LOETZ SPREADING PANSY EMPIRE VASE C. 1905 | ||
| Loetz Art Glass2158 of 2360 |  |  |
Moonstonelover21 loves this.
miKKoChristmas11 loves this.
Shawnl86 loves this.
Lisa-lighting loves this.
SteveS loves this.
LoetzDance loves this.
Mac63 loves this.
famatta127 loves this.
vetraio50 loves this.
Greatsnowyowl loves this.
inky loves this.Create a Show & TellReport as inappropriate
Posted 13 years ago
LoetzBuddies
(664 items)
Nice shading contrast from purple at the top to a light lavender at the bottom. "Texas" strands of glass make up the body. Gold iridescent wreath handles on the sides. Nice overall effect.
F.W.F
Create an account or login in order to post a comment.
czechman : I have no idea why they call this body glass Texas. Maybe Austro-Hungarian Emperor Franz Ferdinand visited Texas !
Texas reminds me of the pleated silk Hellenic gowns of Mariano Fortuny y Madrazo. The glass seems to hug a profile underneath. Magical!
As regards the name: SteveS gave this answer to my same question to famatta some months ago...... ".. off hand (i.e. what comes to mind) ... think of ropes and lassoes ... capturing the piece ... interestingly the derivation of lasso (spanish) also has something to do with lace work ..."
I like the idea of "pleats" and "lasso". It makes sense to me.
I note too the word Texas is the plural of the Spanish "texa" from the Caddo word for allies or friends. Interestingly you use the word "Empire" in your description too.
And the handles are immaculate too!
vetraio50 : thanks for the info. on the word Texas. Now it makes more sence.
NB Mac63 has just added a note about Texas and its meaning on his Empire vase: texere was the Latin verb 'to weave'.
http://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/54271-another-example-of-loetz-purple-empire?in=user
Mac63 : I took Latin for 6 years so you would think I would have known the origin of texas.
Great vase and great group effort to define the word "Texas". I was recently at an auction with a glass artist friend of ours who showed us how they "looped" the glass threads up and down to create the Texas effect on a piece of Gloria that we were interested in. He was so enamored with that vase and how they created this decor! He said it was technically very difficult to make!
LoetzDance : I have my eyes peeled for a nice Gloria. The woman who heads the glass dept. at an auction house in Boston recently called me to come in to look at a consignment that had come in. Right away I spotted a large Gloria on the slelf. We looked at it together (she had no idea it was Loetz) and SADLY it had several large cracks.
sorry : shelf
Yes, sadley, it is difficult to find an example of this decor in excellent condition because the leaves and stems are so delicate. I purchased a large one a couple of years ago from Christies that was advertised as being in excellent condition but it arrived with an old repair showing yellowed glue that was used to reattach one of the stems & leaves. The one that I saw at auction a couple of weeks ago was absolutely stunning! It was in perfect condition with 6 leaves and quite large for a Gloria. It sold for $2200 plus the BP! I guess I will just have to continue to enjoy my 5" Gloria with 4 leaves!
I'D SETTLE FOR A 5 INCH GLORIA ANY DAY !
Golden handles / garlands, a finely interwoven texture with a purple / colored to clear base = Empire !
Starts to give a feel for how politically sensitive / astute the owners of the Loetz company were.
Thanks Frank, Vetraio & Mac63
I love this piece. I own a lot of amethyst and purple glass, but this is spectacular.