Gianfranco Guarnieri's opinion re Canada Art

[deborah]

Hi everyone,

I had to go to Cornwall today so took a signed piece of Canada Art down in case I could beg a few minutes with Mr. Guarnarieri. He was generous and let me stop in and looked at the piece (shown here with another piece of signed Canada Art) as he had not seen it in the summer or fall - I had Meastro Bruno Panizzon check it out then.

Anyways, Gianfranco feels that while the glass is professionally done - the signature is not. He could not reconcile the glass with the crappy engraved marking so given that none of any of the glassblowers (7 I have asked now to date as asked the others at the exhibit too) have ever, ever heard of this glasshouse - his opinion would be that it is either just a collector with an engraver marking a variety of unsigned pieces from different houses or a boutique doing just that. Remember - boutique markings are what Giovanni Creations stickers9I have seen on both Chalet and Lorraine pieces) and Fascination par CM etchings (Chalet only) are.

So nothing definitive but certainly an educated opinion!LOL I know I thought it was a collector doing insurance marks when I first came across this. You might think that we have seen too many - well I have 165 pieces in my personal collection and think of what Glassman could do with an engraver-shudder LOL

If anyone out there has verified info - put us out of this misery! But then - less "research " buys excusable so maybe not!

Deborah


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[Glassman]

The signatures are hand done for sure.The 3 i have look exactly the same so it leads me to believe it was one person doing it.I think it was just a small studio maybe bassed out of western Canada.One thing is for sure the mystery continues.....................................

[Trog]

I have also wondered of late if the "Canada Art" pieces did come from western Canada. Years ago I had a boss who's father worked for Medalta in an experimental glass works they had set up. I was not into collecting glass at the time so I never questioned him about it. That could have been the brand they chose. (Again just pondering on my part, nothing conclusive)

My wife has a couple pieces of "Canada Art" as well LOL

[Glassman]

For 4 pieces i have the signature is nearly identical,but they do look hand done.

[Trog]

Of the 6 or so pieces I have seen, the signature is hand done and identical.

[11111111]

I know for a fact Canada art was sold at borders Duty Free shops back in the 60s. I crossed many times and have purchased them there for a relative in the US. It was probally a way for this glass to get exposed to the USA rather than export. They also had a Made in Canada sticker.

[Trog]

Where it was sold really doesnt tell us where it was made

I think that is what we are really having a hard time with

[deborah]

Hi everyone,

Just wanted to say that many pieces of Canada Art were dated as well as signed and I had a piece that had 2 of the engraved signatures. So, like Chalet, inconsistent with their markings. It would be interesting to find a signed piece that was also stickered - not with a generic sticker, as we know that many boutiques used those, but with their own. As it stands right now, Chalet seems to be the only company that both stickered and signed - Lorraine (stickered or hang tag), EDAG (stickered), Canada Art (signed).

Deborah

[Glassman]

I'm pretty sure it was made in Canada lol.

[samcass]

Hi
It seems to me that you all discounting chalet as a manufacturer you seem to be relying on memmories of older men who worked in more than one glass house. How do you know for sure Chalet did not make these pieces.

[deborah]

hi Sam,

Very interesting thought - could be. Fun to have a mystery that is this engaging. Perhaps more will come to light soon.

Deborah

[deborah]

Hi Sam,

I agree with you that Chalet had a colourful history and particularly that the closing of Chalet was a very painful time for people- it definitely left a mark. Many of the Chalet artists, including Luigi Tedesco and Franceso Pagnin, left for Italy and have not returned. Cornwall has always been a city that always has more than its share of economic and social problems - then and today. The 60's and early 70's were not an easy time for most people in most places and Cornwall seems to struggle more than most.

I have spent quite a bit of time there as well and would agree with you again that it seems to be a city that is very conflicted. It has been hit very hard again economically - it makes you wonder -do a city and its problems define the people there or do the people there define and create the city? Kind of a chicken and egg question.

Regardless - we are fortunate to have had such a revolution in glass making so close to home. It is fascinating to look at how many innovations came out of the Montreal/Cornwall area.

Deborah

[MarioP]

Samcass,

I am curious to some of the comments that you have heard from residents of Cornwall. We all know that there were problems with Chalet in the final years which did not sit well with many.

Can you share some of the comments you have heard?

Mario
Ottawa

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