Murano Corroso Owl Figurine

[mitko011]

Hello Everybody!
Here is a very well done owl figurine in blue and green color with corroso surface which I am trying to ID. I thought that maybe someone here have seen similar or with same design and different finish. I also have a vese in this colors but with battuto surface.
Once in a previous post of mine Langhaugh showed two vases with same color and finish :
http://www.fossilfly.com/Forums/showthread.php?t=3937
So now there are 4 very similar pieces with unknown manufacturer and I hope this little owl could be the key for ID.
Here are some pictures.
Thanks in advance!
Regards!
Dimi

[TxSilver]

Dimi, it is a Galliano Ferro owl. Your owl is most welcome in the Murano Zoo if you are interested. If you send me your full name (acaudle52 at gmail.com), I'll credit you with the picture of the owl.

This is the first one of these I've seen with the acid finish. Galliano Ferro didn't come into being until the 1960s. I'm not sure if the old style corroso was still allowed at that time -- too polluting. Many things still had a corroso look to them, though. I wonder how it was done. Maybe someone will know more about the history of the technique.

[TxSilver]

BTW, if you put the owl under black light, the green will probably glow. Galliano Ferro did a lot of work with uranium glass.

[La Spezia]

Corroso technique: the parts of the object that should be decorated in corroso will be covered with laquer (resistant against HF), then the face that should be deeper the laquer has to be removed. Finally the object will be diped in hydrofluoric acid (HF). HF is the only one that reacts with glass. The usage is allowed, many glass factories polishes the surface with HF.
I have a ball-shaped vase designed 1950 by Flavio Poli and executed by Seguso Vetri d´Arte also in corroso.

Horst

[mitko011]

Corroso
Kind of glass whose surface is irregular to the touch due to the use of chemical agents. Technically, an "acid process" is caused by the corrosion of the glass surface that provokes the disintegration of the glass lattice: the result is the creation of a rough layer on the surface. This non-uniform layer causes an effect of partial diffusion and reflexion of the light. For its execution, solutions of hydrofluoric acid and ammonium fluoride in water are commonly used. By varying temperature, time in the bath and composition of the same, it is possible to obtain very varied effects. The parts of the glass surface to be kept bright are plated with wax or some other organic protective agent. This technique was introduced by the French at the beginning of the 20th century and found its first applications in Murano in the mid-30s applied to a series of "corrosi" wares designed by Carlo Scarpa for Venini & Co. and to the vases and figured designed by Flavio Poli for the Seguso Vetri d'Arte firm. Fallen progressively out of use, this technique is to this day very strictly regulated from the new anti-pollution regulation, because of the high toxic level of the materials used durign the production process.
Info: muranonet.com

[mitko011]

Thank you all for your help To ID this little Owl !
Thanks to TxSilver it is now in the Murano Zoo and looks great there!))
TxSilver,
the owl is ~ 3.5'' high x 3'' wide x 1.5'' deep. and does not glow under black light.
Horst,
your vase looks great! Where you guys get such a nice pieces? It is a bit different look of corroso compared to the owl!
Regards!
Dimi

[La Spezia]

Dimi,
the different look depends on the time the object stays in the acid! and on the different cover technic.
I bought my vase on German eBay.

Horst

[TxSilver]

Dimi, I added the size to the zoo, and added that it isn't uranium glass. Thank you so much for the information. The owl is at http://sites.google.com/site/muranoz...ds-by-others-5. From the looks of the green, I am surprised that it doesn't glow. GF loved uranium glass.