Posted 12 years ago
Justanovice
(120 items)
I have posted this now as I see lovedecanters has posted and he may just take a look at mine! It has the Lion of St. Mark on it so I am assuming that it is Venetian Glass. When I bought these, they were so dirty the silver decoration was almost invisible under the grime. I think they had spent a long time in someone's shed or similar! Would anyone know what date approx they was made? Many thanks!
Most likely Murano, mid 50's. I've seen quite a few here and there, this one looks particularly nice.. Usually there'd be a mark on the stopper somewhere. Mine has a mark on the base and the stopper.
Thank you for your feedback! That gives me a starting point! :)
Thank you PhilDavidAlexanderMorris, walksoftly, mustangtony, bratjdd for the Loves!
Cool!...blue!..;-))
Thank you Bellin68 and czechman for the love - snow has gone now - Thank Goodness!!
Very interesting set! I've never seen one before. How interesting that the liquor decantor should read "PAX" - Latin for "peace"!
Thank you miKKoChristmas11 - My Latin is NIL!! So that is very interesting to me also, I think this one is quite an old one - I wish I could find out more information on it! But thanks again - a starting point!
Blue!!!!!!
Hello, again! Took another look at the Latin. The curious placement of the words over both pages of the open book -- such that the short word "PAX" is captured by "PA" on one page and "X" on the other page, the letters straight across from one another though there was no need to display them over two pages -- occasioned my missing the literary allusion being made. The recorded statement reads 'PAX TIBI', which means "Peace be upon thee!", and it is an allusion to St. Mark the Evangelist/Apostle, who is the Patron Saint of Venice, and whose relics are deposited in Venice, and an allusion to a story in which St. Mark was visited by an angel while in Venice and informed that Venice would be his final resting place. The Latin on your decanter is short for "Pax tibi, Marce, Evangelista meus!", the angel's salutation, which translates: "Peace be upon thee, Mark, my Evangelist!" The Winged Lion signifies St. Mark of course, as you immediately picked up. Last night I noticed the domes of St. Mark's Cathedral and the towers, and the gondola in the canal. Venice.
Tried to find reference to this "PAX TIBI" decanter in Murano glass discussions but could not. However, I don't have any expertise with Murano glass whatsoever. Perhaps armed with the full Latin phrase someone will be able to find it.
Also, tried looking for the stopper. I found it on another vintage blue glass decanter with silver overlay (eBay), but the forms of that decanter and glasses were significantly different than the forms of your set.
Dear miKKoChristmas!!! I am extremely grateful for your time and effort on my part in trying to find out more on this decanter! Above and beyond the call of duty, thank you so much! While I am at it, where does your name come from? I know you like lots of things to do with Christmas, but where does the miKKo hail from and what significance the capital K's?
Hello, dear Justanovice!!! Thank you so very much for your most kind words and greeting!!! Oh, it was a pleasure, I assure you. The "PAX" jumped out, because that is how I begin almost every letter to my old classmates - "Pax Christi." They are all much better in Latin than I, but at least I've got that phrase down. Background Philosophy, Theology, Art History - so, the symbol for Mark, the PAX, together with the domes of St. Mark's and gondola in canal/lake made it very easy to find the reference. I found it before the others because, despite the fact that the PAX is spelled over two pages, I recognized it from constant use. I missed the "TIBI" first time around because it too was fractured, and more significantly for me, I couldn't cipher the underlined letters. I had thought that they were meant to represent numbers. Second time around, I realized that it was a word. Then it was obvious what it was. As for "miKKo": St. Michael the Archangel is one of my patron saints, even though I'm a woman. I was afraid that I'd forget my moniker, so I made it look a bit eccentric with the odd mix and order of upper and lower case letters. Purely pragmatic reason for the eccentricity. The "Christmas" also was convenient. I like spare, austere rooms and decors, but at Christmas I'm over-the-top, decorating everything. One of my best friends told me that if I died and left her all my Christmas junk, she'd pull me out of my coffin, resuscitate me, and then kill me all over again. (She would, too. Military family, no nonense!) She's sick of my Christmas stuff. I used to have so much of it. One knows how that goes....Thanks again for the very kind compliment, and do please take care of yourself!!! : D
Thank you miKKoChristmas for getting back to me! I appreciate all your efforts and have read your reply with great interest!!! Sounds like you and your friend (the one who will kill you!!!) are indeed the best of friends!! Only very best friends could be so frank with each other and still be best friends. Take care too!!
It has been interesting to read your posts. I have a similar set my Grandparents brought back from their visit to Venice in 1954. It has the same PAX TIBI and St Marks featured in now very tarnished silver overlay. Nothing on the stopper. Did you find out an approximate value?
Hi Artique for your interest!! I have found out nothing more on it or its value I am afraid! Interesting to hear that you similar one was bought in Venice in the 50's as I had the feeling that this could have been made around that time! Sorry I cannot be more helpful to you! I actually cleaned the silver overlay on mine (very carefully) as it was black when I bought it - for very little at a local auction.