Excitement ensued as the couple delved into research, suspecting it might be Loetz glassware.
After a Facebook post on a Loetz collectors’ page and consultation with renowned Loetz specialist Deb Petersen Fitzsimmons, their suspicions were confirmed. The vase was indeed a true Loetz with a new DEK number, making it a previously unknown and missing piece in the Loetz database.
The 46-year-old builder’s merchant foreman from Essex, recounting the discovery, expressed his enthusiasm: “It’s nice to think a £30 flea market find could earn us a windfall.”
The vase, with exceptional enameling and a unique design, is set to be put up for auction at Irita Marriott Auctioneers in Melbourne on January 11.
Irita Marriott, known for her role on TV’s Bargain Hunt and the founder of the auction house, shared her excitement about the rare find. She highlighted the rarity of discovering Loetz pieces that have not been previously documented.
She said: “This is one of the missing Loetz pieces. Lost Loetz items come to light occasionally, but usually, their DEK numbers are already known.”
The vase, produced during the Loetz DEK period from 1888 to 1912, is over a century old, adding to its allure for collectors. Despite not possessing the classic Loetz look, it retains the magical iridescence for which Loetz glassware is renowned.
The auctioneer emphasized the vase’s appeal to collectors worldwide, noting: “It’s nice to think this piece was found at a flea market by a couple who simply like colored glassware.”
Austrian artisan Johann Loetz Witwe’s legacy in the glassmaking industry continues to captivate collectors with its quality, innovative techniques, and metallic iridescence, exemplifying the beauty of the Art Nouveau movement. The unexpected discovery of this unique Loetz vase serves as a reminder that hidden antique treasures are still waiting to be unearthed, even in the most unlikely places.
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