Monart glass has, in recent years, finally begun to garner some much-deserved attention on the antique market, with rare pieces fetching as much as £2000 at auction. While this trend reflects an overall growth of interest in, and appreciation for, Scotland’s plentiful contribution to modern glass art, many Scottish glassworks still remain shrouded in a […]
Modern Glass Art: Ysart’s Monart Years Continue Reading »
Salvador Ysart, patriarch of the famous Ysart clan of Scottish art glass makers, was born Salvador Isart in Barcelona, Spain, on the 30th of January in 1875. While Salvador was the son of a glassmaker (it was actually his mother, not his father, who worked with glass—she was employed in finishing glass pieces), he did
Ysart Glass: The Ysart Family’s Early Years Continue Reading »
If you have ever been lucky enough to visit the seashore near an area of relatively high human population, you might well have noticed—and perhaps took for granted—the plethora of brightly coloured glass “pebbles” that washed up with the surf, intermingling with nature’s own stones. These bits of glass are known as “sea glass” (or
Sea Glass: A Vanishing Treasure Continue Reading »
Today, glass is ubiquitous; we see it everywhere we go, bottling items at the supermarket, filling window frames, tumbling from careless hands into ditches, and eventually showing up as polished, colourful pebbles that shimmer across our beaches. Prior to the Romans, however, glass was as rare as gold and precious gemstones owing to the limited
Roman Glass: The Art of Glass Blowing in the Roman Empire Continue Reading »
The Art Nouveau and Art Deco Eras After the Napoleonic Wars drew to a close in 1815, Bohemia was once again free to begin a steady ascent towards the pinnacle of glassmaking, and retake the crown that had by then been passed to England. It would take some time before the Bohemian glass artists caught
Czech Art Glass Continue Reading »
The Baroque Period: While the Thirty Years War has since been largely supplanted in the collective consciousness by more recent calamities (i.e. the two world wars), at the time it raged, it was one of the longest, bloodiest, and most devastating conflicts Europe has ever known. What began as a war between Protestant and Catholic
Bohemian Art Glass: From Baroque to Classicism Continue Reading »
The term “Bohemian glass” is one that frequently leads to confusion for those just entering the world of art glass collecting; the word “Bohemian” is, after all, most strongly associated today with the romantic 19th century French movement that championed embracing a state of artistic poverty. Yet, upon delving into the realm of Victorian glassware,
Bohemian Glass: The Enduring Legacy of Czech Art Glass Continue Reading »
One need only take a short trip to Spain or Morocco to witness the impact the Muslim world has had on the art and architecture of Europe, Africa, as well as the rest of the world. Islamic art is known for its intricate patterns, opulent materials, and complex motifs, all of which coalesce to create a
Islamic Glass Art: A Light in Dark Times Continue Reading »
The phrase ‘Depression Glass’ is often treated as an umbrella term, a catch-all definition used by collectors somewhat indiscriminately to describe a type of inexpensive glass (either clear or coloured) that was manufactured in large quantities; primarily during the 1920s and early 1930s (though various forms were made over the decades that followed as well).
Depression Glass: Vintage Americana Continue Reading »
Far too many of the great glass houses of yore have been lost to us (or exist now only in a much reduced capacity), with even giants like Waterford Wedgwood stumbling into receivership, owing to the global recession that occurred in the early 2000s. As such, the existence of an enduring success story within the
Dartington Glass: A Cinderella Story Continue Reading »