso-ceramiste-et-la-mediterranee-centre-dart-des-penitents-noirs-a-aubagne/

Sadly, didn't happen upon a face box funnily enough  - but pretty sure that must be where the inspiration was from ;D
m
Title: Re: face sculpture/box
Post by: flying free on September 29, 2016, 11:46:56 AM
one last link where there are a series of faun faces

http://www.cannes-encheres.com/lots.php?speciality=95