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Posted 2 years ago
Alfredo
(349 items)
Imperial art glass is completely documented, thanks to James Measell's massive three volume encyclopedia. Freehand was created by a shop of Swedish glassblowers in the 20's and was Imperial's top line.
1. My very first piece, mistakenly bought as Loetz. Only much later I would find a faint imprint from what had been a paper label.
2. Found upstate NY. A classic shape.
3. Luckily, I have a photographic memory. It showed up as Czech iridescent, as did the pair in the next photo!
Much of what is sold as Freehand is really Lead Lustre, which was made of much cheaper bone ash glass. If the pontil is chalky white, it is Lead Lustre.
American Art GlassAmerican art glass refers to decorative household glass objects made in fac…
Art DecoArt Deco was an international design and art movement in the 1920s and ’30s…
Mind boggling.................... To me Imperial is Carnival glass . I now have to do a rethink!
Thanks! See Imperial II. I will post more. Or go to my website. i have a whole page on them!
I have about 30 pieces of Imperial Free Hand (none are lead Lustre) and I can remember when American Art Glass collectors turned up their noses at Imperial Free Hand. I remeber one time visiting in Sannibel, Florida and we went to a very posh antiques shop that specialized in Art Nouveau. I looked at the Tiffany, Quezal and Durand and asked the owner if he had any Imperial Free Hand. He said, "Oh no we dont't go that low". I reminded him that the men that worked at Imperial also worked at Durand and elsewhere. Clue : he also has a shop in a very exclusive resort town in Maine. p.s. Some of my pieces are shown on Ernie's website. FWF