Vintage Sabino Opaline Art Glass Dove Head Down

Vintage Sabino Opaline Art Glass Dove Signed Sabino France

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 perfect little vintage Sabino Opaline”Small Dove with Head Down” is signed, hand-etched Sabino France. This means it was made in Paris, for export 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 dove 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 petite dove has very sharp details and is polished to perfection. This is an original Sabino opalescent head-down Dove. In fabulous condition with some bottom-wear scratching (on the base) from surface contact over the past 90 years.

Measures 2″ tall, 2″ long. Small glass art sculptures like this were often used as ‘table ornaments’ at fine dining tables. Lovely decor for the vanity too.