Jo man looks at this stunning pressed glass vase in amber by that master Frantisek Vizner for the Sklo Union group.He worked and designed for several glass companies producing loads of stunning designs.
Each time i handle this vase it shows another side and as the photograph suggests its full of movement and seems to twist and turn showing off its unusual design.Certainly one of my favorites and have several in two different colors....amber and clear glass with different sizes.Zurich was top of the list in Switzerland in buying Sklo Union designs and are rather prolifically found in the city and the reason why i state this is that after a years of travelling around Switzerland i have only ever found one outside Zurich.
Now get this as this piece can weigh up to 1.8kg so many dealers or simply those who lay their hands on this piece call it Murano or second guess at Scandinavian and accordingly ask a hefty price.Is it worth that price....oh for sure but they are getting a price for two years hence and donot know the real source.One chap that i had told that it was Czech pressed glass told me that i was totally wrong as 30 years ago when he was in Murano and he had purchased it from the glass factory there.Each one of them swear blind that their mothers or they had purchased these items at the source....whats wrong with these people.So now i walk around with my favorite book tucked under my arm and ready to pounce on those misguided people and actualy show them that they are talking nonsense.
Some how i have become so enfatuated with the Sklo Union designs and would love all that want to learn and find examples to get a copy of this book.......New Book
I have the new guide to Sklo Union up and running and show all the examples i have found thus far which by the way has been great fun....so i have paid a heavy price for some and others at a next to nothing price....thats what happens when u get in on the act on the bottom of the rung.As this experience grows there is always something to buy and one never gets bored as there are so many designs out there....have a look at the guide.....

The next passion is hot worked pieces by some of the great designers and these tend to be quite expensive as once again their attribution is totally wrong and carries a Murano price tag and a designer on top of that....aargh!!Later on i will be cataloging these which are an absolute delight...so stay tuned as it takes a lot of time and hard work....but hey i am loving it....every moment of it.
Wishing u all the fun in a new search!
Visit the shop-..............[url=http://www.antiques-international.ch/ new=true]Shopping
New guide Sklo Union.....New Guide

A great surprise ...for me that is...in finding this Duck tureen and cover by the famous Eva Zeisel
who is still designing at an age of 100years plus....amazing lady one would say as her designs are selling like hot cakes.
Living in the U.S.A after emigrating from Austria many years ago...all is told in the following link and a good read.She did spend time in prison for treason and was expelled to Austria and then left for the U.S.A will the megre sum of some 60 dollars.Just great to read the life story of a lady who set all aside and made history and attained such high respect for her designs.Eva Zeisel

The tureen shown has never been seen before and is very unusual although it has a small crack it is in very good condition and i would reckon a great collectors item....find another!!

The Schramberg designs are all so great and to Google her one will find some of her early designs
which are striking.This tureen is on ebay at the moment and at a very fair price.
Duck Tureen

Well we have spring truly showing its freshness and splash of colors and ...yeah...a lot warmer weather...one street nearby has rows of Pink Japanese blossoms forming an archway...truly beautiful and looking just ...so gay.The petals strewn on the ground forming a spectacular carpet for the best of the best Princesses trotting along in their golden slippers....ok so i have got carried away and why not its spring „Fever“.
So the new tunnel has opened.....long awaited...and now the serious road works start once again and in Kreis 3 there will be major changes to some of the main throughfare roads.
My attention is set on Birmensdorferstrasse which runs past my shop and here is the attraction....with cars speeding past the road has some major potholes which have been repaired three times this year but still there is a constant....tick ...tick...klonk ...klonk against my windows as the cars are throwing up small stones contantly and when it rains the puddles form and my windows are splattered with mud....nice!!
Where was I...oh we were going to show two examples of Highland cattle....both stunning pieces and very much in demand.The links to these artists are the same as the previous blog.
The bulbrous shape vase has heavy gold gilding(tooling) and is masterly crafted.The other has some light gold gilt but just as nice as the other.

These examples i have owned for over twenty years and just cant seem to part with them.Now living in Switzerland makes them all the more reason to keep as i am surrounded with cows of a different ilk.

Where to next....at this stage i am not sure but may i suggest you visit the new Sklo Union Gallery ..the link is here.Reference library....and all these pieces are not for sale at the moment...but who knows...some stunning designer items.....alll in all about 300 pieces and lots more to be listed.
It has been an absolute pleasure hunting down this collection....all these items were purchased on a shoe string budget with many hours of searching....and i am sure that in the years to come the market prices will certainly go much..... much higher.Why not get on the rung now whilst these prices are not prohibitive.....collectibles of the future.
Please do visit us at 201 Birmensdorferstrasse keris 3 Zurich or vist the website
Website

Once again we are with the Royal Worcester factory and shwing two examples of the stunning work by its artists.The plates featured are beautifully painted and the first one shows the exceedingly high quality of the subject and the heavily embossed gold tooling giving substantail weight to the article.

The subject being Cathederals by Rushton and several scenes were produced and highly sought after.By far the gilding on this piece is superb and delights the eye where others have a gilded border these are particularly masterpieces.
A link to the painter and his times with the Royal Worcester factory can be found here....
Artist info
The next example is by the renowned artist Stinton depicting castle scenes and the border is once again gilded but not as heavily as the previous example.Here one can note that plates that have a full decoration are more sought after than those who may have a small central decoration.
The quality once again is of a high standard and here is the link to the painter and his life span with the factory.Artist info

I have 7 such plates and they are each a joy as they show just how fine and detailed the artist was in the execution of the subject.
The last entry for Royal Worcester will show the highland cattle by different artists and they in theirselves are quite astonishing that it seems to come to life.My passion with this company has spanned twenty odd years and at this stage am a little bit sad about selling some of the most celebrated pieces over the years.Well i have to eat i guess and also its a delight in passing some of these on to other collectors.
Next week i willl post the highland cattle and then a new subject to follow and i hope u will vist agin to find other treasures in the shop.Searching for something special...? ask and i hope that i can be of assistance and who knows what the back cupboard may bring forth.
If you happen to be in Zurich....why not visit the ...Golden Frog...201 Birmensdorferstrasse Kreis 3 and that is near Goldbrunnenplatz where we have a wide selection of goodies to delight the heart and here i must add....all at affordable prices.
Also visit the shop here.....shop

As promised here are two views of fruit painters from the Royal Worcester factory and i am sure that u will see the big difference yet both are super pieces.
The first image is that by Richard Seabright who was the best fruit painter of his time and is highly regarded by those who collect Royal Worcester painted wares.The vase is signed.."Seabright" and is in perfect condition.
Many years ago this piece was offered to me by a dealer who knew i had a keen interest in Royal Worcester painted wares and i was delighted as for many years i searched for a piece by him but could not afford the asking price.This one was not cheap but then i remember that i had a good sale and promptly bought this exquiste piece and its been in my cupboard for the last twenty years.

and also a link to the Worcester site....read all about him.Richard Seabright
The second piece i had bought 7 years later and had to have it as a comparison to the other and standing together the Seabright piece shines through.This one is by Harry Ayrton and here is the linkH.ayrton fruit painter

If interested in these celebrated artists there is a lot to be found but....but...at a price after all its only money and as a good friend of mine...Mrs.D.Ryan would say....shrouds donot have pockets so spend it Norman.Her words always come back to remind me of the goods i bought and the then high prices comapred todays prices....well it has proven to be having gold in the bank.
Where in the world can i get 7000% over the last 20 years...certainly not with Madoff...as i still have my investment...and its safe from those fat greedy and gruby old men.So then yeah i would not even at that time buy shares or trust bank affairs...i put all my money into top end goods and it has paid off huge dividends.I trust what i see and have and delight in its beauty and also its GREEN...nothing new....no trees cut no polllution...buying old enhances ones Karma.
Enough of what i think....and i will show a few Highland Cattle pieces next week by some of the top painters...all so exciting pulling these out of the back cupboard after so many years.Perhaps its also time that i offer them on the market....and see where my big mouth is.
Have fun and do visit "The Golden Frog" 201 Birmensdorferstrasse Kreis 3 Zurich for a large collection of porcealin ceramics and scandinavian collectibles...079 304 6892 i am only a call away.
Visit the shop in the mountains....Shop

Spring has arrived and one can see green shoots and blossoms covering the landscape with white and yellow being the predominant colors.Early morning one is woken by the fast river running under the bedroom window and to the happy chirping of the smaller birds which are flitting from branch to branch.Flooding back memories of a fine porcelain artist who captured these magnificant creatures in still life form on Royal Worcester porcelain some 60 years ago.The Stinton family was rather extensive and of the generations many worked for the Royal Worcester factory creating master pieces which are highly desirable today.
To be able to share with u a few images from the famous Stinton faimly who painted for the Royal Worcester factory dating 1846 through to 1968 is a pleasure as they were all masters of their craft.Stinton history in full
John Stinton senior was the first of the family painters who specialised in landscapes with figures.
Then the three sons....John Junior Walther and James who all worked at the Royal Worcester factory where they were known as the trinity as early morning they could be found all together in the painting room.
We start with James Stinton who worked at the factory from an early age and then retired in 1951 he painted game birds....and specialised in pheasants on the ground or flying.Also grouse was a popular subject he liked painting.As with all the brothers they also painted in watercolors.

Here we have a plate of a Cole-Tit all hand painted and signed by the artist.These plates are very desirable and fetch a tidy sum


Next week i will share a different image and details of the other brothers who had done stunning work.This plate is for sale and enquiries are welcome.