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Glass Discussion & Research. NO IDENTIFICATION REQUESTS here please. => Murano & Italy Glass => Topic started by: johnfandmaryp on December 27, 2006, 10:44:28 AM

Title: Contact for Franco Toffolo?
Post by: johnfandmaryp on December 27, 2006, 10:44:28 AM

Hi, and hope you all had a great Christmas.

I recently bought a pair of what I think are Venetian glass figures at auction, and am preparing my description of them for listing on eBay.

When I posted them on the glass ID board (see http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,8616.0.html ), Frank suggested that they could possibly be by Franco Toffolo, and also that someone here may be able to let me have a contact for him to ask for his comments. Failing that, if anyone does have a contact, could you ask them to have a look at my pictures (there are some better ones at  http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v519/hog-man/Figures/ now), and let me know?

I'd obviously like to get my description as accurate as possible!

Many thanks in anticipation, John.

Title: Re: Contact for Franco Toffolo?
Post by: Sue C on December 27, 2006, 11:39:20 AM

Hi, there is a pair of figures very similar to yours in James Makay's book on glass, but they are only attributed to late 20th cen Murano.

Title: Re: Contact for Franco Toffolo?
Post by: johnfandmaryp on December 27, 2006, 11:50:29 AM

Thanks for the information Dexter.

Title: Re: Contact for Franco Toffolo?
Post by: Sue C on December 27, 2006, 12:03:12 PM

Your welcome, but it is only information i gleaned from a book, some one on the GMB with more knowledge may have more information, good luck.

Title: Re: Contact for Franco Toffolo?
Post by: Angela B on December 28, 2006, 01:32:32 AM

Hi John,
I have a few pairs of Franco's figurines and some early and later Italian ones. The designs are very traditional and I could not pick Franco's designs from the older Venetian ones except that he now signs all his work. He didn't sign his work when he first left Caithness, so there are pieces of his work out there without signatures.

To me, your pieces do not look like Franco's work. Franco's ladies skirts usually have trailing and frills around the bottom, and they are not straight like yours.  Also, he tends not to use aventurine, but to use gold coloured glass for the flecks.

I do hope that helps.
Best wishes
Angela

Title: Re: Contact for Franco Toffolo?
Post by: johnfandmaryp on December 28, 2006, 09:10:01 AM

Thanks very much for the information Angela ~ very useful, and very much appreciated. I'll err on the side of caution in my description!

Regards, John.

Title: Re: Contact for Franco Toffolo?
Post by: Angela B on December 28, 2006, 10:18:59 AM

My pleasure - and good luck with your auction.
All the best
Angela

Title: Re: Contact for Franco Toffolo?
Post by: johnfandmaryp on December 28, 2006, 01:33:13 PM

Thanks again, Angela.

Will probably be listing them tomorrow, and will post details on 'Market Place' once it's done.

Regards, John.

Title: Re: Contact for Franco Toffolo?
Post by: chopin-liszt on January 23, 2007, 09:20:40 AM

 ;D
You should be able to track him down through the Strathearn Gallery, in Crieff.
They currently sell quite a lot of his work. He's in retirement, but enjoying working with Willie Manson and a Scottish glassmaker. He's doing quite a lot of rather exuberant stuff in the Monart style.
At least as far as I know - this may be out of date.