A Loetz Vase of Unknown Decor

Every Loetz art glass piece has a form—its shape—and a decor—its surface decoration. A vase sold on October 15 by ACES Gallery of Stamford reportedly has been the property of a Briarcliff family for the past century and more, dating back very likely to the time of its original purchase. The vase has a characteristic Loetz organic form and art nouveau iridescent decor. That specific decor is almost certainly one of the Phänomen Gre. (for Phenomenon Genre) variety, but which one is apparently not documented.

Loetz
ACES Gallery listing accessed October 15, 2023 just six and a half minutes before the auction

https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/162070166_loetz-austria-art-glass-vase

Sold!

Note:  My online source for calling the decor an undocumented one is here.

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Acid-Etched Loetz Glass: Josef Hoffmann or Hans Bolek?

Sinuous vines and tendrils were frequent elements of the art nouveau period, while geometric forms are more reminiscent of the later art deco movement. It is not that common to see vine elements persisting in a geometric design, but Loetz had such a product line which seems to predate the actual art deco movement.

This particular acid-etched Loetz vase has a rare rose color. A Christie's auction listing from 2010 credits Josef Hoffmann with the design and gives the year as circa 1911. This just doesn't feel right. I have seen many similar vases designed by Hans Bolek. These are usually listed as circa 1915.

Loetz Rose Overlay Glass Goblet

 http://www.christies.com/LotFinder/lot_details.aspx?from=searchresults&intObjectID=5365269&sid=f9dd8d18-b053-4a8a-955b-c21523874f0f

Note the similarities with the following Loetz vase, c. 1915, which Christie's, the very same auction house, credited to Hans Bolek in an earlier 2007 sale:

Hans Bolek, Acid-Etched Loetz Vase, c. 1915

http://www.christies.com/lotfinder/lot/hans-bolek-an-acid-etched-vase-circa-19-4994695-details.aspx?from=searchresults&intObjectID=4994695&sid=f187aa34-2f47-4d9c-a8b3-8f2f9bc7a885

Note:  Can you believe it's been over a year since my last post concerning Loetz art glass? Me neither. The good news is you can still read it here.

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A Loetz Vase Mounted in Silver Plate

Loetz created exciting iridescent art glass during the art nouveau period. Here is a vase in yellow glass with an applied oilspot iridescent pattern. It bears a silver plate mounting.

A LOETZ IRIDESCENT GLASS VASE 

WITH SILVER PLATED MOUNTS BY ARGENTOR 

CIRCA 1900 

The yellow glass decorated with splashes of iridescence, in openwork Jugendstil mounts with four strap handles, stamped Argentor

10 in. (26 cm.) high 

Estimate 

£3,000 - £4,000
• ($4,854 - $6,472)
• May 22, 2012:  Unsold
• 
  
• Sale Information

Sale 6097 Lot 403
Christie's Interiors - Style & Spirit 
22 May 2012
London, South Kensington http://www.christies.com/lotfinder/lot/a-loetz-iridescent-glass-vase-with-circa-5566647-details.aspx?intobjectid=5566647

Note:  You can see a Loetz vase that belonged to Elizabeth Taylor in my post here.
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Liz Taylor Loetz

From the estate of Elizabeth Taylor comes this beautifully-decorated Loetz vase to be sold on December 16 at Christie's. The decor is Phänomen Gre. 29. I've shown another example below for comparison.

I'm not sure what the form is. (Most readers would do well to skip the following truly atrocious sentence, but I wouldn't mind some feedback on it from Loetz experts.) The form of the vase resembles a Bakalowits design, Com. 85/3823 (dopp. Nr.) [Ref. 1], but there is no record of this particular form being decorated with Phänomen Gre. 29 [2]. OK, it's safe to resume reading now.

LOETZ 

An Iridescent Glass Vase, circa 1900

8 in. (20 cm.) high
with etched signature Loetz Austria

Estimate

$1,500 - $2,500

December 16, 2011 Price Realized $4,000

• Sales totals are hammer price plus buyer’s premium and do not reflect costs, financing fees or application of buyer’s or seller’s credits.

Sale Information

Sale 2634 Lot 843
The Collection of Elizabeth Taylor: Fine and Decorative Art & Film Memorabilia, Including Costumes 
16 December 2011
New York, Rockefeller Plaza 

CONDITION
The overall condition is good. 

Special Notice

Please note that the copyright, and any and all associated intellectual property and other rights for this item are exclusively retained by the Trustees of the Estate of Elizabeth Taylor.

http://www.christies.com/LotFinder/lot_details.aspx?action=conditionreport&intObjectId=5503063

Another example of Loetz Phänomen Gre. 29

http://kralik-glass.com/loetzpg29array.html

References:  

1.  Ricke, Helmut, et al. Lötz: Böhmisches Glas 1880-1940 (München: Prestel-Verlag 1989), Band 2, p. 283.

2.  Ibid, p. 539.

Note:  My recent Loetz post is here.

You can see examples of Phänomen Gre 29 here and here.

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A Loetz Double Gourd Vase

Heritage Auctions offers this gorgeous Loetz vase in its November 19 sale. The conventions for describing Loetz vases are a bit arcane, flabbergasting even to many auction houses and complicated by the fact that the reference works are mostly in German.

Basically, vases are described in German by their form, the color of the glass, and the surface decor. Based on Ricke, Helmut, et al. Lötz: Böhmisches Glas 1880-1940 (München: Prestel-Verlag 1989) Band I, p. 89, the production number is 7724/8" neu Nr. 106 (1900). The color of the glass is red, hence this is Rubin. The decor is one of the Phänomen (or Phenomenon) genres, specifically Rubin Phänomen Gre. 7624 dating from 1898.

Decors were used on different vase forms sometimes for years after their development, hence any Loetz vase decorated with Phänomen Gre. 7624 must date from 1898 or later. The production number, or form, limits the vase to the year 1900. The cataloguer at Heritage arrived at the correct date without bothering to name the production number or decor. So be it, but where is the scholarship in that?

 Loetz vase production number is 7724/8"
neu Nr. 106 (1900), Rubin Phänomen Gre. 7624 (1898)

Loetz vase production number is 7724/8"
neu Nr. 106 (1900), Rubin Phänomen Gre. 7624 (1898)

Ground and polished pontil on the base of this Loetz vase, production number 7724/8"
neu Nr. 106 (1900), Rubin Phänomen Gre. 7624 (1898)

LOETZ GLASS DOUBLE GOURD VASE 

Blue and copper wave motif gourd vase, circa 1900

8-3/4 inches high (22.2 cm)
Estimate: $1,200 - $1,600.


November 19, 2011 Update:

Sold for:

$4,929.38 (includes BP )

Condition Report*:  

The gourd vase is in excellent overall condition with a beautifully applied wave motif.

http://fineart.ha.com/c/item.zx?saleNo=5075&lotNo=62180&lotIDNo=19001#Photo

Here's another example of this decor on a vase with a very different form:

Rubin Phänomen Gre. 7624, 1898, 
I - 7557, © MCH

http://users.skynet.be/fa000612/decorsgre7624.htm

Note:  The best online resource for information about Loetz glass is Eddy Scheeper's website http://loetz.net/.


And while we're at it, here's an earlier post with an example of art nouveau Tiffany glass from the estate of Elizabeth Taylor.

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