Posted 12 years ago
bohemiangl…
(647 items)
Nothing says art nouveau like dragonflies! Silver overlay on jugendstil era glass can overwhelm the glass if it's done wrong, but the craftsmen at the Poschinger glass house were experts at incorporating decoration in a way that complements the glass (see the incredible piece posted by cogito a couple of weeks ago). A green cabachon in the body of the dragonfly adds a touch of elegance to this neat little cabinet piece.
Provenance: acquired from the collection of American educator and glass artist Harvey Littleton.
Nice Warren, love it. And another great piece from the Littleton Collection.
I was so close to getting this one months ago. The missing silver made me think twice, but now I'm regretting that decision. :(
I just wrote back to Sellner to ask her about these silver/cabochon fancy pieces and will report back what she says. My main interest is in whether the overlay work was done "in house" or by a secondary retailer/company, as was typical of firms like La Pierre or Gorham here in the States.
absolutely gorgeous!
BTW - the Uranium glass is unusual for Poschinger, I believe. My cabochon/helios-like example doesn't glow. Could this be a PK base, but with overlay by the same folks who did the Poschinger overlays?
Jeff, I think what pushed me to go ahead was the fact that the missing stalk is barely noticeable, and there is a second stalk that already connects to the same flower. I don't think it detracts at all, and it is certainly worth the price that was asked. :) I'm glad you touched base with Sellner - I have her books, but it is always nice to hear from the authors themselves. I can only imagine that, if they are like us, their understanding is constantly being shaped as more information is uncovered.
It's possible I guess (PK vs Poschinger) or even Kralik, as it was listed, but Dave has a Poschinger piece that he says lights up his cabinet under black light. I think the cabachon with the overlay was the thing that pushed me back to Poschinger more than anything.
I have a poschinger with uranium salts too. I don't think you can ID something as a company or another company based on that. I think they all used uranium back in the day. :)
I really need to get that Poschinger book. As GSO mentions, using decor or uranium as the decision factor is likely to be fraught with problems. Our best bet might be the shapes themselves...
it's tough no matter how you look at it. while it's tempting to use shapes, shapes were copied. Poschinger, Harrach, JH, and Reidel all had similar products shapes and decors and in some instances were providing the same product across the board for the same client. I have resigned myself to knowing that attributions will always have a significant error margin when dealing with bohemian glass. I saw some pretty shocking and sobering things touring the museums... at one point I remember thinking, I should just pack it in. I should just sell everything and run the other way because this is IMPOSSIBLE.. LOL.
that said the book can't hurt or anything and shape when combined with other factors I think does lead for a significant attribution base. If it's a known shape and walks and quacks like a duck..
With something like this piece. Where the glass style was made or said to have been made by a few companies and the metal works was contracted out.. I think an attribution of one is as good as an attribution of another. They all have an equal chance of being right.
When it comes to Kralik and Poschinger there is a lot of contentious ground. A lot that isn't known and probably never will be. I say take your pick. :)
love the piece not the name.
Ah Cogito, you're confusing me. You thought my helios-like was Poschinger even though it glows! http://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/56953-helios-shift-with-uranium--maker-posch
I have another in the same decor, in a different shape, which also glows.