Black Amethyst With Copper Aventurine Art Glass Bowl

Stunning large free formed bowl made with black amethyst glass.  

Black Amethyst glass appears solid opaque black until bright light shines through it to reveal the color  is actually a deep jewel-like purple amethyst.    Black amethyst was developed as a "black glass" recipe.   Most  18th & 19th century black glass is really amethyst or green.  We can easily produce opaque black glass today, but it was a challenge in the past.  Black amethyst is rarely produced by glassmakers of today.

When this stunning bowl is held to the light, the areas that were pinched by the glass artist's tool (near the stylized pulled points) illuminate purple.  The entire bottom-layer is black amethyst.  Only the areas that have light upper casing reveal the amethyst. The upper layer is clear glass encasing mottled copper aventurine and rust. Very earthy, organic, arts & crafts/nouveau style.  This dish probably dates to the 1930s or earlier.

Czech glass makers are not known for their work with aventurine (metallic inclusions), although they did use it. The credit for glass decorated with aventurine usually goes to the Italians.  It is the flat ground base of this piece that points to Czech / Bohemian glass.  See image 5, the pontil area and base has been generously ground.

The "points" created by the glassmaker's hand tool are uncommon.  See image 2.

The copper metallic aventurine glitters like crazy with just a small amount of light.

Measures a little over 9" at widest, 2.5" tall. Weighs 2.75 lbs.

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