Glass Message Board
Glass Identification - Post here for all ID requests => Glass => Topic started by: brucebanner on January 24, 2014, 08:04:37 PM
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Here is another piece of glass i have been pondering over recently, it is very heavy (2.5kg) and hand blown, around the vase appears to be a very well made lizard, although half of it is missing, i'm curious to know where this was made and if it's possible to have this repaired, i know a lot of glass blowers read the posts on this site. The vase appears to have been buried at some point, half of it to the outside has a lot of staining, i did wonder if it had been half inched from a graveyard. It measures 8 1/2 inches in height 4 1/4 inches across the base rim and 3 3/4 inches across the base.
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What a fascinating sort of mix of old and new features!
The drip formation around the rim looks very "retro" period Czech ('50s-60s), as does the shape and colour, but then you've got rigaree and the glorious enamelled lizard, which is normally a lot older. What a dreadful shame this one can't regenerate its tail. :'(
I would think Czechoslovakia would be the first area to investigate.
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I think it's beautiful! and I think it's c.1870-1890 ish (maybe made by Harrach? but that colours a bit unusual - is it green ish or amber? but might be French) will have a look in my books later.
Please though, we need a clear very close picture of all the enamelling on the lizard (well, I would love to see it please ;D ) and it's face/eyes etc.
Lovely piece, such a shame about the damage.
m
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http://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-Czech-Bohemian-Blown-Art-Glass-Vase-Harrach-Blue-Lizard-Alligator-114-/331109996111
this one may be similarly enamelled
m
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Here are some more pictures, just about as close as i can get, thanks for your help again guys.
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The frill around the rim has an iridescent shine to it, as does the lizard, the top frill is clear and the colour of the vase is a deep green.
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thanks for the extra pics.. I'll find a previous thread with links on and look if I find anything in my books I'll let you know.
Nothing so far.
I think it is repairable - I think they might be able to make a resin molded piece to fit. The lizard is particularly beautiful so it might be worth doing it if you wanted to keep it. However you are likely to display it with the lizard face at the front so ? why bother? These do come up for sale in perfect condition every now and again (once a year or so I see a goody). Some of them are eye wateringly expensive perfect though and they don't always have the most beautiful lizards on.
I'll find some links to similar applied pieces for you to view.
m
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This lizard reminds me of your vase ( and I think the vase is Harrach on this one)
http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/2487924
But I remember observing that some had applied pads under their feet and some didn't - I can't remember what I thought on that (if anything lol)
And I'm sure someone else had a green one on the board but I can't find it at the mo. edited (this is the one I was thinking of, also I think Harrach but it only has the applied green and can't tell if it 's the same green as yours really http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,52077.0.html)
as above - here are some links - nothing the same as yours on the board but there might be similar in links in the threads?
http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,55390.msg313888.html#msg313888
http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,49766.msg281048.html#msg281048
http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,5382.msg44818.html#msg44818
http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,50218.msg283705.html#msg283705
http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,52576.msg298441.html#msg298441
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Chris, pay far more attention to Flying-free than me on anything enamelled or older than the '60s.
That drippy stuff around the top is an old (Harrach) feature that got a bit modernised and incorporated into newer designs.
It was the colour that threw me. Sorry. :-[
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me too Sue - I'm still searching to see if I can find a match for the vase shape or the colour.
Also the base - looks as though it could also be French as well as Bohemian - or at least it reminds me of my Leveille vase.
These can be very hard to id, if they aren't signed... although many of those unsigned have turned out to be Harrach pieces.
It think it is noted in the Harrach book that they copied Auguste Jean with the drip rims, freeform applied trails etc.
edited later - there is a Clichy vase in the Cappa book, page200 vase 324. that might be a similar body colour and it has a blue applied rim and clear applied lizard on it. It says it has the original label and is signed.
m
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I can see a lot of familiar traits comparing the Auguste Jean vase link you gave me, the bases curled glass especially, the vase is displayed so the lizard is just coming around the corner you can't tell it's broken unless you turn it, buying damaged glass does not worry me at all, it's good for research and still has a charm about it. Looking at the cost of the others they are stupid money i think this cost me ten pounds and for that money i do not mind the reduced lizard angle on the sideboard, thanks again for your help and Sue you do not get it wrong very often at all, your knowledge puts me to shame and i've being collecting for about 18 years or so.
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ok, the only thing I would say I've noticed about Auguste Jean work is that my books say pieces are almost always signed - and I've never seen an unsigned piece that didn't turn out to be Harrach ;D (or possibly Sevres in the case of Ivo's amethyst vase) . Some of the books show pieces in a similar vein by Clichy and Sevres as well as Leveille. And I guess there may be Auguste Jean pieces in museums that perhaps aren't signed. However, there are so many VERY similar pieces by Harrach that I'd never buy an 'Auguste Jean' piece unless it were signed either with the enamelled mark or the lozenge, because I've seen quite a few sold as Auguste Jean in the past in Auction Houses that I now know are Harrach.
If the vase is beautiful it shouldn't make any difference to the price, however it does. A signed Auguste Jean vase commands a much higher premium in the cases I've seen, than a similar piece from Harrach. But that's just my personal view, perhaps others will have seen it differently.
Le Genie Verrier de l'Europe, Cappa, shows a number of vases all signed in some way and one vase that is unsigned as Auguste Jean - I'm not sure about the unsigned one. I think it could also be Harrach.
m
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I've been collecting for about 15 years - but I've been here, learning from everybody else for 9 of them.
It's not nearly so much fun on your own. Glad you found us, Chris. You'll be streets ahead of me in no time. ;D
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I just wanted to say that when I commented above 'But that's just my personal view, perhaps others will have seen it differently.' I was only referring to this part of my reply:
'A signed Auguste Jean vase commands a much higher premium in the cases I've seen, than a similar piece from Harrach.'
With regards prices, I think, of course, market forces come into play. In my view these are based on rarity and beauty (supply) , and so desirability (demand). Demand can also be partly fed by 'fashion' as well. But what also contributes to desirability is: who made it; when it was made; how it was made (the technique, how complicated the process, the materials and colours used, the fragility of the processes, using the new developments of the time); how many were made (and in the case of antique and vintage glass, how many have survived intact); and the condition. The pieces which tick all the boxes at the high end are the ones that command the highest premiums. And so it should be. They are works of art :)
Balanced by the fact that I often buy damaged glass if I believe it to be rare or unusual/interesting and also beautiful (to my eye) ;D
m