Posted 8 years ago
Sammyz
(94 items)
This awesome little vase is a bit of an enigma for me. It is a 4.5" tall x 4" wide, amber or Candia glass with strong iridescence of purple to blue-green. It is substantial and shows a raised arching pattern similar to Esmeralda or Wellenoptisch but it is neither. The raised pattern repeats 4x around the vase and can be seen causing folds in the silver, most notably at the neck.
The vase has heavy silver overlay and is marked sterling with the mark of a "fish with an L" in its mouth, i.e. Fishel, a turn-of-the-century American silver company known for its jewelry, not vases.
The vase has a polished pontil and a wheel cut signature Loetz Austria. I have scrutinized every example of an authentic signature that I can find and it appears to be spot on.
So, while the glass maker is Bohemian, the ornate scrolls of the silver appear to me to be late 1890's Victorian. Loetz was using this signature until 1903 and Fishel was operating until 1910. Both the Esmeralda and Wellenoptisch patterns were not introduced until 1904.
To top it all off, I cannot find a similar shape example to draw from. Any help in identifying this would be greatly appreciated.
Sammyz, the silver overlay is gorgeous on this vase, what a beautiful example, thanks for sharing this beauty.
Regards
Alan
Thanks Alan! Wish the photos were better....and hope someone can figure out what it is.
Lovely glass overlay first class Sammy !!!!
This is the one for me ...smiling ...just has it all going on for it...good eye..
Thanks Ilikethings!
Hi Sammyz! I think you don't need to put a question mark at the end of the title because it looks like an authentic Loetz, and the signature is also genuine!
I'm afraid there are Loetz shapes that are yet to be identified.
Interesting research too.
Congratulations!
Hi Lichnowsky! Thanks for your observations. I have since found a pic of a vase of the same shape in a known Kralik decor, Honeycomb in Panel that leads me to believe this vase was a Kralik with a spurious wheel cut Loetz mark. Welzebub also showed me a very well known Kralik decor vase that had same authentic Loetz signature. So, unless we stumble across documentation that Loetz was manufacturing for Kralik, or some such other unlikely sceario, it can be assumed this is not a Loetz vase. I will post a pic.
Many thanks for your nice reply, Sammyz, and excuse me that I made a rash remark.
How strange that sounds to me! So it's a Kralik vase with an apparently authentic Lötz signature...
Well, "inexplicable" things are not so uncommon in the world of antiques...
Have a fine weekend!
Hi Lichnowsky! Nothing rash about it! That signature is authentic, it is just on the wrong vase, lol! Someone was trying to get more money for it...but it is still an awesome little vase. The silver overlay is very well done.
Beautiful vase! I always find it funny that to be an authentic Loetz, documentation has to be provided but, as far as I have been able to find out, no documentation has to be found for a piece to be found a Kralik…