Topic: Complex Opalescent Cased Vase w/ Hollow Base.

[chopin-liszt]

Some pics of my Ian MacDonald piece.
When light is on it, it is completely black (apart from the dichroic bits) and you can't see through it. The inside is an warm pinky beige mirrored surface. When held up to let light come through it, it's really quite clear and see-through - although tinted.
Ian is currently one of the artists in residence at Broadfield house. I love his work.

[chopin-liszt]

and...

[Ivo]

Looks like Zinc Sulphide glass to me - which would make it Russian/ Belo/ Ukrainian or Polish any time after 1950.

[Pinkspoons]

That's a very cheerful vase, Sue! I like the opaque/transparent effect.

Ivo, how sure are you? The quality of the design far surpasses anything I've seen from Eastern Europe and Russia (although, I admit, I'm not too familiar with Russian glass besides self-coloured tableware and vases of mediocre quality that occasionally pop up in the UK), and I've since had a few more 'possibly-maybes' for Cenedese from seasoned Murano collectors.

[chopin-liszt]

 
Thanks, Nic. The 3rd picture down is taken through the vase from the inside - the shapes floating around are the dichroic bits. It only reminded me of your piece, because of all the different looks and colours this vase has.
You can clearly see the pinky-beigey mirror effect of light reflected off it in the first pic.
I never cease to be amazed by it.
How can something that solidly black be so see-through?
I love a good dichotomy.

I can't help wondering if there might not be some fabby Russian glass out there - it's a very big place, it's art history is known for being experimental and seriously exciting.
Art of all sorts has always had a very important place in Russia - so important that Stalin banned loads of it, attempted to destroy more loads of it, and imprisoned artists who produced work he didn't like.