Norleans import Japanese foam glass vase/bowl, circa 1950s

This Japanese vase (bowl?) is 5.25" in diameter by 5" high and has a "Norleans Japan UCG" label. The bottom is ground flat and unpolished. It was imported by United China and Glass under their Norleans line. Norlean/UCG's history is included below. Based on the label, it dates to about 1949-1962. It is foam glass, strongly reminiscent of Iwata art glass, but I am pretty sure that Iwata did not export their glass, as a rule. I would be very comfortable finding a piece like this with an Iwata or Kurata label on it. The maker is unknown, though. It is meant, perhaps, to be purely decorative; too short for a vase, too convoluted for a bowl and no place to rest a cigarette.

I have been biding my time for the last two or three years looking for the nicest piece of Norlean Japanese art glass that I could find for my collection and finally settled on this one. I have seen some striking pieces of glass imported by Norlean but most of it was obviously made for the American market. This piece is classically Japanese in shape and coloring, which is what persuaded me to add it to my collection.

Norleans - Norleans was a line of porcelain china and glass products started in 1949 by United China and Glass Company. United China and Glass was founded in 1850 in New Orleans and began trading with Japan in 1932, though this was suspended during World War II. Norleans was part of the revival of that trade after the war. Norleans’ products at least in the 1950s were mainly dinnerware products manufactured by Meito China, a Japanese manufacturer. United China and Glass was sold to Sammons Enterprises, a holding company, in 1962. Norleans continued to exist in some capacity, but it’s possible it simply became an importer. The Norleans trademark expired in 1992. From: https://www.suspended-objects.org/post/122208716533/item-041-norleans-old-woman-figurine-found-on