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Glass Discussion & Research. NO IDENTIFICATION REQUESTS here please. => Murano & Italy Glass => Topic started by: horochar on January 21, 2006, 10:37:39 PM

Title: Interesting Kidney-Shaped Bowls
Post by: horochar on January 21, 2006, 10:37:39 PM

Here are a couple of kidney shaped bowls from my collection.  Could somebody help me to identify the maker and vintage?  They are quite heavy and strike me as 1950s Murano.  I've never seen this what I'd call "bubble bath" technique.  Any clues would be appreciated.
http://tinypic.com/mb4k5i.jpg
http://tinypic.com/mb4ojc.jpg
http://tinypic.com/mb4q37.jpg

Mod: old Tinypics gone but replacement image added below

Title: Interesting Kidney-Shaped Bowls
Post by: David555 on January 22, 2006, 01:31:38 AM

This is most likely wrong but I'll have a go

Venini  c1950s

I am holding a book with similar shapes, colours and decoration gently overlaid 'Gold foil inclusions that split into fragments'

Names I am getting are Carlo Scarpa & Tommaso Buzzi - neither of the items in the book were signed or marked

What do others think?


Adam P
 :?  :wink:

Title: Interesting Kidney-Shaped Bowls
Post by: chuggy on January 22, 2006, 12:50:14 PM

Technique looks like pulegoso, though in the 1930's  Carlo Scarpa did some work with a variation he called Sommerso bubble. A number of other factories apart from Venini also worked in pulegoso including Seguso, what size are they as a little difficult to tell from the pictures. I must say my first though is that they look more 50's than 30's, but maybe Laura will pick this up later and help out.
Paul

Title: Dimensions of kidney bowls
Post by: horochar on January 22, 2006, 01:23:43 PM

Dimensions are 6 1/2" long, 4 1/4" wide.  Helping the Venini attribution (perhaps) is this bowl: http://www.liveauctioneers.com/s/lot-28105.html?q=venini&pq=house%3Aragomodernauctions&t=x
My bowls also strike me as more'50s than '30s from an aesthetic point of view, but I'd take either, especially given my recent forays into '00s Chinese  :cry: .   This website is treasure, and I hope to be able to contribute information and not just pictures in the future!

Title: Interesting Kidney-Shaped Bowls
Post by: svazzo on January 22, 2006, 11:25:12 PM

Hi Horochar,
I collect the kidney shaped bowls, and would say yours are 50's Seguso Pulegoso pieces rather than Venini.
Javier

Title: Interesting Kidney-Shaped Bowls
Post by: David555 on January 23, 2006, 12:22:06 AM

Hi

The bowls are 'Pulegoso' technique having looked at other pieces thanks to Javier's post.

Seguso is as likely a company as any although I see Venini, Salviati and Barbini used the technique amongst many others for a wide range of items. Googling I do find most Pulegoso bowls like horochar's with the fragmented gold leaf to inner layer attributed to Seguso, Seguso Vetri d'Arte & Archimedes Seguso (?), apparently Archimedes was a master at the technique and used it at his own company as well as Vetri d'Arte

terms link (http://www.golden-era-antiques.co.uk/glassinfo.htm)

So which Seguso do you think horochar's bowls are by Javier? I don't collect these but am interested

Sources tell me 'Pulegoso' was developed by Napoleone Martinuzzii while at Venini - is that right?

Title: Kidney shaped bowls
Post by: horochar on January 23, 2006, 12:53:15 AM

Just wondering, does this newly listed eBay item tip the balance of opinion in favor of a Venini attribution?  Although the shape and interior color is different, the bowl (or, perish the thought, ashtray) is otherwise the spitting image of mine.  If the URL doesn't work, it's eBay item no. 7384349474, sold by a person who styles him/herself as "Muranoconnection99", with over 1500 positive feedbacks.

http://cgi.ebay.com/50s-VENINI-Black-Pulegoso-gold-Bowl_W0QQitemZ7384349474QQcategoryZ994QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Title: Interesting Kidney-Shaped Bowls
Post by: chuggy on January 23, 2006, 07:53:13 AM

The problem is that over the years a number of attributions in certain books of unsigned pieces have been proven to be incorrect as fresh information has emerged. Not saying that this is the case here, but an e-bay sellers attribution based on an unsigned book attribution is not one I'd rely on. I've looked into these in my folders overnight and go 100% with Javier, I reckon Seguso around 1954/56.
Paul

Title: Interesting Kidney-Shaped Bowls
Post by: David555 on January 24, 2006, 12:19:00 AM

Hi

I think the eBay item is different to your pieces Horochar, it doesn't stand up to comparison.

After more searching I also agree with Javier & Paul -

Seguso Vetri d'Arte / Archimedes Seguso kidney shaped bowls with bubbled 'Pulegoso' technique to outer layer and fine fragmented gold leaf to inner layer

Just as beautiful and valuable as an unsigned pieces of Venini Pulegoso

Pulegoso was developed by Napoleone Martinuzzii while at Venini in the 1930s but he worked for most of the big Murano companies and the technique became widely used and in different ways. If you google Pulegoso you will see bowls, vases and even animals (I saw a cat by Venini) by all the leading companies, some is finer than others.

Thanks

Adam P

Title: Re: Interesting Kidney-Shaped Bowls
Post by: Anne on August 23, 2009, 01:32:02 PM

Charles, your Tinypics have vanished. Do you still have copies of the pics please and if so can you add them as attachments to a reply or email them to me and I'll add them for you? Many thanks. :)

Title: Re: Interesting Kidney-Shaped Bowls
Post by: horochar on September 12, 2009, 03:24:57 AM

I apologize for the delay in restoring the picture.  Too bad it now must be at the very end of this chain.  Darned that TinyPix!  Anyhow, it's great that this fantastic board now has picture hosting function, so images can be preserved for posterity.
Charles.

Title: Re: Interesting Kidney-Shaped Bowls
Post by: Anne on September 13, 2009, 10:35:25 PM

Thanks Charles... wearing my Moderator hat I've added a copy to the first post again, so it all makes sense. :)