Thursday 27 May 2010

Auntie Beehive's Art Glass


My Auntie Beehive loved decorative art glass. She had two large pieces which occupied pride of place in her living room. "My EYEtalian glass," she always called them.

The first was a shallow orange bowl with two enormous asymmetrical arms spreading out for a total wingspan of at least three feet. It sat on a doily on the hi-fi. It was a truly spectacular piece of hand-blown glass.

While I have no trouble remembering the first piece of art glass, my mind is fuzzier about the second piece. (In my defence, it has been at least 30 years since I laid eyes on them.) To the best of my memory, the second piece was a large, blue, vase-like affair which sat (again on a doily) on a mahogany drop-leaf table. I don't think it impressed me as much.

For this post, I scoured the vintage art glass sites on the internet, hoping to find photos of that particular style of Venetian or Murano glass. But alas! The above photo is the only one that gives even a faint suggestion of the glory that was my Auntie Beehive's EYEtalian glass.

13 comments:

Paul C said...

Looks like exotic glassware. My mother liked Blue Mountain ceramic ware and had several pieces in the living room with some 'depression era' rose coloured glassware. Funny how one remembers these pieces in vivid detail.

turquoisemoon said...

I had forgotten about the use of the doily. Yes...they were used for all sorts of things, especially to "showcase" art. Fun!

Snap said...

Oh, yes ... especially the Eyetalian and what did we ever do without a doily?!!!!! I use two on a kitchen counter so they aren't scratched by the uneven bases of some ceramic bowls that I have....hmmmmm.......

mxtodis123 said...

Beautiful glass. And yes, doilies. I haven't used one in so long. I've a bag full washed and starched in a bag. Reminds me to go take a look.
Mary

Wendy said...

you never know, Debra if you'll run into some eyetlian glass somewhere and it will be send by your auntie. I love hearing about her. I think she's watching over you :)

Beatnheart said...

love your auntie Beehive!

yellowdoggranny said...

i looove eyetalian glass..auntie had great taste.

RA said...

Your Auntie Beehive's glass rocks! I know exactly what sort of works you mean, and love them myself.

Anonymous said...

My Gramma had all that kind of art glass all around her house, and she used to keep them filled with hard candy year-round.

We used to visit her in the summers and she'd always have Christmas candies in them. Why she kept Christmas candies in all those art glass jars is beyond me.

Oh, wait...come to think of it, we were there during the summers...that crap was probably left sitting in those jars since the previous December...Ick! Whatever, we didn't care, it was, afterall CANDY!

Dancing With Fey said...

At first I read three feet across as thirty feet across. I was like "Wait, what?? ...oh, ok." lol

Childhood memories are precious. :)

Ricky Shambles said...

Nice piece. I now recall tall orange and red vases with similar markings ornamenting slots high up in the walls of the vaulted ceilings of the living room of my godparents. Thank you for that memory.

Rue said...

I remember this wild glass. I'm sure my grandmother had a few pieces too. Some of those bowls looked like alien spacecraft if I remember correctly...

Love how Auntie Beehive pronounced "Italian!"

Jeanne said...

I love the old art glass. I was lucky enough to inherit two pieces from my Grandmother a few years back. I cherish them.