A Glass Painter’s Goblet – A Rare 19th Century Discovery

Antiques expert Mark Hill examines a rare 19th century German or Bohemian enamelled glass painter’s advertising or promotional goblet.

Is This The Earliest Commercial Iridescent Glass?

In 2013, I wrote a blog post on the origins of iridescent glass. Despite credit usually going to the hugely successful Art Nouveau iridescent glass produced by Tiffany and Loetz from the 1890s onwards, the origins of iridescent glass actually date back to 1856 and a Hungarian chemist and technician called Leo Valentin Pantocek. You […]

But it doesn’t even look like glass! Sèvres Lithyalin.

Sevres Lithyalin Vase

You’ll no doubt know that I’m a more of 20th century boy in terms of my personal collecting habits. My tastes are much broader, however, but even I was a little surprised when I bought the piece below from my friends the top French and Bohemian art glass dealers M&D Moir at the always-amazing Battersea […]

Fake Tiffany. Don’t Always Trust Marks!

Fake Tiffany Glass Vase

Fake Tiffany glass? Real Tiffany glass? A little while ago, I picked up this delightful small iridescent art glass vase in an antiques store in Atlanta, Georgia. I’ve always been a fan of American Arts & Crafts iridescent glass and, at $70 (£52), it was within my budget. Turning it over, I was delighted to […]

Sam Herman – An Early Work – Vase No.73

Sam Herman Glass Vase

BBC antiques and design expert Mark Hill looks at the work of the internationally renowned pioneer studio glass artist Sam Herman in light of a recent discovery.

An Art Deco Glass Vase – But Who Made It?

Stevens Williams Art Deco Glass Vase English Made Fleur de lis

Sometimes we don’t know what it is. Well, actually, it’s obvious what it is – a glass vase. With an Art Deco pattern. The more astute of you will know that it was firstly mould blown, with hot-worked green swirls being then applied. It was then acid-etched with an Art Deco floral and foliate pattern […]

Ludwig Hohlwein Design Enamelled Glass

Ludwig Hohlwein Glass

Ludwig Hohlwein (1874-1949) is one of the most celebrated and successful poster artists of the early 20th century. Renowned for his use of flat, interlocking planes of bold, contrasting colours with sharply defined forms, he reached the height of his skills from c1912-25. He trained in Munich as an architect, but moved into poster design […]

Michael Harris’ ‘Fish’ – The Earliest Example Yet?

Michael Harris Fish Vase Mdina Glass

An examination of an early Fish vase designed and made by Michael Harris and made at the Royal College Of Art, London, therefore before those made at Mdina Glass.

Who Made My Victorian Epergne?

I can’t resist a bargain, so when I saw this small epergne on a market stand in Hampstead for £10, I reached for my wallet. The detail of the pewter base is wonderful, being made up of three swans with outstretched wings on a base of lily leaves and branches evoking a pond. A group […]