Vintage End of Day Hand-Blown Art Glass Fish Vase & Sculpture – 10"

A fabulous vintage hand-blown multicoloured art-glass fish, measuring approximately 10" / 25.4 cm, designed so that it can be displayed in two different ways: standing upright as an open-mouth vase or resting horizontally as a decorative glass fish sculpture.

The clear glass body contains sweeping ribbons of red, white, yellow, green, blue, orange and darker tones, producing a different pattern from every viewing angle. Clear glass fins have been individually applied to the body, together with a substantial sculptural clear tail that also allows the fish to stand securely when displayed vertically.

The open mouth leads into the hollow body, making the piece functional as a vase as well as decorative sculpture. This combination of a hollow blown body, open mouth and separately applied clear fins is also found on documented mid-century Venetian fish vases.

The underside has a ground and polished pontil indentation, supporting its hand-finished construction.

End-of-Day Glass

This colourful style is widely known as “End of Day” glass.

Historically, the term referred to pieces made by glassworkers using remaining molten and coloured glass at the end of a working period. Over time, however, End of Day became a much broader collecting term for multicoloured glass incorporating mixed colour, ribbon, spatter or other decorative inclusions. It should therefore be understood as a description of the glass style rather than proof that this particular piece was literally made from leftover glass.

Colourful glass fish are particularly associated with this tradition. The Museum of Oxford even records multicoloured End-of-Day glass fish as decorative objects found in British Caribbean homes during the post-war period.

Murano Style

The form and construction have strong similarities to vintage Murano/Venetian fish sculptures, particularly the clear applied fins, hollow body and open-mouth vase form. However, very similar fish were also produced elsewhere in Europe, including Eastern Europe.

As this example is unsigned and retains no manufacturer's label, we are deliberately describing it as Murano style rather than attributing it to Murano manufacture.

Details

• Type: Fish vase / art-glass sculpture
• Height when upright: approximately 10" / 25.4 cm
• Material: Art glass
• Technique: Hand blown and hand finished
• Decoration: Multicoloured ribbon / End-of-Day style glass
• Colours: Red, white, blue, yellow, green, orange and darker tones
• Fins: Applied clear glass
• Base: Ground/polished pontil indentation
• Display: Upright as a vase or horizontally as a sculpture
• Period: Vintage, likely later 20th century
• Style: Mid-Century / Murano-style art glass
• Maker: Unidentified
• Signed: No

Condition

Good vintage condition with no major damage noted.

As a handmade glass piece, small bubbles, irregularities and variations in the coloured ribbons are characteristic of its manufacture rather than faults. Please study all photographs carefully, including the polished base and applied fins, as these form part of the condition description.