Topic: Miniature Engraved Vase w/ English Silver Mounts, 1920 - ID: Eugène Michel

[Frank]

Lots of Bohemian glass had silver finishing done in the UK, presumably it was cheaper. Also, many jewellers would commission glass to which they would add the silver.

[Pinkspoons]

I was just flicking through a recently acquired copy of 'Victorian Glass' (V&A Museum, 1972) by the fantastically-named Betty O'Looney, and this has some wonderful mid-late C19 English engraved glass with designs attributed to Bohemian immigrants working in England. Engraved glass is a total minefield when it comes to attributing makers and designers, it seems, as so many hands in/of more than one country can play a part. This is why I don't often venture from my fully-signed Danish glass, I think. 

[Lustrousstone]

In this case, an ID probably doesn't matter too much because it's such a lovely piece

[Pinkspoons]

This is true, theoretically, but I have my own obsessive need to find out everything I can about everything I buy. 

I have items that have been packed away in the attic for 3-4 years, never to see the light of eBay or my website, purely because I could never find out anything about them.  Oops.

[Lustrousstone]

I'm the complete opposite with a lot of my stuff. I'll have a bit of a look and then not bother any more, particularly as so much of the stuff I buy for me is late 19C early 20C.

[Pinkspoons]

Flicking through some glass books a touch out of my price-range at a fair last week I spotted some very similar forms depicted, sans silver mounts and with different cut / engraved designs, by Stuart and attributed to Ludvig Kny. So another avenue to investigate. 

[krsilber]

Hmmm, I may have found a good clue!  Check this out:
http://www.proxibid.com/asp/LotDetail.asp?ahid=615&aid=8057&lid=2352256

[Bernard C]

... a good clue!   ...

Remarkable! — and that is a gross understatement of the importance of your find, Kristi.

I've counted at least five different matching points of detail on the cherub.   One or two could be dismissed as coincidence.   Two or three could be "school of", i.e. same training or the same team.   But five has to be the same brain.   What swung it conclusively for me were the slightly too flexible forearms.

Bernard C.    :clap:  :clap:  :clap:

 

[Pinkspoons]

Wow - fairly conclusive, I would say. It looks like these designs were part of a series. Thanks so much.

I did a quick Google for E. Michel and came up with the following... and, oh my goodness at the hammer price: Christies

So we have a name - Eugène Michel (1848-1904), and he was a designer for Rousseau and Leveillé.

[Pinkspoons]

I don't suppose a kindly mod could tweak the title to include Eugène Michel? Might attract some of the French glass experts.