The Rarest and Most Valuable Glass Vases Ever Seen on Antiques Roadshow!

I think it's a Murano glass vase. I received that from my grandfather's estate when my grandmother and grandfather passed away. My grandfather was unfortunately born into a place where he was in World War I and World War II and he traveled extensively in the Pacific and then in Europe too. So I think he probably picked this up in Europe and maybe when he actually went back with his wife. So I'm not real sure which trip this came from. This vase is an important example of early 20th century Murano glass produced by the Venini Glassworks which was founded in 1921 by Paolo Venini on the island of Murano, Italy. Based on its paper label and stylistic features, the vase is widely attributed to Carlo Scarpa, an Italian architect and designer born in 1906 who worked closely with Venini from the early 1930s until 1947. Scarpa is celebrated for redefining Venetian glass through innovative forms, textures, and surface treatments, earning him comparisons to the Frank Lloyd Wright of Italy. The vase exemplifies a technique often referred to as somersault with frothy bubble-like inclusions and subtle gold highlights, creating a rich sense of depth and movement within the glass. Likely dating from the 1930s, this piece reflects Scarpa's early experimental period when he blended traditional Murano craftsmanship with modernist design principles. As a result, the vase stands not only as a decorative object but also as a significant work of 20th century design, highly regarded by collectors and scholars of modern glass. I think a good auction estimate would be $15,000 to $20,000. Oh, nice. That's sweet. Yeah. And this really is a very nice piece of 20th century glass. Thank you. That's great. We love it. We really appreciate it. This is a vase of my great aunt's from Ocean Springs, Mississippi. It was always one of my favorite things, and she wanted me to have it. Eventually, after I got out of college and my parents decided I was stable enough to keep it, they let me take it with me. And it's a Tiffany vase is what I was always told, and everyone in the family knew it as a Tiffany vase. This vase, long cherished within one family and traditionally believed to be a Tiffany creation, in fact, originates from the Loetz glassworks, one of the most important art glass manufacturers of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in the early 20th century. Created circa 1900-1905, the piece reflects a period when Loetz was working contemporaneously with Tiffany Studios and actively exploring similar artistic ideals inspired by ancient Mediterranean vessels, particularly those excavated in Cyprus and displayed in major museums. The vase is formed as a stylized lotus flower, rendered in vibrant orange iridescent glass with sculptural green leaves at the base, an important distinction from Tiffany's flower form vases, which typically feature elongated stems rather than fully sculpted foliage. Its surface decoration belongs to Loetz's renowned Phénomène series, characterized by shimmering, oil-slick iridescence rather than Although unsigned, the form, coloration, and surface treatment are consistent with documented Loetz designs. This vase exemplifies the artistic dialogue of the Art Nouveau era, illustrating how European and American glassmakers simultaneously pursued organic form, historical inspiration, and luminous surface effects, resulting in objects of enduring aesthetic and historical value. And in a retail shop, it would be between $8,000 and $10,000. Wow, that's great. So, not a bad thing, by any means. Well, good. My mother-in-law, she's a Tiffany collector, and she allowed me to pick some pieces out of her collection as a gift. So these were two of the pieces that I picked, but she has a very wide variety of Tiffany pieces in her collection. So these are two of the three or four that you picked? Yes. You have Tiffany, which you do know. These two glass objects are authentic works by Louis Comfort Tiffany, one of the most influential American designers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The first piece is an iridescent favrile glass vessel, decorated with a vine and leaf motif. This example represents Tiffany's more commercially produced line, made in greater numbers but still adhering to a high standard of craftsmanship. The form and organic decoration reflect the Art Nouveau influence that dominated Tiffany's work. The suffix mark on the base indicates a production date of 1915, placing it firmly within Tiffany Studios' mature period. The second object is a calyx form vase, a sculptural shape inspired by botanical forms, resembling the opening of a flower. This piece is also signed Tiffany and bears a suffix number dating it to 1903. Unlike the more commercial favrile example, the calyx form was produced in much smaller quantities and is generally regarded as a more artistic and experimental design. Its flowing lines, subtle asymmetry, and refined proportions demonstrate Tiffany's intent to blur the boundary between fine art and decorative object. Well this particular piece would be six thousand dollars. Nice gift. Wow. The calyx piece would be seven thousand five hundred dollars, and those are retail values. Whoa, oh my goodness. This vase has been in our family for over a hundred years. It was given to my grandmother for her wedding gift, and I've held it and admired it since I was a little girl. Do you know when your grandmother got married? Probably around, I believe, like 1918. Good. This vase dates to the Frederick Carter era of Steuben Glassworks in Corning, New York, and belongs to the celebrated Tyrian line. First produced around 1916, Frederick Carter, the founding artistic director of Steuben, was internationally respected for his innovations in colored art glass and refined surface treatments. The name Tyrian alludes to the legendary Tyrian purple associated with ancient royalty, although examples from this series often display subtle green and iridescent tones rather than deep purple. The vase features a softly contoured form and a dense opaque surface that gives it a sculptural quality, reflecting Carter's emphasis on classical inspiration combined with modern American craftsmanship. A period paper label from Whitmore, a prestigious Omaha, Nebraska retailer known for handling high-quality decorative arts, further situates the piece within its early 20th century commercial and artistic context. Overall, the vase represents an important example of American art glass, distinguished by its historical significance, refined aesthetics, and technical sophistication. I would say a retail value, given its condition, between $10,000 and $12,000. Oh my goodness. Oh, our guests, that went so well. Oh my goodness. Now, if it had been in perfect condition, I would have said $15,000. Oh my goodness. What have you brought with you? A Lalit vase. Where did you get it? We got it from a friend. It was a friend who passed away, unfortunately, in 1980 or so, and she went to New York City to model and missed her family, so she came back to Minneapolis to be with her family, and they were friends of the Kellogg's, and that was a gift to her from the Kellogg's. Kellogg's family, okay. Behind Minneapolis. This vase is a glasswork by René Lalique, one of the most important figures in the history of Art Nouveau and Art Deco decorative arts. Born in France in 1860, Lalique first achieved international fame as a master jeweler before turning increasingly toward glassmaking in the early 20th century. By the 1920s, he had become one of the most celebrated glass artists in the world, known for combining artistic elegance with refined industrial production. The vase, titled Espalion, was first produced in 1927 and is clearly signed R. Lalique on the base, along with factory numbers that confirm its authenticity. Executed in molded glass, the piece features a repeating fern motif rendered in relief, a design closely associated with Lalique's fascination with nature. The soft blue coloration and the original frosted finish enhance the sculptural quality of the surface, allowing light to interact gently with the glass. This vase in blue has sold at auction as much as $5,000. Really? $5,000. Okay. However, if in fact the rim has been buffed a little bit, that would diminish the value. Right. In order to ascertain whether it had been buffed, I'd want to check it against the catalog raisonne of Lalique's work to see how heavy that lip was and or if it's diminished. If it has been diminished, that would diminish the value by at least half. My father acquired it in the 40s. I grew up in New Jersey and that's where we lived and he and my mom were big antiquers. Frequently, I and my sister were dragged along and he bought it at an antique store, probably, I would guess, in the late 40s. This monumental glass vase was produced by the Schneider brothers, Charles and Ernest Schneider, two leading figures of early 20th century French art glass. After working at the Dom factory in Nancy, the brothers established their own glassworks, Schneider Frères, where they became known for bold coloration and innovative art deco designs. Pieces marked Schneider France were specifically made for export, confirming this vase as part their international production. Created around 1930, the vase exemplifies a mature art deco aesthetic. Standing approximately 33 inches tall, it is remarkable for its scale as well as its dramatic color palette. Layers of glowing oranges and yellows are fused with a deep blue base, creating a strong visual contrast that emphasizes verticality and movement. Subtle circular motifs within the glass recall the cloisonné, inspired textures often explored by Schneider during this period, adding depth without overwhelming the overall form. But I would put this in a value range for insurance of three to five thousand. Wow, that's terrific. My mother would never let him show it. She'd never liked it and after I inherited it, my wife never liked it, so it stayed in the closet. Oh my. When my son got married 15 years ago, it was in his closet and I offered to give it to him and his wife didn't like it either, so maybe this will encourage my wife to get it out of the closet and move it into a little more higher priority area. The story starts with me deciding to go to Haystack Mountain School of Crafts in August of 1986 to take a pottery class. Every day, spent all day there, and then one day I said, I ought to go up to the glass studio. I've never seen glass being blown before and there's this guy, his name is Lino Tagliapietra. He's Italian from Murano, Venice. This glass piece was acquired in 1986 at the Haystack Mountain School of Crafts during a period when the renowned Italian glass artist Lino Tagliapietra was teaching there. The owner witnessed the work being created from its earliest stages in the studio and documented the entire process through photographs. The finished piece was later obtained through a school fundraising auction where instructors traditionally donated works to support the institution. Created in the mid-1980s, the piece reflects an early phase in Tagliapietra's independent artistic career before his international fame fully emerged. Born in Murano in 1934 and trained from a young age under master glassblower Archimedes Agusso, Tagliapietra was deeply influenced by the filigrana technique, an historic Venetian method using fine white canes embedded within the glass. This technique, visible in the delicate linear decoration of the piece, demonstrates both technical mastery and respect for centuries-old Murano traditions. Compared to his later, more complex and vividly colored works, this example is restrained in form, yet it captures the clarity, balance, and craftsmanship that would later define his legacy as one of the most celebrated studio glass artists in the world. I would put an insurance value of $6,000 on it. Wow, oh, things have come up. Yes, and they probably will come up, they'll probably go up further just because he is so revered by so many. We call it the Green Bowl because we don't know anything else about it. It was a gift from a friend who's, I apologize for giving her age on national TV, but she's 82 and she knew that I liked all things Chinese and brought it to me and said I should have it. She was given it as a gift by her grandparents and she said that her grandparents brought it out of China after the war. Known informally as the Green Bowl, this object is an acid-cut jade green glass vessel produced at Steuben Glassworks in Corning, New York during the Frederick Carter era, most likely in the late 1920s. Although its chrysanthemum motif and overall aesthetic strongly evoke Chinese decorative traditions, the piece was in fact designed to emulate a Chinese taste rather than originate from China itself. Carter, one of the most influential figures in early 20th century American art glass, frequently experimented with rich colors and sophisticated surface treatments, and this bowl is a fine example of that innovation. The vessel is made from two layers of glass, with the upper layer selectively removed through an acid-cutting process to create the raised floral design, a technically demanding method that results in crisp relief and notable visual depth. Its substantial weight reflects both the thickness of the glass and the quality of Steuben's craftsmanship. Although unsigned, a common characteristic of Steuben production from this period, the form is documented in factory records under a specific shape number and described as carved, confirming its acid-cut manufacture. And today in a retail shop, this would sell for between $3,000 and $3,500. Wow. So it's a very nice gift. Yes, it was. I'm an avid flea market and estate seller, and I went into an estate sale and I saw this vase and I was kind of attracted to it, and I picked it up and it was so heavy, and then I looked at the bottom and I saw an etching on it. I couldn't really completely make it out, and it was priced at $40, and I thought, well, this is pretty monumental, a good-sized piece. I think I'll get it. This vase is an uncommon example of early 20th century Steuben art glass, produced during the innovative period between approximately 1915 and 1933. The vase is made from semi-transparent lavender glass, created by introducing chemical agents between two layers of glass, a process that results in distinctive internal bubbling and flattened inclusions, often described by collectors as a sunny-side-up effect. The substantial weight and monumental scale of the piece further reflect Steuben's emphasis on material quality and sculptural presence. On the underside appears the rare fleur-de-lis mark, confirming Steuben manufacture, as well as a recognizable shape number consistent with documented factory drawings. Because only a limited number of these colored Steuben pieces were signed, examples such as this are particularly noteworthy. So this particular piece today would be worth about $2,500. Get out! And that would be for insurance. Wow. So your $40 was amazing. That was a good investment. I think it's Art Nouveau by the Ketzel Company, and they were in the same time as Tiffany, but other than that, I don't really know anything about it. Okay, and how did you get it? It belonged to the artist Florence E. Ware, who was a very good friend of my mother, and she gave it to my mother, and then my mother gave it to me. I've had it since the mid-70s. This Art Nouveau glass vase was identified as a work by Ketzel, an American art glass studio active in the early 20th century and closely connected to Tiffany. Ketzel was founded by former Tiffany craftsmen, who carried with them both technical expertise and knowledge of iridescent glass formulas. As a result, Ketzel pieces often resemble Tiffany at first glance, especially in their shimmering surfaces and organic decoration. The vase dates to around 1910, as indicated by its finely engraved Kezel signature with a K prefix. Its form is that of a true vase, enhanced by distinctive applied details, including triple-hooked elements and feather-like decoration toward the lower section. The color palette, dominated by blue and purple tones, is less common than the typical gold, cream, and green usually associated with Kezel, giving the piece a fresher visual character. I would say in a retail setting, I would place the value between $2,500 and $3,500. Really? Okay. Thank you for bringing it. Thank you very much. I brought a piece of Murano glass. My father was a security salesman in Portland, Oregon, and occasionally some of his clients would give him a gift as a thank you for the work he was doing, and this was a piece that they gave to him. And when did you acquire it? I think it was probably in the early 70s. This Murano glass vase is an example of early 20th-century Italian art glass, produced by Capellin Venini on the island of Murano, Venice, an area internationally renowned for its centuries-old glassmaking tradition. The design is known as the Veronese vase, a form inspired by a vessel depicted in a painting of the Annunciation by the Venetian Renaissance painter Paolo Veronese. The model was first conceived in 1921 by Vittorio Zecchin, the first artistic director of Capellin Venini and a key figure in shaping the firm's early aesthetic direction. This vase was presented publicly in 1922 at the Paris Autumn Salon, after which it became one of Venini's signature forms and continued to be produced for many years. The example discussed here dates to approximately 1925-1935, identifiable by the two-line Venini-Murano signature on the underside. A marking used before the firm adopted a three-line signature in the 1950s. Subtle imperfections in the glass, such as visible threads within the body, and a slightly irregular finish, along with the deeper, earlier color palette, further support its early production date. So in terms of value, I would put a retail value on this piece of $3,000 to $4,000. That's great. Yeah, super. I've brought a vase that we refer to as the Tiffany vase. It's been in my husband's family for a number of years. We're not exactly sure who had it, but it is reputed to be Tiffany. From what we've seen of some Tiffany things in books, these big drips seem sort of classic Tiffany to us, but as far as the glass, we just don't really know. This vase, long referred to as a Tiffany vase, is in fact more accurately attributed to Loetz, one of the most important Bohemian art glass firms of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The vase dates to the early years of the 20th century, a period when Loetz glass was frequently exported to the United States and fitted with silver mounts by American silversmiths. The glass itself is relatively restrained in form, featuring a rich, iridescent green surface whose shimmering quality understandably led to comparisons with Tiffany glass. However, the shape and coloration are characteristic of Loetz production rather than Tiffany. What truly elevates the piece is the sterling silver overlay, lavishly decorated with floral motifs and dramatic applied drops. Although the silver is unmarked, its quality, craftsmanship, and material are unmistakable. The unmarked glass is also typical for Loetz pieces of this period. The floral work on this is just gorgeous and these big drops are just outstanding. I love those. This just is a gorgeous vase. Thank you. I think an easy conservative auction estimate would be three to five thousand dollars. I had no idea. They're two Gallet vases from France. I got them from my mother. She and my dad bought them in the early 50s. Do you know anything more about them other than that? It's cameo glass. I believe that they're blown from the bottom up. Okay. And then the other glass is layered onto the frost. Well, do you remember what your mother paid for these? No, I don't. These two French vases form a rare matched pair of Gallet cameo glass from the Art Nouveau period, created around the turn of the 20th century. They are attributed to Émile Gallet, a leading figure of French Art Nouveau and a master glassmaker based in Nancy. Since Gallet died in 1904, the style and signatures indicate these vases were produced during his lifetime, likely in the late 1890s or very early 1900s. The vases were made using the cameo glass technique, with multiple layers of colored glass carved back to reveal delicate floral motifs inspired by local plants from the Nancy region. Their surfaces were fire-polished, giving them a smooth, glossy finish that enhances the depth and subtle variations of color, ranging from warm reds to softer translucent tones. Slight differences in hue between the two vases reflect the handcrafted nature of the work. Both pieces bear the scroll-style Gallet signature, confirming their authenticity. Complete pairs like this are especially uncommon and represent the refined craftsmanship and naturalistic elegance central to Gallet's glass art.