Any ideas on this vase please

Just wondering if anyone can point me in right direction with this blue/green vase, it also feature s a gold fleck. 15cms tall x 8 cms diameter on rim it has what i understand is called a polished pontil mark?on the base. Thanks for any help John

It's by Mdina (Malta) a textured vase circa 1970 ish so an early piece of theirs (could even be late 60s when Michael Harris was still there but I'd have to double check that). Certainly the polished pontil is an early indicator for Mdina - more often they've got just flat polished bases with a Mdina signature. These blues & yellows are fairly typical for Mdina and said to have been inspired by the Mediterranean.

Very nice!

Here's a link to our Mdina thread FYI

http://www.20thcenturyforum.com/european-international-glass-f45/mdina-malta-t3816.htm?highlight=mdina

Thanks so much for the quick response, is some Mdina unsigned? I thought it was usually signed.

It is usually , but I have had a couple unsigned, but they were deffo Mdina

my brother in law collects Mdina I think he said most are unsigned but I may have misunderstood

vanmann wrote:Thanks so much for the quick response, is some Mdina unsigned? I thought it was usually signed.

Most is signed (flat bases - no pontil) but the earlier stuff with a polished pontil tends not to be signed. If you're into Mdina there are a couple of good reference books I can recommend if you want the nitty gritty details re: base finishes, signatures, shapes & dates etc.

Is the gold flecking fairly typical of Mdina as I seem to have seen it before

Yes - it's yellow rather than gold. Look at the photos of some of my greeny blue pieces posted in the Mdina thread I gave you a link for up above - the yellow streaks are evident (click to get close ups) particularly in one of the carafes.

Here you go - look at this - this is from the same range as your square textured vase.

http://www.servimg.com/image_preview.php?i=308&u=11951114

thanks Pip, I am so impressed with this forum. it really is a very friendly, helpful community. An enormous help to beginners.

You're welcome - am so pleased you're finding it useful :)

The yellow is silver chloride salts, which cause various colour effects in combination with different coloured glass and iridescence if at the surface