Murano Art Glass Parrot Figurine featured at Outasite!! Collectibles

This week Outasite!! Collectibles is featuring a beautiful vintage Murano Art Glass parrot figurine. The art glass parrot is probably a mid-century piece with beautiful lines. This Murano Art Glass figurine has beautiful blue glass hues with white glass swirls and aventurine flecks in the clear glass comb of the parrot. It measures about 11 inches tall.

Murano Art Glass has been produced on the Venetian island of Murano since about the 13th Century. Afraid that glass foundries would one day burn their city down, Venetian officials banned the glass makers and many moved to the island of Murano. Since then, many art glass manufacturers including Seguso, Barbini, Somerso, Barovier & Toso and Venini have been making some of the most beautiful art glass in the world. To this day, the glass artisans on the island are using the ancient techniques and craftsmanship to follow the traditions of the old masters.

Ronson Art Deco Style Vintage Lighters

Recently while attending an old estate sale in Mclean, Virginia we came across a couple of old cigarette lighters that we thought were not only well designed, but pretty cool looking too. The price was right, so we purchased them and as usual started to do some research on old lighters.

We stumbled upon a website by a man named Kevin in Portland, Oregon. He has accumulated over 200 different cigarette lighters of different makes and models. His favorites, not to our surprise, seem to be the Art Deco style lighters from the mid-1930’s, like the one pictured. This Ronson lighter features a Rondelight Babyball lighter being held by a Ballerina dancer in chrome.

NOVA-Antiques Newsletter Archive – December 22, 2005 . . . .

NAPCO Head Vase Collectibles – National Potteries Corporation

Anyone who loves vintage pottery knows the name NAPCO or National Potteries Corporation. The company which had humble beginnings in Bedford, Ohio began producing porcelain and glass in 1938 and was at peak production mid-century, 1950’s and 1960’s. Their well designed porcelain merchandise is still in high demand today and many collectors favor it not only because of its beauty, but its relative low price to collect.

NAPCO has made much merchandise over the years including decorative glass, figurines, wall planters, ashtrays and even cookie jars, but their claim to fame and their most popular product even today is the Lady Head vase. Lady Head vases were originally designed to be used by florists but became very popular collectibles. The Head Vase was usually in the shape of beautiful, famous women including Jackie Kennedy, Marilyn Monroe and Lucille Ball. Lady Head vases can be purchased by collectors for as little as $50 with some of the more expensive examples going for thousands.