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collection. This should be informed by both the price and availability of any particular type of glass. There can be little more frustrating than having a sum of money put aside to expand your glass collection, only to find nothing to buy. Finally, and most delicately, you need to study the amount of money you are going to have to invest in new acquisitions. At one end of the spectrum you can find some examples starting at less than £50, whilst at the other extreme you can expect to pay £10,000 and higher for highly rated and rare pieces of glass. So obviously the cost of a particular type of glass can be a very important consideration indeed.
Condition is also a very important factor and although it would be nice if each piece of glass in your collection were a perfect example, the reality is often far different. As a general rule of thumb, you should expect and accept fair wear and tear, after all the glass from this period can often be heavy, relatively old and indeed initially functional.
attracted architects and artists such as Carlo Scarpa, Fulvia Bianconi, and Gio Ponti to Murano.
Scarpa was considered the Frank Lloyd Wright of glass, which is to say that he injected modernism into the look of this traditional medium. After Scarpa left Venini in the 1940s to devote himself to architecture, his son, Tobia, joined the firm. Bianconi took his background as an illustrator and applied it to glass, using the emphatic forms produced by Venini’s glassblowers as armatures for his witty explorations of colour – patchworks, horizontal stripes and polka dots were particular favourites.
Ponti was an architect by training, but Venini brought out the painter in him. For Venini, he designed flared vases constructed of nothing but multi-coloured lengths of cane, or bottles wrapped in frilly spirals to suggest the lines of a skirt. Even his most ostensibly conservative pieces contained colourful twists, such as a bulbous-bottomed bottle whose body is perfectly bisected by a shift from red to green.
WHERE TO START. . .
There are several criteria to reflect on when first considering collecting in any field, but especially Art Glass. Firstly and most importantly DO YOU LIKE THE PIECE? Far too many people fall into the trap of buying the name rather than viewing a piece of glass as an individual item.
You may want to collect glass from a specific period in time, or glassware produced by a particular designer or company. Before starting out it may be advisable to find out how easy it is to find the sort of glass you want to incorporate into your
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You may not ever consider putting a bunch of daffodils in your glorious new vase, but rest assured there might well have been a time when it did hold flowers. Water damage, scaling or sickness, is one of the glass collectors worst enemies. Although a small amount may be acceptable, heavy staining is most definitely not. A scaled vase is almost impossible to clean. In contrast, scratching and fine wear to the base is not only to be expected, but can provide a good indication that an item of glass is genuine. Whilst some exterior damage may be acceptable, try to steer clear of examples of glass with serious scratches or chips. Although such items are sometimes restorable and it may be worthwhile having the work done, it can be an expensive and time-consuming job, with no guarantees of success.
Finally, and most importantly, enjoy the time you spend both learning and collecting and you will develop a collection of glass that will not only give you pride and pleasure, but also a great potential for future profit. After all, 20th century design is the field with the biggest proven growth area in the entire antique and collecting market.
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BUYERS GUIDE I TAL IAN GLAS S
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