Glass Message Board
Glass Identification - Post here for all ID requests => Glass => Topic started by: Macquirie on December 07, 2016, 02:05:52 PM
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Hi,
I'm a newby to this forum and this is my first post so please be gentle with me!
I recently bid on a Glass lot in a Charity Auction and won! Included in the lot was this Ruby Vase, it has a flared crimped rim that is clear with copper inclusions, the body has nice controlled bubbles with a polished pontil scar underneath, just wondering if it's Murano or T K Maxx? Any help greatly appreciated.
Cheers,
Mac
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Hi Mac, I have a large bowl which I wanted to identify the same type as your vase. I posted it a few months ago, Ivo said it was Empoli, but I can't find any info. They turn up quite often in all shapes, bowls, vases and baskets. Somebody else said they didn't think the quality was good enough to be Murano. I'm still not sure what it is. ??? Cheryl
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They usually have gold in the trim, not aventurine though... ???
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Thanks to both of you for your replies :)
Lustrousstone - I'm not sure what you mean by Gold and not Aventurine? like I say complete Newbie.
Mac
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at the risk of offending Christine.............. :-*
strictly speaking aventurine inclusions means that the sparkle is produced by one of the colours of quartz flakes, since aventurine is a mineral, rather than a metallic source such as copper or gold - so believe Christine is suggesting that the sparkle here is produced by aventurine and not gold - as might be the case with Empoli.
regret I'm not clever enough to see just from these photos exactly what is producing the sparkle here.
Personally, I haven't a clue where this piece of glass was made - sorry to be unhelpful - but I do like it :)
P.S. as a totally uneducated punt, mho is that the outline shape and rim of this piece are too conventional for Murano - but that is only an opinion.......... can also add that Murano did use copper, silver and gold flake inclusions in their mid C20 wares - and unfortunately, they, or more accurately various authors, used the word aventurine when describing these metallic inclusions - although correctly these descriptions aren't interchangeable. I'm not aware that Murano glass has ever included real aventurine ........... but am sure someone will correct me very quickly if I'm wrong. ;D
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On the subject of "aventurine" my simplified understanding is summed up by Harold Newman, in his book, An Illustrated Dictionary of Glass, 1977 & 1987:
aventurine glass: A type of translucent glass ... simulating brownish aventurine quartz ... The earliest form, of brownish colour flecked with copper (called 'gold aventurine') ... beginning of the 17th century ... attributed to a Murano glass-making family ..."
I believe the "problem" is that the term "aventurine glass" has in so many cases been abbreviated by makers, authors and collectors (etc. etc.) to "aventurine" and the implicit "simulation of metallic particles" is simply overlooked.
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Empoli does seem favourite for this style, more examples and that previous discussion here:
http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,62540.0.html
If this vase is like the others it will be gold leaf added to the clear glass.
John
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The sparkly bits look too big and blobby and too copper coloured to be gold from what I can see
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I agree with Christine (just spotted your name there!) the inclusions look quite large and most definitely Copper in colour rather than Gold, however I must confess that I have no knowledge on how the heating process affects metals and compounds during manufacture!
Mac
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Gold and silver are generally unaffected, so bits of aventurine glass in this rather than gold flakes/foil, which might take it to China rather than Italy IMO
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Silver can be affected quite easily - the skill in using silver is keeping the temperature low enough to stop it from becoming affected.
That's my nit picked for today. :)
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don't they say all that glisters is not gold - well, someone did anyway. I think Sue's point, although perhaps not relevant on this occasion, is very valid insofar as keeping the temperature low was essential when using some of these materials to provide a sparkle.
Is it possible for Mac provide better close up pix of the rim, please.
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Will be happy do some more pictures tomorrow when the light is good
Mac