Author Topic: Very old green glass vase.  (Read 1821 times)

Matchbox

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Very old green glass vase.
« on: February 17, 2012, 01:21:50 am »
Hi everyone!  I’m new here and was hoping someone would be able to help me identify this vase.  I has been passed through the family for years and the only thing I know for sure is that it was passed to my mom from her mom in Germany.  The writing looks to be old German.  Does anyone recognize the makers mark and also the possible time period it would have been made?  The vase stands about 9" tall.

Thanks,
« Last Edit: March 06, 2012, 12:44:18 am by Matchbox »

wendy177

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Re: Very old green glass vase.
« Reply #1 on: February 17, 2012, 07:44:36 am »
Beautiful piece Matchbox, Does this piece fluoresce under black light??  Looks as if it may have been made with Uranium Dioxide, You will need to test it under black light to see if it does fluoresce bright green under Ultra Violet light (blacklight)  Looks to be Victorian era glass, hand painted  and believe I can see a few bubbles within the glass  ( all hard to tell from photos  :))I have not seen this makers  mark before and did a quick search and came up empty :P . Glass can be almost impossible to track but with the mark your chances are better. I would get more info from family as to the region and surrounding towns and begin to search glass manufacturers in all surrounding areas.  Also if your grandmother traveled to certain areas on special occasions. Please post any info you get as it will help myself & everyone here search.

Matchbox

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Re: Very old green glass vase.
« Reply #2 on: March 05, 2012, 11:17:14 pm »
Sorry for the late response, I was traveling for a while.

This vase does have lots of bubbles and some impurities imbedded in the glass.  Sadly both my mother and grandmother who would know more of its origin have passed away.  I was able to talk to my mom’s brother-in-law in Germany last week.  The only thing he can remember is a conversation of this being at least over 300 years old.  With European history that’s possible I guess.  But I don’t know anything about glass. I don’t have a black light to test the glass for Uranium Dioxide.  Maybe I’ll try to pick one up.  My grandmother lived in Merching Germany located in Aichach-Friedberg Bavaria for most of her life.  Beyond that it gets a little dark and she seldom talked about her childhood.  I know she was sold as a child slave to some farmers from age 8 to 17.  But she never talked about that.  She of course hated her parents and never ever talked about them.  But the vase did pass down from her parents who also lived in the same area.  So that dates it back before 1910 when my grandmother was born.  This is all the information we could get.  

If anyone else has some suggestions it would be appreciated.

Thank you,
      
« Last Edit: March 06, 2012, 12:44:34 am by Matchbox »

wendy177

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Re: Very old green glass vase.
« Reply #3 on: March 06, 2012, 05:59:17 am »
Honestly I would contact a very reputable auction house. The larger and well known houses will have experts in glass.You can email photos to say Sotheby's for an auction estimate, all info is on their website, This may take a few weeks for a response so be patient.   Also check with local large museums some curators will be happy to help or may point you in the right direction.  The mark on the bottom is amazing and one I have never seen!! But you will need a real expert in glass and not a small local auction house. I would not be surprised if your piece is indeed 300 years old. It is beautiful!!
Please let us know what you find !!  :)

mart

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Re: Very old green glass vase.
« Reply #4 on: March 06, 2012, 10:11:29 am »
I am curious about this vase !!  The cherub does not appear to be hand painted as some of the smaller details do !! Can you look and see if there is a distinct line around it ??  You may need a magnifying glass for this !!  Is the cherub on one side only ?? If not and there is another on the opposite side,, do they match exactly ??You may need to measure some areas to find out !!

Matchbox

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Re: Very old green glass vase.
« Reply #5 on: March 06, 2012, 12:23:57 pm »
Thank you wendy177, I will reach out to Sotheby’s and see what I can find out.  I looked them up and it seems fairly easy to work with them.  I will be sure to post any information I can find.


Mart, the cherub only appears ones on the vase.   I will look at it again when I get home and I do have other pictures showing all the sides and more details of the paint.  I will post them later today also.
« Last Edit: March 06, 2012, 03:24:00 pm by Matchbox »