Antique Opaline and Enamel Vases with Floral Motifs

A pair of antique enamel decorated opaline vases, plus other,…
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A pair of antique enamel decorated opaline vases, plus other, 19th to early 20th century, baluster vases with flowers and grasses in muted colours picked out in gilt on an olive ground, and a turquoise crackle Bohemian type glass jar with a dome top and conical handle, decorated with white enamel flora, height 34 cm, and smaller

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  • Opalescent / Opaline - The descriptions of glass as "opalescent" or "opaline" are often used interchangeably by dealers and auction houses. At the upper end of the scale, opalescent / opaline glass can refer to the opal-like milky blue glass produced by Lalique and Etling. It also refers to the pressed glass mass produced in Britain from the 1840s with a milky white edge as sugar-basins, milk jugs and vases were made in great quantities for the mass market, and were sold at fairs along with Staffordshire figures and wooden dolls. A less common type of opalescent glass was made from two layers of glass blown into a mould.
  • Crackling and Crackle as a Decorative Technique - Crackle, also known as crackling, is a decorative technique that has been used in China for centuries. It is believed to have originated during the Song Dynasty (960?1279 AD) and was primarily used in the production of ceramics, lacquerware, and furniture. The crackling effect was achieved by applying a glaze or lacquer that was formulated to crack during firing, creating a crackled pattern on the surface of the item.

    During the Ming Dynasty (1368?1644 AD), crackle became a highly sought-after decorative technique, and it was used to create intricate and beautiful designs on ceramics and lacquer ware.

    In Western decorative arts, crackle / crackling came into use during the Art Nouveau movement in the late 19th and early 20th century. The crackling effect was used to create a sense of movement and fluidity in the design of Art Nouveau pieces.

    It was also used in the 1920s and 1930s during the Art Deco movement.
  • Baluster (glass) - An architectural term for a column in a balustrade or staircase.

    When used to describe glass, it can either refer to the shape of the stem of a wine glass, being slender above and pear shaped below, or the shape of the whole vessel, usually a vase. In fact the baluster shape is often described as being vase-like.

    The description of a vase as being of baluster shape covers a wide variety of shapes that often bear no resemblance to the original architectural form.

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