Saturday, April 30, 2011

Opalescent and Magnificent

These Italian lidded jars are perfection as examples of the pearl-like quality one looks for in opalescent glass. The light seems just captured, glowing as if electric. These would be beautiful near a window or on a well-lit vanity. Most likely Murano, measuring 7" and 9" respectively.

Friday, April 29, 2011

Tiny, but Grand

Big things do come in small packages, as evidenced here with this diminutive vessel created by master ceramicist Gunnar Nylund in Sweden for Rörstrand.

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Feeling Moody

As in H. Lesley Moody and his wife Francis Moody, the original designers behind North Carolina's Hyalyn line of pottery. The rare American piece in our shop, it has a lava-like quality one might expect from German or even Italian works. Hyalyn was founded in 1946 after the couple spent  8 years creating similar wares for another company called Abingdon. This red-hot piece measures 12" tall.

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Look What We Dug Up

There is a term in the vernacular of glass-blowing called "Scavo"...a word used to describe to process in which a corrosive chemical is added to created a rough surface quality to the glass for an antiqued look of an artifact just dug up. Barbini created this future classic bud vase in the 60s.

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Swiss Engineering

This little porcelain vase is the result of fine Swiss design by Langenthal

Monday, April 25, 2011

Neo-Roma

This is an example of the Italians ability to modernize classical forms. Somebody in mid-century Italy was forward thinking when they updated the Roman Urn in gold and white to great graphic effect.

Sunday, April 24, 2011

Happy Easter!

An egg shaped piece of minty Marselis pottery...Happy Easter!

Saturday, April 23, 2011

Greenwich Goods

England? Connecticut? Neither! The Greenwich Flint-Craft line was designed in the 1960s by Thomas Connally as a side project from his career at the famous Indiana Glass Company. This color way was called "Burnt Honey".

Friday, April 22, 2011

Show Stoppers

Great genie bottles abound at The End of History, but as we have been importing our wares over the years, certain trends have started to arise . This particular style of bottle with its elongated stopper, while obviously of Italian manufacture, only ever comes to us from sources in England. Hence, Stephen's theory that the stopper is to the specifications of a certain British department store of yore.

Thursday, April 21, 2011

German Expressions

A rock star among German Pottery artists is Hans Welling for Ruscha. Among his varied works are both ceramic plaques and figurines. 
Horse plaque measures 13.5 X 18"

His taste for burnt orange glaze in the 50s was at play in both 2-D and 3-D!

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Martha Matters

No one loves collecting more than we do...well, except maybe for Fritz Karch, the premiere collecting expert and long time editor at Martha Stewart Living magazine. Thanks to him, a few months back, we graced Martha's first ever iPad-only digital issue. The honor has increased exponentially with the latest print and digital issues (May 2011). It features not only an 8 page spread on vintage glass with many colorful items lent by us, but the iPad version includes a video tour of our shop hosted by our own Stephen Saunders as expert! 

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Hip to Be Square

This 60s sommerso bud vase from Murano has a rarified look with its mix of hard and soft lines.

Monday, April 18, 2011

Ultra Cool Compote

A modernist fruit bowl if ever there was one by Carl Erikson

Sunday, April 17, 2011

Into The Poole

The British Have Come, The British Have Come!

Saturday, April 16, 2011

Candy Colored Candy Dish

I don't know why, but this Murano bowl looks to me like a giant Everlasting Gobstopper from Willy Wonka. Hence, it makes perfect sense to me that it would make a great candy dish!

Friday, April 15, 2011

The Giants of Cased Glass

Without an iota of hyperbole intended, we now have the two greatest (as in size) cased glass pieces we've ever seen with both measuring over 3 feet tall...
Notice the scale of the caramel colored ball stopper bottle compared to the more typical sized pieces next to it. Monumental!

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Amazing Acorn

Like a piece of pottery hand-painted by pixies. Made in Italy for Raymor, 1950s, this acorn is actually a lidded box. Measures 6" X 6"

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Sunshine in a Bottle

This large luminescent lamp was made in Italy in the 50s and was in such perfect condition when it came in, we feel it may have never been used. Current interior design trends are all about introducing bold color into your home and this lamp does that with brilliance!
 Measures 39" to top of shade

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Ice Ice Baby

Lucite is an evocative material for use in an ice bucket. This wonderful example is attributable to Baron Alessandro Albrizzi. 10" in diameter and 9.5" high with a swivel top and spherical interior. The optical effect is what makes this piece so marvelously mod.

Monday, April 11, 2011

Orange You Glad?

Italian & beautifully bulbous cased glass from the swinging 60s

Sunday, April 10, 2011

A Touch of Paprika

One of the most iconic motifs from the Swedish company Upsala Ekeby is called ''Paprika''. We have a constant interest and try to keep a generous collection in-store of this nature inspired pattern designed by Anna-Lisa Thomson in the 50's.

Saturday, April 9, 2011

Alien Pod?

...or maybe a mushroom captured in glass? This has to be one of the most unusual paperweights I've seen. The ET/Fungi is visible through three sides of this Murano mystery.

Friday, April 8, 2011

Glossy Glass

A major Barbini piece lent by us is featured in this months BRIDES magazine. We are pleased to be a part of this flower story in such a chic wedding publication...not to mention, we are a great destination for wedding gifts!

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Cherry Blossom Time

Sent to us from Japan (where our hearts and minds remain) is this never used 1960s footed lacquer serving platter. The colors include a contrast of jet black, bronze, and orange. Measuring 13" across and sitting 4" tall, I imagine it piled high with fruit or sweets.
As a testament to its authenticity and immaculate condition is its original presentation box.

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

More to Pine After

I never thought that we would have the privilege to present more works from the elusive Swedish potter named Per Lilienjren. Thanks to the dedication of our dealer friends in Denmark, we were able to acquire these mind-bending handcrafted works of art directly from his studio. It's a marvel that he was able to carve this stoneware with such exact precision.

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

A Display of Grays

A fantastic array of mostly cased grays. The enormous clear lamp needs to be seen to be believed.

Monday, April 4, 2011

Come Fly with Us

A classically masculine decorative item can be found in this 1960s solid bronze jet-plane sculpture.

Sunday, April 3, 2011

We've Got The Blues

Our latest windows are a display of all things indigo.

Saturday, April 2, 2011

Cover Art

We often share our wares to magazines for editorial use, and occasionally we are lucky enough to land a cover! A relatively new title to the world of design periodicals is the colorful quarterly Fresh Home. It focuses on great mass appeal DIY projects. Notice our vintage finds in the lower right hand corner of the just published Spring Issue.

Friday, April 1, 2011

Mirror Mirror...

On our wall...The fairest in a while. Italian gold leafed with an elegant scroll design.