Amber Waves. . .

 . . .but of glass, not grain. This one-of-a-kind handblown vase seems to shimmer with its own internal light.

The vase carries the engraved signature of Todd Hansen and "AOF 07." "AOF" stands for Art of Fire studio. Founded in 1984 by Foster Holcombe and Theda Hansen, the studio moved to its current location, a re-purposed dairy barn in Northern Montgomery County, Maryland in 1999. Hansen joined the studio that year. He was not only a skilled glass artisan, but a teacher as well, giving classes in glassblowing as well as posting on-line videos about his art. Born in 1962, in Garland, Texas, Hanson died in 2025.

All posted items are for sale at Next-to-New, but things can sell quickly!

Unforgetable. . . .

They say an elephant never forgets. Well, this unusual and elegant elephant table is certainly memorable!

Of bronze, with a leather-covered base and a beveled glass top, this extraordinary end table is by Paul Maitland-Smith Ltd. and dates from the 1970s-80s.  Paul Maitland-Smith began his career as a London antiques dealer, specializing in rare and unusual finishings and decorative items. In 1979, he founded his eponymous company in Hong Kong, reproducing Chippendale chairs well as other 18th Century furniture and decorative accessories. His carefully curated creations, crafted by hand, often used unique or costly materials, such as brass, bronze, eggshell, lacquer, leather, mother-of-pearl, porcelain, stone, and wrought iron. Skilled artisans reproduced intricate designs in marquetry, inlay, reverse-painted glass, and gilding. In 1981, he opened a factory in the Philippines and was one of the first entrepreneurs to operate in Vietnam. Maitland-Smith valued his employees and artisans, paying them good salaries and providing on-site health centers and shower facilities at his manufacturing operations. In recognition of his contributions to interior design and the home furnishings industry, Maitland-Smith was a 2019 inductee into the American Home Furnishings Hall of Fame. Maitland-Smith Ltd. still is renown for its high-end handcrafted furnishings incorporating exotic or whimsical elements inspired by antique and modern design and its vintage pieces are highly sought after by collectors and designers.

All posted items are for sale at Next-to-New, but things can sell quickly!

17201-1

Shimmering Sea Life in Golden Glass

This graceful angelfish and appealing seahorse are crafted out of handblown glass accented with flakes of real gold. They are in the tradition of the world renown glass artistry of Murano in Italy, for, in fact, their creators first learned the craft of glassmaking on that famed Italian island.

These delightful denizens of the deep are the creations of the Marcolin brothers during their brief collaboration with Sardinia Crystal in Italy. Josef Marcolin was born in 1933 and his brother Benito Marcolin three years later.  Both studied glassmaking on Murano, moving to Sweden in the 1950s to work with various famous glassworks before starting their own company, FM Konstglas (Swedish for "art glass"). They focused on glass sculptures, combining traditional Murano glass techniques with the clean lines and minimalism associated with Scandinavian design. The factory closed in 1991, the brothers moving to Sardinia, Italy, with the intension of producing a similar lines with Sardinia Crystal. However, by the mid-1990s, Benito returned to Sweden and shortly afterwards Josef moved to Austria.

Both pieces are signed with the Marcolin name and Sardinia, was well as model numbers. 

All posted items are for sale at Next-to-New, but things can sell quickly!

3-6870, 3-6869

 

Just Ducky!

This delightful duck decanter is attributed to the firm of Karl Palda.  Founded in 1888 in Nový Bor, Bohemia, the firm is famous for its high quality and unique Art Deco glassware produced prior to WWII.   During this period, Czech glass was renown for its brilliant colors and creative design.

This quirky quacker has a bottle body formed of deep warm orange glass, with its stylized wings serving as handles.  The head is realistically modeled from brass.

Inside the head is stamped "Czechoslovakia."

All posted items are for sale at Next-to-New, but things can sell quickly!

1-76319

Birds of a Feather. . .

. . flock together, except in this case these beautiful birds have feathers of glowing glass or crystal.  The first of this fascinating flock are from France, made by the Sabino Crystal Company.  The company was founded by Marius Sabino, who was born in Italy in 1878, but came to France as a child.  He studied at the L'Ecole Nationale des Arts Decoratifs and the Beaux Arts de Paris, and following WWI, founded a factory manufacturing light fixtures.  It was there that Sabino developed his signature opalescent glass with blue and golden tones, depending on the light.  He expanded his production to include art deco-inspired figurines and sculptures.  Sabino died in 1961, but the company continues to produce opaline glass using his designs.  

Some of these charming chickadees carry their original Sabino labels, as well as the company's engraved signature.

Also flying in from France are these frosted delicate doves by Lalique.

This magnificent Murano glass seagull swooping over the curling crest of a wave immigrated from Italy.  Of glimmering glass, this hand-blown bird carries the Murano label and is signed and dated by the artist.

This stylized bird of brilliant blue glass was designed by artist Oiva Toikka and hand made by the Finnish glassware company iittala.  It is the epitome of the simple and clean lines of Finnish design.

Come by Next-to-New to visit these birds before they fly off our shelves to their new homes!

Good Scents

This beautiful bottle is by the famous French company Lalique. The stunning stopper is molded to resemble the fragile booms of the lily of the valley ("muguet" in French), an emblem of affection. The gleaming clear body of the bottle contrasts with the soft glow of the frosted flowers. This design was introduced in 1931.

Lalique, renown today for its fine crystal and jewelry, as well as other luxury goods, was founded by René Lalique in the 1880s, who began his career as a jeweler creating delicate and striking art nouveau designs. In 1905, he opened a new shop that offered not only jewellery, but elegant glass objects as well. Lalique soon began producing elaborate perfume bottles for makers such as Coty and by the 1920s, Lalique glass was considered some of the finest in the world. After René's death in 1945, the company passed on to his son, Marc, who began manufacturing Lalique's glass designs in fine lead crystal. This sensational scent bottle has never been removed from its original packaging, which proudly carries the Lalique label.

Ein Prosit!

Ein Prosit, ein Prosit 

Der Gemütlichkeit 

Ein Prosit, ein Prosit 

Der Gemütlichkeit. 

(A toast, a toast

To good cheer

A toast, a toast

To good cheer.)

 You will be certainly be ready to cheerfully toast with any of these elegant antique beer steins recently added to the Next-to-New trove.  Although "stein" is derived from either German  "stein krug" or "steingut," indicating stoneware, these sparking steins are from gleaming glass.

The tallest of this collection, this terrific tankard features a hand-painted enameled portrait of a child or woman in flowing white robes raising a stein over the word "Prosit!" 

The pewter top is exceptionally ornate.

Also featuring an enameled portrait, this stein displays a sweetly smiling demure damsel in a traditional dirndl. 

The unusual pewter top is peaked with a glass prism.

Featuring an enameled flower instead of a fair fräulein, this stein in emblazoned with the edelweiss, a flower found in remote mountain regions of the Alps. The flower's name is a combination of the German words for noble (edel) and white (weiß), and the beloved blossom is considered a symbol of purity and strength.

The pewter lid is also adorned with a glass prism, as well a face with flowing mustaches.

The glass of the final stein is decorated only with subtle cutting, but its pewter lid commemorates an important historic event. In 1904, an international exposition was held in St. Louis, Missouri to commemorate the Louisiana Purchase. Some 50 countries exhibited at the St. Louis World's Fair and over 19 million people attended. The fair was spread over 1,200 acres with 75 miles of roads and sidewalks connecting over 1,500 buildings and exhibit halls. The lid features the Festival Hall overlooking the fountains of the Cascade Gardens and the Grand Basin afloat with boats.

Is you are are a collector of fine steins, are looking for a last-minute unique Father's Day gift, or want to get in some early practice for Oktoberfest, come by Next-to-New to toast these treasures from our trove.