Antique Silver and Art Glass for Collectors
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Glass
Collectible Art glass. Some of my first pieces of Art
glass were from Italy, where I used to go on holiday in my teens. A Murano glass
clown, still alive, but a bit damaged here and there and a heart-shaped Sommerso
bowl. I never should have bought that one as it was from that moment that I
truly lost my heart to Art Glass. My collection does have an enormous amount of
Italian Murano art glass, but once you start, your eyes open for many more
styles and makers. My kitchen is full of Art Deco glassware, even the lighting.
I themed the different rooms in my house as I like so many different types of
glass.............(more)...................
Collectible Antique Silver. The designs of silver changed
dramatically from the 17th century, famed for its' austerity, to the elaborate
and highly decorative Victorian period although the majority of early antique
silver was sadly recycled as nobody thought to protect it for prosperity. Much
of it was turned into coin or melted down and made into new items. Collecting
antique silver started in earnest around the mid 19th Century. Today with the
advent of the Internet, it's much easier to find sources of antique silver than
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Tips and advice on collecting antique silver and art glass.
The first consideration is condition bearing in mind the age and scarcity of the
object as in the case of Medici porcelain where just one plate, even with
damage, could fetch as much as £25,000.00. Unique antiques may have some damage
which would have to be acceptable in the absence of other options. Victorian
antiques are more available than Georgian antiques which are in turn more
available than Queen Anne, Jacobean or Elizabethan items. As a rule of thumb
older pieces are more scarce than more recent pieces, but with unique items, age
makes little difference as long as the item in question is collectable and
desirable. For example, silverware made by Archibald Knox for Liberty & Co or
Christopher Dresser’s silver designs for Hukin and Heath would be welcome in
most silver collections, and likewise, art glass from the island of Murano, with designs by Italian glass
masters like Dino Martens and Archimedes Seguso who are no longer with us but
created wonderful pieces into the second half of the 20th Century. With regard
to condition of antiques, it’s a good idea to carry a jewellers eye glass for
close inspection of silver hallmarks, splits etc. Feeling the rims and bases of
art glass items can indicate the presence of small chips which often can’t be
seen by eye. Do this carefully as an injury could be caused when a chip is
present.
The second consideration should be the makers name, as items by famous
silversmiths and glass artists are most collectable. With old Georgian and
Victorian silver, the
hallmark or assay mark serve as proof of purity, age, area of origin and maker.
Beware of items with "ghosting" which is the practice of removing an area of
silver containing the hallmark, from one piece and incorporating it into
another. Breathing on the area will show up the perimeter of the inserted
section even if it’s been expertly polished, for one thing the natural patina is
hard to replicate. Art glass is different in that most pieces are seldom marked.
Some glass will be a signed, which can be verified using specialist glass books
showing example signatures of famous makers (see the art glass information page
for books). Mostly, art glass is identified by the definitive style of the
master glass designers and this can only be learned from pictures, seeing, and
touching the articles. Go to museums, exhibitions and antique fairs whenever
possible. When art glass is difficult to identify precisely, the item is often
attributed to one maker or another because of a distinctive style.
The third consideration is price. Comparison of similar items will help to
determine if the price is acceptable. In the case of a rare or even unique piece
of art glass or antique silver, one should consider the overall picture as a
comparison may not be available, and the only guide is to either decide how
desirable the object is and consider budgets or get a second opinion and
valuation from an expert, the cost of which could save you a great deal. When
buying art glass and antique silver, it’s quite acceptable to request pictures
and other information you feel is relevant to your research.
In conclusion, the more you learn about art glass, antique silver or antiques in
general, the better your collection will become. The best tool in the box is
research followed by experience, followed by more research ad infinitum.
If you're thinking about buying or selling art online, visit The Fine Art
Gallery at www.gallery-worldwide.com who cater for
art in different styles and media and showcase work by new and established
artists.
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