Insanely Well Done Bowl in Libbey’s Savona – SOLD

The Savona pattern by Libbey may easily be the best combination of geometric cutting and realistic engraving. The variety of motifs is mind-numbing and the quality of engraving is superb. I have had a piece identical to this in my collection for many years and would never sell this piece if it wasn’t for that. The exact piece is pictured in the Libbey composite catalog reprint reproduced by the ACGA and in Rarities. This pattern was undoubtedly designed by William C. Anderson. It is signed Libbey in the center.

The center of the bowl (where is rests) is covered with clear-button centered hobstars. They’re arranged in a manner that some how comes to three points in the center. Look carefully at the corners of the bottom – Libbey even threw in a tiny little hobstar.  A very deep, clear channel is cut around that portion of the pattern and meets three “pineapple” type of cutting. Shooting from the pineapple are fans cut nearly the same as Hawkes’ Panel – chains of hobstar separated by triple miter and divided by deep, clear channels. Three medalions of engraving are spread evenly around the bowl. Each one features I different fruit – I believe they are pears, grapes or plumbs, and a muskmelon. Flared feathering surrounds each section of engraving.

The blank quality of this piece is as good as it gets and dazzles. The bowl is in good condition with just a minor flake at the rim to the side of a tooth and a chip to the inside of a miter on the base. This large piece  measures 10 3/4″ wall and 3 3/4″ tall. The shape is quite unusual in that it only rests on the center portion and then flares inward throughout the bowl and upward at the rim.

If it wasn’t already obvious – I think extremely highly of this piece. I truly believe that this should be about as expensive as any bowl out there – it’s just as nice and as rare.