Sunday, September 30, 2012

Going Greek


A scavo glass piece in the classical Greek Urn style, signed by Alfredo Rosi, Murano, c.1980. A battle scene decorates one side while a Grecian Goddess figure and Greek Key motif dons the other side. Black glass, with the most subtle opalescent hue - not to mention that distinct 'just-dug-up' texture.
16" tall

Saturday, September 29, 2012

Hole in One-of-Kind

Just flown in from the West Coast - our latest acquisition is the work of our sole contemporary artist, sculptor BJ Las Poñas. Another example of his singular approach to modern sculpture...Bronze and Copper Welded panels with a striking blue/green patina. Dramatic in scale at 54" tall with a 16" foot at the base. His mid-century leanings are always there, but his unique hand is evident in all his works.

Friday, September 28, 2012

Effervescent Glass

The term 'Soda Glass' is sometimes used, but a more elegant descriptor is the Italian word Pulegoso. Too many bubbles to be mere 'Bullicante', this is a rare example of a Seguso Vetri D'arte lamp from the 1950s...in a gorgeous olive green. Check out the mind-boggling display of seemingly billions of bubbles captured in the photo below.
30" (with shade)

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Architectural Accessories

A stunning set of three geometric objects for the table top. White ceramic forms in strikingly simple shapes, made in Italy in the 60s by Mancioli for Raymor. This is the kind of decoration could mix well in either a traditional home or in a modern space as well.
9.5", 10", 13"

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Emerald City

At 3' tall, this towering vision in emerald green ties as the tallest piece of Empoli cased glass we have ever seen. The giant stopper itself (below) is what makes it so monumental - a real statement piece!

Monday, September 24, 2012

Ultra-Cool Compote

Blood orange in color with gilded sgraffito...grand in scale at 9" tall and 10.5" wide. Bitossi, 1950s

Sunday, September 23, 2012

Funky Cool Mdina

Another masterwork for the Mdina Glass Studio from the 70s. Notice the signature gold, brown, and teal globular interior juxtaposed with the circular 4 cut and polished surfaces. Organic and geometric at once. Signed and dated 1975.
8" tall

Saturday, September 22, 2012

Optical Allusion

The term cut crystal vase brings to mind, perhaps, a Victorian era wedding present. Not in this case! Orrefors created pieces with great modernist lines and optical effects. That is why we love this tall (10" with a 7.5" diameter) object of magnifying magnificence!  UPDATE: Originally designed in Sweden 1931, we believe this is a reissue from the 1970s. From a kind reader...This is the vase "Thousand windows" by Simon Gate... "Tusen fönster" in Swedish.

Friday, September 21, 2012

Another German Giant

Because size really does matter...another oversized vessel from the West German pottery factory Carstens. Almost as wide as it is tall...19" x 17"!

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Greek God

A 1950's reproduction of an Ancient Greek bronze of the great God Poseidon. Heavily patinated and sitting on a marble base, this is a mid-century take on antiquity - at its very best. There's a reason why classical never goes out of style.
10" tall

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Our Latest Hang-up

A ceramic plaque from the German studio of Helmut Friedrich Schäffenacker, circa 1950. An abstract, almost Picasso-esque, approach to bottles and stemware.
16" high, 6" at its widest

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Glossy Glass

Late last spring a wonderful opportunity to be a part of fashion history occurred when renown set designer Steve Halterman and prop stylist Meghan Czerwinski came into our shop to borrow our fancy glass wares for a fashion spread in the premiere issue of Carine Roitfeld's much buzzed about "CR Fashion Book".  I was lucky enough to assist on the shoot, which was themed around Elsa Peretti and shot on-location at Halston's storied Manhattan townhouse. Above center left is a vintage Seguso silver leaf vase, center right a Swedish mercury glass lamp and smoky grey glass bowl. Bottom shot is the actual Seguso bowl as featured on the coffee table. CR Fashion Book is on newsstands now.

Photo credits from CR Fashion Book:  Bruce Weber (cover), Kacper Kasprzyk (editorial)

Monday, September 17, 2012

Graphic Gilding

A very mod moment in German porcelain. Surprisingly, these seemingly similar pieces are all from a variety of Bavarian factories.
l to r: 8", 8.5", 10", 7"

Sunday, September 16, 2012

Gorgeous Gem

Faceted bowls are a mainstay with us...and this version is a fantastic fall-colored find. Layers of rust and amber seem to float in a clear prism. A nice chunk of heavy Murano glass, very masculine.
4.5" tall, 8" wide

Saturday, September 15, 2012

Textured Trio

If you're looking for texture, you can't do much better than German studio pottery from the 50's and 60's. The tallest chocolate brown piece in particular has a gorgeous cork-like surface quality. The green and teal treasure has a great floating box design, while the back left vessel is a series of free-form ovals and grids. All are wonderfully rutty and grand in scale.
l to r: 19", 22", 24"

Friday, September 14, 2012

Good Geode

Layered glass polished to a flat surface in the manner of a natural gem stone. In nature they are sedimentary structures formed from volcanic rock. In our world, they are created on the Italian Isle of Murano. This rare example is a muted masterpiece of taupe, grey, and even a hint of plum at its center... from the "Alabastro" line by Archimede Seguso, 1950s

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Deco-Rate

Imposing figures these...French Art Deco sculptures created in the 1920s from white metal (mixed alloys) and cold painted in a "bronze" patina. Classical in their masculine representations of strength, industry, and quite simply a celebration the male form. Grand in scale, the top measures 19" in width and 18" tall, the bottom 29" wide and 24" tall.

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Hold a Candle to These

These three two-toned 1960s Murano glass candlesticks are by Antonio Daros for Cenedese. Sold as a set, in a array of eye-pleasing shades from chartreuse to teal to turquoise and aqua-blue.
heights range from 10"- 9"-7"

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Dog Days/Dog Rose

A 'Dog Rose' motif from Gerold Porzellan, Bavaria, 1950s. A lovely design for the tail end of these dog days of summer. Ivory porcelain with an almost pointailist quality to the floral transfer and finished nicely with genuine gold trim.
13"

Monday, September 10, 2012

Back to Pompeii

Two newly acquired vintage pieces from a line called "Pompeji" designed by Fabius von Gugel for Hutschenreuther in 1964.
The tray measures 13" x 9" while the lidded jar is 11.5" tall

Sunday, September 9, 2012

Autumnal Art

This large and lovely ceramic wall plaque has an earthy quality, perfect for the pending fall season.  Marked Staatliche Majolika Manufactur Karlruhe. As far as wall hangings go, this is a substantial piece of hand made pottery! And as anyone in the still sweltering NYC can attest, the chilly change of weather is a welcome theme.
16.5" x 16"

Saturday, September 8, 2012

Twists & Turns

This piece feels very Fratelli Toso to me, with its the literal melding of individual rods of glass to form a wholly new bowl. A spectacular multicolored display is the result.
12" at its widest, 4" tall

Friday, September 7, 2012

German Giant

This moody mottled ceramic floor vase stands an impressive 2' tall and 16" wide. Drippy multi-tonal matte brown with pops of orange glazed spots. Made by Germany's Karlsruher Majolika factory, 1960.

Thursday, September 6, 2012

Dotted Pod

Matte white porcelain on a grand scale (18") from the West German factory Heinrich, circa 1960s. Perhaps a modern interpretation of the natural sea urchin form (sans spines, of course). On the other hand, there is a real futuristic feel to it...like some sort of just-arrived alien pod.

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Bachelor Silver

Called a "Bachelor Set" when its a coffee service for one, this singular beauty is a silver plated coffee pot, creamer, and sugar. Designed by Eric Flemming for the Swedish company G.A.B. , 1950s. The  wooden details are ebony...dark - like I like my coffee!
The pot stands 7" tall

*Note: G.A.B. stands for Goldsmedjarnas Aktiebolag

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

3-by-Barovier

Small enough to hold in your palm, but hardly insignificant. Why am I craving a barista-made cappuccino right now? Murano, 1950s
Each heart shaped glass bowl measures around 3-4"

*note - 4 available

Sunday, September 2, 2012

Winning Horse

One of the rarer forms of the Bitossi ceramic horse from the 50s, made for import by Rosenthal Netter. Does the absence of the entire leg suggest a carousel horse? A lighter turquoise than the typical Rimini Blue tells me this may in fact be an early iteration of the equine figurine.
12" x 9"


Saturday, September 1, 2012

Splatter Glass

We delve into the "New Wave" decade with this piece circa 1980, from an Italian artist named Luigi Mellara. It's as if Jackson Pollock were alive and working in molten glass.
Monumental and a great sculptural centerpiece. 
8" tall and 10" in diameter.