Topic: 19th Century Vasa Murrhina Perfume Bottle - Murano or French?

[beaubow]

I've been trying to pin down an ID on this piece for years.  I bought it thinking it was a piece by an obscure Cade Cod glass company related to Boston & Sandwich, but a little research proved that incorrect.  I took it to the Antiques Roadshow here in the US and the appraiser's first opinion was that it was Venetian.  She took it off and talked to someone else who told her it was French and that's what she went with for her appraisal.

Recently, I was going through the http://www.great-glass.co.uk site's library and found an identical vase cataloged as 19th century Murano with no more information.  I was going to link to the image, but their library is down for repairs at the moment.

It's 4.25" tall and about 3.5" in diameter.  It's definitely vasa murrhina, and it's definitely old, based on the wear and the fittings.  The base layer of glass is black amethyst, and is translucent in strong light.

As always any help is appreciated!

[beaubow]

Bottom:

[Ivo]

If it is Vasa Murrhina then that is a definite attribution and it cannot be French or Venetian as well.  I suggest you look up that manufacturer (aka d' Humy).

[beaubow]

I have a feeling this thread is going to take a turn for the interesting.  

I initially thought, when I bought it, that it was from the Vasa Murrhina Glass Co. of Massachusetts, USA, but it doesn't match their wares at all.

Here in the States "Vasa Murrhina" is a catch-all term for this type of glass marveled in frit and foil.  I'd never heard of the London company, but looking at the pieces in the British Museum, it doesn't seem to match their wares.  

Edited to add: here's what the British Museum shows in their online catalog:

http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/search_the_collection_database/search_results.aspx?objectId=33394&partId=1&searchText=venetian+glass&fromADBC=ad&toADBC=ad&orig=%2fresearch%2fsearch_the_collection_database.aspx&images=on&numPages=10&currentPage=6&queryAll=People%2f!!%2fOR%2f!!%2f77642%2f!%2f77642-2-37%2f!%2fFactory+of+Vasa+Murrhina+Glass+Company%2f!%2f%2f!!%2f%2f!!!%2f&allCurrentPage=1

[Ivo]

Vasa Murrhina refers to either barber bottles made for Dr. Flower at the Cape Cod glassworks and which specifically are dark glass with glitter - not sure if these are mica or aventurine - OR to glass made by d'Humy in London.  Your bottle is neither - it has rolled in shards which is a standard technique used by virtually all glass makers since the romans.
Quite possibly it is Murano 19th ct, but it could equally be French or German or Bohemian.  More detailed pinpointing of a maker or a time is going to be very very difficult. If you manage to get a closer fix, let us know - we would all like to hear about it.

[beaubow]

Quite possibly it is Murano 19th ct, but it could equally be French or German or Bohemian.  More detailed pinpointing of a maker or a time is going to be very very difficult. If you manage to get a closer fix, let us know - we would all like to hear about it.

That's actually what I'm hoping for here.