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Fine Glass, Paperweights and British Ceramics

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Lot 12

A rare Venetian or façon de Venise vase or reliquary, 17th century

1 December 2021, 10:30 GMT

London, Knightsbridge

Sold for £5,737.50 inc. premium

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A rare Venetian or façon de Venise vase or reliquary, 17th century

Of shouldered ovoid form, with a plain collar around the neck, the shoulder with a grooved band, applied with two clear glass twisted and coiled scrolled handles with pincered crests modelled as serpents, with eyes in bright turquoise glass, the shoulder applied with two satyr mask prunts, one to each side, set on a ribbed hollow knop with traces of gilding set between collars, on a spreading foot folded at the rim, 22.5cm high

Footnotes

Provenance
Piero Toso Collection, Murano
With Sheppard and Cooper Ltd
Private British Collection

Literature
'Recent Important Acquisitions', Journal of Glass Studies, vol.13 (1971), p.141, no.39

A larger reliquary attributed to the late 16th or early 17th century which is virtually identical in every respect to the example in the present lot is in the Museo del Vetro di Murano (inv. no.Cl VI n.02929). Glasses of similar shape have been variously attributed to Venice. The form is inspired by vessels from Classical antiquity and variations of the shape in glass can be found in Italian art from the 16th and 17th centuries. Although probably made as reliquaries, still life paintings from the early 17th century show vessels of similar form without decoration containing wine.

Additional information

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