$44 auction glass purchase turns out to be one of my best buys ever.

[inspectorgadget]

Bought this ultra rare 1925 Fenton early off-hand vase slightly iridized in antique green (uranium glass) with red hearts & vines. I had no idea who made it nor value when I bought it but I have since learned what it is & just how rare it is... Value is between $3000 & $5000. Worthpoint turns up a piece that sold in 2012 for $3500 in the same color combo. I don't have worthpoint but someone sent me a pic from their search. I am ecstatic with this buy! $44 + tax, was an outright steal!

 

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[tamrock]

Very very Nice!.... That would have diffidently caught my eye, as I can see it is a beautiful old piece. It's not every time I need to see a signature on old glass such as paperweights and other art glass pieces. I wonder though, would I have gone with the 44 bucks on it? I know I wouldn't have thought of Fenton making it. Your a collector am I right? or is it going out for sale??

 

[inspectorgadget]

Very very Nice!.... That would have diffidently caught my eye, as I can see it is a beautiful old piece. It's not every time I need to see a signature on old glass such as paperweights and other art glass pieces. I wonder though, would I have gone with the 44 bucks on it? I know I wouldn't have thought of Fenton making it. Your a collector am I right? or is it going out for sale??

Yes I collect uranium glass so I bought it to keep & would have gone up to the $100 or so range on it. I was thinking or hoping in a sense that it was Durand but also figured Imperial & Dugan were possibilities. Also wouldn't have been surprised if it were Bohemian, Kralik to be exact. Turned out to be every bit as good if not better than Durand! I see a whole lot of glass & it is often hard to tell the difference between the old & some of the newer modern glass houses like Orient & Flume & numerous others (so many I can't count them all). But don't think old always means more valuable! Just look at Martha's Vineyard glassworks for example.. Susan Shapiro | Some of their artists make some expensive glass. Daum & Lalique are others that make ultra high dollar glass, some pieces sell new in the $25K+ range.

That all said I would certainly entertain offers on it & have received a few offers already. There is a huge glass convention here where I live next fall & it would bring a premium at it which might be what I do? Who knows? Its just hard to imagine turning a $3500+ offer on an 11.5" glass vase I paid less than $50 for.

 

[silverdollarbill]

Congrats...Amazing find....I know nothing about glass. Have to do some research.

 

[diggummup]

My first thought wouldn't have been Fenton either. I have never personally seen an off hand piece of Fenton. That is a very beautiful piece of glass and a helluva find.

Interesting fact- Did you know that in 1925 at the end of the one year contract with the European Glassblowers, Fenton stopped production because the cost was too high for the times in the years prior to the great depression. They offered the unsold pieces to the employees for .50 a piece. I wonder how many were actually made and how many survive today? Well, one thing's for sure, we know this did! Congrats

 

[Tallone]

Wow! That's fantastic. I don't buy much glassware because I know so little about it but I would have been attracted to this piece on aesthetics alone. I doubt I would have spent more than $20 for it though.

 

[inspectorgadget]

My first thought wouldn't have been Fenton either. I have never personally seen an off hand piece of Fenton. That is a very beautiful piece of glass and a helluva find.

Interesting fact- Did you know that in 1925 at the end of the one year contract with the European Glassblowers, Fenton stopped production because the cost was too high for the times in the years prior to the great depression. They offered the unsold pieces to the employees for .50 a piece. I wonder how many were actually made and how many survive today? Well, one thing's for sure, we know this did! Congrats

Thanks digg!

I knew some that story digg, the 1925, european made, & just made 1 year because the cost was too high parts. Did not know anything about how the pieces were marketed or sold. I was told by a collector (well more than one) but one used the term "that is rarer than hens teeth" & he said he felt ill knowing what I paid for it. I have been offered $3500 for it & got that offer not 15 mins after I posted it on an Art glass collectors site.

This auction had a set of china from the same estate that I don't even remember what it was (wasn't paying attention) but it went for $2700+ 10%. I do know they had the original paperwork with it & it sold new in the early 70's for $2350. That is easily the most I've seen a set of china sell for at this place in 3-4 years. Also the same estate had a set of 6 St. Louis crystal goblets that went for $750+ 10%. There were 2 matching or very close to matching unusual clear with some type of mild pink pulled loop maybe? type of design vases. They called them unmarked Fenton & were sketchy about that & a couple who I talk to a lot & who buy a lot of Fenton got them for nothing ($10+ 10% for the pair) & I was torn because at that price it was easily worth a gamble & even at triple or four times that price you could have not lost as they were nice art glass vases that were also unusual in color. I don't bid against this couple & they don't bid against me so I was not going to bid them up thus why I was torn. Anyhow I still can't figure out what they were after coming home & trying to find something similar, so far nothing. The couple are resellers & have a booth at an antique mall so I'm trying to figure them out as they might not be able to either (or maybe they know exactly what they are & plan to make bank on them?) but if not then they might way underprice them at their booth & if so I will be on them if they are rare & have value.

I can't believe the lack of interest in the vase I bought, I mean I figured if it had any significant value someone would know & it would go for $100 or more. Or at least as much as I ran them up to. It was a huge auction too! Good thing is when it comes to unsigned glass, especially art glass, people are not as versed as they are with marked or signed glass. Marked 10-15 year old Fenton pieces were bringing as much as $50-$60 that were worth about $75 max. I hope they split this estate up & will be running more of it next week as they often do that with good estates.

Here is a pic of someone's rather large collection of this pattern, dunno if you came across it looking up info on the pattern & line.

 

[dejapooh]

Bought this ultra rare 1925 Fenton early off-hand vase slightly iridized in antique green (uranium glass) with red hearts & vines. I had no idea who made it nor value when I bought it but I have since learned what it is & just how rare it is... Value is between $3000 & $5000. Worthpoint turns up a piece that sold in 2012 for $3500 in the same color combo. I don't have worthpoint but someone sent me a pic from their search. I am ecstatic with this buy! $44 + tax, was an outright steal!

How did you do the research to find out what it was? It does not seem to have a stamp or any other indicators of who made it.

I've been collecting glass for about a year. I personally like Paperweights, but I've ended up with some vases, perfume bottles, candy dishes and so on. I don't want the other stuff, but when I am at a garage sale and I see something I like, and they want $1. I can't help myself. When my parents moved into an assisted living building, I was gifted all of my father's books (I've sold about $2000 on Amazon... I owe him a nice gift) and My mothers art glass. If anyone wants to trade glass, I will post some pictures... I am mainly looking for Paperweights that are quality made (not necessarily named).

I purchased a Lalique Vase at a garage sale from Moon Unit Zappa.... I love garage sales in Southern California. You never know who you will find... or what you will find.

 

[inspectorgadget]

How did you do the research to find out what it was? It does not seem to have a stamp or any other indicators of who made it.

I've been collecting glass for about a year. I personally like Paperweights, but I've ended up with some vases, perfume bottles, candy dishes and so on. I don't want the other stuff, but when I am at a garage sale and I see something I like, and they want $1. I can't help myself. When my parents moved into an assisted living building, I was gifted all of my father's books (I've sold about $2000 on Amazon... I owe him a nice gift) and My mothers art glass. If anyone wants to trade glass, I will post some pictures... I am mainly looking for Paperweights that are quality made (not necessarily named).

I purchased a Lalique Vase at a garage sale from Moon Unit Zappa.... I love garage sales in Southern California. You never know who you will find... or what you will find.

Lalique is always good to buy if its a deal! Some Lalique is ultra expensive brand new!

I belong to several glass collector sites that each deal in specific types of glass. EAPG, Victorian art glass, (any) art glass, Bohemian glass pre 1940, Vaseline glass collectors, Greentown glass collectors, Italian Murano glass collectors & a few others. I can get most pieces of unknown (to me) glass ID'd pretty fast on these sites. These sites have numerous experts who have been in the business for 50-60+ years & several members who have written books on specific types of glass.

I have purchased a lot of glass from these people (not exactly for cheap either) because I like owning pieces that were owned by serious collectors &/or dealers who wrote books & used the exact pieces I bought in pix for their book & a few that were & still are used on some online ID sites.

I also own several glass books & this vase & line can be found in the book Fenton Art Glass 1907-1939 by Whitmyer on page 106. Tho I never even looked in that book because I didn't suspect it to be a Fenton piece as I knew nothing about their rare 1925 off hand line.

I collect uranium glass mostly vaseline glass & preferably vaseline opalescent. Greentown, Davidson, Duncan, Hobbs & Brockunier vaseline/canary & especially their Rubina Verde stuff + their Amberina stuff, Early rarer Fenton uranium glass, The Fostoria Heirloom line from the 60's. I have a lot of green depression & pre WWII jadeite along with some uranium jade glass. And a few other types & makers. Oh I have plenty of Murano & a few Bohemian pieces such as Loetz, Kralik, Moser, Rindskopf & Pallme Konig. I have access or am able to get a lot of paperweights at local auctions (a lot of St. Claire ones) but also Murano ones & many others too. I don't think I have any glass paperweights now as they are usually easy fast sells if priced right.

 

[clovis97]

If I would have purchased that vase, thinking it was unique and unusual, I would have flipped it upside down, and found a goofy gold sticker on the bottom that read "Manufactured Exclusively for Pier One Imports, Made in China."

 

[inspectorgadget]

If I would have purchased that vase, thinking it was unique and unusual, I would have flipped it upside down, and found a goofy gold sticker on the bottom that read "Manufactured Exclusively for Pier One Imports, Made in China."

The Chinese are getting good but not quite that good.. In person it has unmistakeable quality that rivals the best of the best Bohemian, Durand, Steuben & even Tiffany types of glass. Many modern American glass houses can & do make pieces of this quality but the cost & thus the price is astronomical. Something like that from a new modern US glass house would prolly cost $500 minimum. If this were produced in China & sold at Pier 1 it would still cost several hundred dollars. Also the keychain UV light is very useful as the Chinese don't use much uranium in their glass so if uranium is used & detected by my light there is a real good chance it isn't Chinese.

 

[clovis97]

The Chinese are getting good but not quite that good.. In person it has unmistakeable quality that rivals the best of the best Bohemian, Durand, Steuben & even Tiffany types of glass. Many modern American glass houses can & do make pieces of this quality but the cost & thus the price is astronomical. Something like that from a new modern US glass house would prolly cost $500 minimum. If this were produced in China & sold at Pier 1 it would still cost several hundred dollars. Also the keychain UV light is very useful as the Chinese don't use much uranium in their glass so if uranium is used & detected by my light there is a real good chance it isn't Chinese.

You do know that I am kidding, right?

 

[inspectorgadget]

You do know that I am kidding, right?

No because some experts have been fooled by modern Chinese glass here of late so your assessment isn't far fetched at all. If you check places like Kohl's & TJ Max or similar type places the chinese glass they sell is quite nice stuff that can & does fool people.

 

[diggummup]

I do contract work for TJX, I'm in 20-30 different stores each year. I have seen some pretty good looking modern imports in there as well as Home Goods. Including a piece I already had once so... yes, some of the modern stuff can fool you. Luckily mine ended up being a modern Murano piece versus a Chinese one, so I was still able to make a couple dollars off of it.