A rare and important ormolu-mounted glass vase, Imperial Glass Manufactory, 1830-1840

of ovoid, shouldered form, the cranberry-tinted glass cut with a wide band of zig-zags and raised strawberry diamonds, flanked by two scroll handles terminating in ormolu mascarons, supported on square pillar cut base, the handles and base partially restored 

The appearance of this impressive vase on the market is a rare occurance as the only other known examples are currently in international museum collections; one is in the collection of the Corning Museum of Glass (acc no. 96.3.22), the other in the State History Museum of Moscow (acc no. 83156/4724). Both were made by the Imperial Glass Manufactory in St Petersburg of gold-ruby glass, overlaid with colourless glass, similarly in the shape of a classical volute craters. The vase currently in the State History Museum collection was exhibited at the Corning Museum of Glass and was illustrated on the cover of the accompanying catalogue of 1990.  Described as the two-layer Medici vase, it was praised for "its noble form, its colour, and the high quality of its ormolu mounts." (p.46)