Excellent Pre-Owned Condition. Pickup in Olathe. No Holds.
This exquisite iridescent Carnival Glass vase was crafted in Germany by Brockwitz in a color they named Goldiris aka Marigold. Brockwitz patterns are mainly intaglio in geometric or stylized florals or more likely a combination of both. The jewel-like appearance imitates cut glass and allows for the iridescent effect to be maximized on all the “cut” surfaces, as seen in this gorgeous vase. This beauty belonged to my mom who was a collector of Carnival Glass. It measures 9¼” high; top diameter is just shy of 4”; base diameter 3½”; weight 2 lbs.; medium is pressed glass with the look of cut glass. Color is Goldiris (Marigold), which can look golden, orange or a combination of the two colors with splashes of purple and pink, it all depends on lighting. In direct sun, it looks like an orange fireball! The base has one tiny missing sliver, with no ill effect and indiscernible because it’s on the bottom. There’s the random occlusions that are inherent in any glassware and original to the manufacturer. Carnival Glass is all about iridescence and no matter what angle or light you look at this beauty in, it has it and more!
Thanks for looking!
Brief Bio on Brockwitz
Located in Germany, in the Elbe valley, not far from Dresden, Brockwitz was a major factory that began glass production in 1904 and at its height, employed over 1200 workers. Production of Carnival Glass probably began in 1905 through 1914. Pretty much everything at they did was done “in house”. They made their own moulds, melting pots and engineering machinery. In fact, the company had “an army of engineers and mechanics” and even housed a lot of workers on site. There was efficient and innovative semi-automation for the actual pressing of glass - for example, they could work 6 different moulds at the same time. In the late 1920s, the company was a major player on the international glass scene. Yet, 20 years later, it was on its knees, struggling to survive. The Great Depression and World War II happened and during the war the factory had been mostly turned over to producing glass for military purposes. After the war, the company was in the Russian controlled part of East Germany and all materials and tools were taken away to the USSR. There were a few attempts to revive the plant, but nothing really worked. A fire in the 1960s razed what was left of the buildings to the ground and the glory that was Brockwitz ended but their legacy lives on in some of the finest Carnival Glass in existence.