Sabino Art Glass Opalescent Oriental Goldfish Signed Paris Pre WWII

Sabino Art Glass Poisson Queue De Voile, Antique Original, Signed

In 1925, Sabino Art Glass proprietor Marius-Ernest Sabino of France created an opalescent glass with a glacier blue hue and pearly iridescence.  The Art Deco crowd appreciated the beautiful, haunting color and artful glass designs.

Early Sabino glass was etch marked “Sabino France” and was intended for export, or it was etched  “Sabino Paris” if it was intended for sale within France.

This stunning, rare and perfect “Poisson Queue De Voile” (fish with sail tail) is signed, hand-etched Sabino Paris. This means it was made in Paris, for the Parisians between 1925 and 1935.

According to Marius Sabino’s autobiography: “Sabino’s early opalescent glass had a higher arsenic content than most of his competitors, but his glass formula is reported to have changed after World War II to reduce this component. The earlier glass is said to feel and look different with a softer and “soapy” feel.”

This fish has a noticeably velvety soft “soapy feel”.

In 1978, the Sabino firm was sold to a company in Texas. Modern reproductions are manufactured in various countries. Original molds are still used to create reproductions. After many uses glass molds will lose definition, and the intricate, sharp lines sculpted by Marius Sabino, wear down causing the object to lose detail. New Sabino items have little detail and often have rough seams. New Sabino items are either not marked by the maker, or a Sabino logo is impressed in the glass during manufacture.

This Poisson Queue De Voile has incredible sharp details and is polished to perfection. This is an original Sabino opalescent Oriental, fan-tailed goldfish. In fabulous condition with some bottom-wear scratching (on the base) from surface contact over the past 90 years. Very rare.

Measures 7.5″ long, 3.5″ at widest and 4″ tall. Weighs 1.6 lbs.