Topic: Victorian Lizard English Italian? vase help please

[brucebanner]

Here is another piece of glass i have been pondering over recently, it is very heavy (2.5kg) and hand blown, around the vase appears to be a very well made lizard, although half of it is missing, i'm curious to know where this was made and if it's possible to have this repaired, i know a lot of glass blowers read the posts on this site. The vase appears to have been buried at some point, half of it to the outside has a lot of staining, i did wonder if it had been half inched from a graveyard. It measures 8 1/2 inches in height 4 1/4 inches across the base rim and 3 3/4 inches across the base.

[chopin-liszt]

What a fascinating sort of mix of old and new features!
The drip formation around the rim looks very "retro" period Czech ('50s-60s), as does the shape and colour, but then you've got rigaree and the glorious enamelled lizard, which is normally a lot older. What a dreadful shame this one can't regenerate its tail.

I would think Czechoslovakia would be the first area to investigate.

[flying free]

I think it's beautiful!  and I think it's c.1870-1890 ish (maybe made by  Harrach? but that colours a bit unusual - is it green ish or amber? but might be French) will have a look in my books later.


Please though, we need a clear very close picture of all the enamelling on the lizard (well, I would love to see it please  ) and it's face/eyes etc.

Lovely piece, such a shame about the damage.
m

[flying free]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-Czech-Bohemian-Blown-Art-Glass-Vase-Harrach-Blue-Lizard-Alligator-114-/331109996111
this one may be similarly enamelled
m

[brucebanner]

Here are some more pictures, just about as close as i can get, thanks for your help again guys.

[brucebanner]

The frill around the rim has an iridescent shine to it, as does the lizard, the top frill is clear and the colour of the vase is a deep green.

[flying free]

thanks for the extra pics..  I'll find a previous thread with links on and look if I find anything in my books I'll let you know.
Nothing so far.
I think it is repairable - I think they might be able to make a resin molded piece to fit.  The lizard is particularly beautiful so it might be worth doing it if you wanted to keep it.  However you are likely to display it with the lizard face at the front so ? why bother?  These do come up for sale in perfect condition every now and again (once a year or so I see a goody).  Some of them are eye wateringly expensive perfect though and they don't always have the most beautiful lizards on. 
I'll find some links to similar applied pieces for you to view.
m

[flying free]

This lizard reminds me of your vase ( and I think the vase is Harrach on this one)
http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/2487924
But I remember observing that some had applied pads under their feet and some didn't - I can't remember what I thought on that (if anything lol)

And I'm sure someone else had a green one on the board but I can't find it at the mo. edited (this is the one I was thinking of, also I think Harrach but it only has the applied green and can't tell if it 's the same green as yours really http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,52077.0.html)

as above - here are some links - nothing the same as yours on the board but there might be similar in links in the threads?
http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,55390.msg313888.html#msg313888
http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,49766.msg281048.html#msg281048
http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,5382.msg44818.html#msg44818
http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,50218.msg283705.html#msg283705
http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,52576.msg298441.html#msg298441

[chopin-liszt]

Chris, pay far more attention to Flying-free than me on anything enamelled or older than the '60s.
That drippy stuff around the top is an old (Harrach) feature that got a bit modernised and incorporated into newer designs.
It was the colour that threw me. Sorry.

[flying free]

me too Sue - I'm still searching to see if I can find a match for the vase shape or the colour.
Also the base - looks as though it could also be French as well as Bohemian - or at least it reminds me of my Leveille vase.
These can be very hard to id, if they aren't signed... although many of those unsigned have turned out to be Harrach pieces.
It think it is noted in the Harrach book that they copied Auguste Jean with the drip rims, freeform applied trails etc.

edited later - there is a Clichy vase in the Cappa book, page200 vase 324. that might be a similar body colour and it has a blue applied rim and clear applied lizard on it.  It says it has the original label and is signed.
m