Loetz shell vase Creta Papillon ca. 1900

The conch shell shape was one the most popular motifs in the series of naturalistic glasses produced by the glass manufacture Johann Loetz Witwe. Seashells show many different decorations, among them the types Neptun, Diaspora, Astraä, several different Phenomen decorations, Chiné and, as with this example, Papillon.

What is striking about this piece is the flowing decoration that adapts organically to the shape of the vase. Individual light-coloured drops, which stand out against the dark background, are reminiscent of air bubbles in water and give the impression that the vase is in its natural environment.