Here's an odd ball...

[cubby01]

This is a piece I picked up last year but but later sold. Seems to be a common shape.

Pretty piece of glass but it obviously didn't get through finishing... The button of glass connecting to the pontil rod? is still there. I wonder how it got to this side of the pond that way. -B

[TxSilver]

It is a Murano compote with the pedestal broken off. I've seen these type pieces attributed to three of the companies, but I haven't seen one with a label. If yours is typical, it will have foil that looks yellow-gold on one side and silver on the other. Someone once told me it was mica, but I don't know.

[cubby01]

Thanks TX.

Yes, it looks like the foil leaf was gold on one side and silver on the other. I don't think it's mica though, at least not mica I'm familiar with.

When we first got it we thought maybe there had been a pedestal of some kind that had broken off but upon close inspection it did not appear to have any kind of fractures one might expect if that were the case. We have seen several very similar pieces on the web that were nearly identical without pedestal, for example this one. We think it was probably just not ground down for some reason. Maybe a reject piece.

Thanks for he information though.

-B

[TxSilver]

There are bowls like this that have polished flat bottoms and others that are on pedestals. There are three cornered and four cornered bowls, all with this pattern. I believe yours had a pedestal. I could think of no other purpose for the knob on bottom. Perhaps it broke, then someone heated and smoothed it? Maybe someone else has an idea about it.

[Jurgen]

Hi all.....................Here's what an unbroken one looks like!..................Jerry

[TxSilver]

Jerry, is Ardalt in Japan? I am going to have to do some looking. The only company I know is the Japanese one, but I don't know if they import or what. Do you know anything about them? Or is there another company call Ardalt? Inquiring minds...

[TxSilver]

I found another piece with an Ardalt label like yours and it said "Made in Italy" on the bottom of the label. I notice yours has the remnants, too.

[fossilfly]

Wow, that was a good find.

[tam bam]

How interesting. I have never heard of this company. Jerry, you are a wealth of information to us. Thanks.

tam bam

[TxSilver]

I checked a little more on Ardalt. I was able to find glass and ceramics made both in Japan and Italy. It is this same company. The labels have the same logo. So I believe that Ardalt is an import company or contracts with other companies to make ceramic and glass for Ardalt.