Topic: Help! Murano? Glass Bull Encased Red, Frosted/scavo glass?

[Scarvo]

Hi, sorry, I posted this elsewhere which it should not have been posted, now I have found where it should be, perhaps somebody will be able to help me!

I have inherited a pair of Murano Glass bulls and would like to know if they are Murano and if not, what make they may possibly be?

I have a couple of other pieces to put up as well, I have never used message boards before and am sorry that I put this in the wrong place previously but don't know how to move the original one.

Kindest regards,


perplexed Paula

[scavo]

Does the lilac glass change to greenish blue in daylight?

[glassobsessed]

Welcome to the forum Paula.

I think Scavo is wondering if your bull is made with neodymium glass, if so it will look lilac/purple in daylight and change colour under fluorescent light (from a strip light or low energy light bulb) to a green or blue colour.

Your bull looks to be a form which has been made on Murano but I cannot help narrow down a maker.

John

[Scarvo]

Hello, thankyou for your help, I tried it outside in daylight and it just seemed to go clear, the weather is overcast and rainy at present, HOWEVER I held it up to a low energy lamp we have and it changed to a blue/grey/clear colour.  Not deep greeny blue or deep blue, but it did change colour.

It has a 'matt' feel, there were stickers on both of them and the remains of the 'sticky' is still there but apart from that I have absolutely no idea where these came from.

A friend lent me an ultraviolet light which made no difference to the bulls, but strangely my grandmother had a duck and some other things and they go a green colour under the ultraviolet.  Does that mean that these aren't the type of glass you think they are as the ultraviolet didn't change colour of the glass?

Thankyou so much for the replies so far, I really would like to narrow down where they came from as I have postcards from all over the world and pieces of glass she had purchased on her trips - some of them were really dirty.  I have a huge cockeral with gold flecks of what may be gold 'leaf' inside, I'll post them all later.

Thankyou,

Paula

[glassobsessed]

Sounds like neodymium glass then, it is found in several shades.

Glass that glows bright green under UV light is known as uranium glass or vaseline glass. Uranium oxide is added to the glass to give it (usually) a yellow or green colour, when the glass is exposed to UV light it fluoresces. Uranium glass is generally quite collectible and in no way harmful.

John

[Lustrousstone]

The surface of your bull, which does look like neodymium glass (http://www.mindspring.com/~reyne/neowhatsis.html) and as if it's from Murano, has been matted either by sand blasting or with acid.

[Scarvo]

Wow, thankyou for all of the replies, you have all been so helpful :-)

Now we think the bulls are made from neodymium glass, but John, you mentioned that uranium glass is not harmful, does that mean that neodymium glass is in anyway?  I have two children and now am wondering about all the boxes I have in my home from my grandmothers!

I read the link thankyou - wow - that was a bit mind blowing!  I'm still a little perplexed as you said that it is probably from Murano and Sommerso appears to be the 'style' of the red blob but the colour it changes to in the light doesn't tally with the website, I think it is more grey blue and the website link quotes "...which is gray, if made by A. H. Heisey & Company, ".  I looked at some photographs I took of the bull outside today which I thought it just went clear, but the photographs actually show the bull looking pink outside the red middle.  But, as I said before it's a grey blue under the low energy bulb in the lounge.

I'm going to put up those pictures of the cockeral and the duck and a beautiful little purple basket which goes green under my friends purple light.

Thankyou all so much - I really appreciate the help.  At least some of the postcards make a little sense but I can't see a bull mentioned in there..... not yet anywhow, I have two boxes of postcards and I am looking at the ones from Italy to my mother and her sister.  Of course, it could be that somebody bought them for her!  Then I won't be able to tally the postcards with the glass which is what I am trying desperately to do (don't ask me why ...... I simply have this need to find links at present!).

[scavo]

Yes, I thought it looked like Neodymium glass.

Scarvo, here is some helpful information about glass that changes colour under different lighting conditions and why:
http://www.glassyeye.com/glasstopics/dichroic.html

[Lustrousstone]

Your bull should be pinky purple on the outside in daylight and under incandescent light (old-fashioned light bulb), and bluey/greeny/grey under fluorescent light (strip, low energy, halogen). The exact shades will depend on the precise glass formula. The website is written by an American lady, so her bias is towards US glass, but it is a good education on neodymium glass..

Neither type of glass is harmful unless eaten! And not all glass that glows green under a UV light is uranium. It has to be the right green glow.

[John Ainsy]

Are you considering selling your bulls? They look small, how big are they? I have looked at the other glass items you have put forward for identification. Would you  like to sell the murano glass items you have posted pictures of?  I would like to offer you 100.00 £GB for them if that is not too presumtuous of me.  What is the size of the birds. I am a serious collector and will pay immediately via paypal or if you would prefer can send you a cheque. Please give some conderation. John.