Author Topic: Antique glass cats?  (Read 6041 times)

ironintofire

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Antique glass cats?
« on: July 27, 2012, 09:21:31 pm »
Hello, I have been trying to find information on these two glass statues of cats I picked up as a kid at a yard sale. Included is a picture of the two of them with a ruler in-between to denote their height. I spent about an hour refining my search criteria trying to figure out what exactly they are, and who may have made them. The best I've gotten was a possible identity to the smaller, blue cat, which may be a Marino/Murano hand-blown. I've run across both of those names with similar looking statues, one blue and in a more forward looking pose of the same height, and the other an amber colored one like the taller of the two that was 5 1/2 " tall. I've been unsuccessful in finding any better information on them, so hopefully someone can help me.

Here is a picture of them, and I will provide a more in-depth description of them underneath, because my digital camera has died and I am forced to rely on a rather crummy cellphone camera.



The Amber Cat: 8 1/4" tall from base to tip of left ear, 2" deep at the chest, 3" wide from knee to knee. Absolutely no discernible maker marks. Well defined head and body; the head has a prominent brow, indented ears, oval shaped eyes and three whiskers on each cheek next to mouth. Neck is defined, as is chest, showing obvious separation of forepaws all the way down to the base. Three feet showing, both right feet and front left foot, 3 lines each to denote toes. Second hind left food "hidden" by tail. Has a single, unbroken line going all the way along the sides, from left to right, probable made in two pieces and put together. Could be machine made. Has completely smooth, flat bottom.

Blue Cat: 4 1/4" tall, 1 1/4" deep at chest, 2" deep at base. 1" wide at chest, 2" wide at base. Right ear sits directly upright, with indentation on both sides, deeper on the backside of the ears than on the front. Left ear is set almost horizontal, similar indentation as right ear, and is minutely smaller than the right ear. There is almost no other real definition, besides to small vertical slits for the eyes. No mouth, no nose, whiskers or paw style.

If anyone can help me with these, I would greatly appreciate it.

ghopper1924

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Re: Antique glass cats?
« Reply #1 on: July 28, 2012, 01:11:29 am »
You've clearly gone to some effort on these; good for you!!

I don't have much to add, except that I imagine they're vintage and not true (100+year-old) antiques. Still, they're attractive and obviously mean alot to you, so that gives them true value!!
"I collect antiques because they're beautiful."

-Broderick Crawford

mart

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Re: Antique glass cats?
« Reply #2 on: July 28, 2012, 08:42:56 am »
Mid century glass makers produced a lot of these !! Only thing you might do is find a similar cat and try matching it !! No way to say who made it !! Most would have had a paper label and those always came off over the years !!

ghopper1924

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Re: Antique glass cats?
« Reply #3 on: July 28, 2012, 08:58:12 am »
The big cat in particular has that 60s/70s "coppertone" color.
"I collect antiques because they're beautiful."

-Broderick Crawford

talesofthesevenseas

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Re: Antique glass cats?
« Reply #4 on: July 28, 2012, 09:23:58 am »
I had a funny collection of glass and ceramic cats when I was a kid in the sixties and these were things that had come from my mother. These look like they are right out of that era. The elongated cats were popular items and there were a lot of different things made with this look.

Now I find myself wishing that I still had a couple of those little china cats... maybe not all of 'em but there were one or two that were quite cute!
Antiqueaholic in recovery

ironintofire

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Re: Antique glass cats?
« Reply #5 on: July 28, 2012, 11:13:18 am »
Thank you guys, though I wish this could've been more helpful. I'm grateful for at least a time period they could have come from, as I wasn't sure what era they were out of. It'll certainly help me in trying to better locate information on them!

mart

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Re: Antique glass cats?
« Reply #6 on: July 28, 2012, 11:23:09 am »
http://www.collectics.com/50s_60s_f001.html
Try this site !! They have a broad area of topics for that era !!

wendy177

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Re: Antique glass cats?
« Reply #7 on: July 28, 2012, 12:05:46 pm »
Really need much clearer photos but your small cobalt blue cat appears to be Tiffin Glass  or the  Viking glass company  It is believed that a glass worker labored at both glass companies at diffrent times and produced the same style cats for each company. Will need really clear photos of your other cat to help  :)

mart

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Re: Antique glass cats?
« Reply #8 on: July 28, 2012, 12:07:51 pm »
Hi Wendy !!  Glad you got in on this one !!

wendy177

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Re: Antique glass cats?
« Reply #9 on: July 28, 2012, 12:10:09 pm »
Hey Mart  ;) 

wendy177

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Re: Antique glass cats?
« Reply #10 on: July 28, 2012, 12:18:41 pm »
Ok here is your large cat it was made By Viking per say 
http://www.vikingartglass.com/article-pf.php?article_id=13
 :)
« Last Edit: July 28, 2012, 12:31:02 pm by wendy177 »

KC

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Re: Antique glass cats?
« Reply #11 on: July 28, 2012, 12:36:07 pm »
Ditto what Mart said....glad to see ya Wendy177.
I'm from the South - but please don't mistake my Southern Manners/Accent/Charm as a weakness!

wendy177

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Re: Antique glass cats?
« Reply #12 on: July 28, 2012, 12:38:09 pm »
Thanks KC  ;)  Nice to be back!

Thor

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Re: Antique glass cats?
« Reply #13 on: July 28, 2012, 08:37:14 pm »
Glad Wendy IDed the 8" Viking cat.  Another place you can see a picture of it is in Dean Six's book "Viking Glass 1944-1970" on page 31.  It was catalog #1322 and produced in the 1960s and possibly into the early 70s.  The color looks like their amber; however, if it was "honey" it was produced between 61-68.

Thanks for sharing the picture. 

ironintofire

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Re: Antique glass cats?
« Reply #14 on: July 30, 2012, 05:10:32 pm »
Thank you very much Wendy! That was extremely helpful! I'll have to look for a copy of the book mentioned by Thor, are there copies circulating via the internet in a PDF style format? I'm certain I could locate a hard copy of it, at least long enough to peruse through, but I'll also look to see if I can find one online.

Edit: Here are several more pictures I took of the blue glass cat, hopefully these will be more beneficial.

« Last Edit: July 30, 2012, 05:33:47 pm by ironintofire »