Posted 9 years ago
stsebastius
(30 items)
Thanks Everyone for the encouraging comments on my first post.
This was one of my lucky finds. By a random chance I happened across a market day in a little seaside suburb in another city. Off to one side, I spotted a ramshackle tin shed held together by little more than hope and a promise. An old sea salt had a number of junk items spread across his tattered old blanket. We spent some time yarning away and on impulse he dragged out an old globite school case held together with string. Inside cocooned in layers and layers of old newspaper was this stunning pink anemone straight from the Great Barrier Reef. At first a bit overawed perhaps I was a bit reluctant to buy what was clearly a prized possession but the old sea salt said it was time to pass it to someone who appreciated it. I had no idea of the bowl's origin but I instinctively knew I was getting a gift and not to haggle over it. He even let me keep the Globite schoolcase which in itself was a collectors item. I managed to get it home as a carry on luggage but here's a tip; if you have a big lump of something inside a battered old case, you had better declare it quick before you set off a bomb alert at the airport. Those security guys sure sweat puddles when they're worried and they don't thank you for it neither.
For those who want to know, I believe this is a Murano piece by someone similar to Salviati (apologies for bad spelling). The dimensions are approx 20cm high and 30cm wide. There are at least three layers, clear, white and pink. The whole has been beautifully polished and there are no tool marks at all - also no signature or makers mark either, not that it makes much difference. I've only seen one other about a year later in a gallery in the same city - covered in scratches and not quite having the same graceful curves and I won't mention the dynamite price. Any more info would be appreciated but I'm not marking this as a mystery.
Regards to all.
Really beautiful!
Although the base of the piece is not typical of Barbini production, the little "twist" on the bowl is. The opalescent pink glass is also quite wonderful. Nice piece of vintage MCM Murano glass.
Thanks I'll follow up the Barbini examples. I originally thought this may have been a Seguso piece but I have also seen an example attributed to Cenedese that had a similar shape, base and colour.