Fircone vase - from France to Brazil

A few years ago, a fabulous, richly iridised, blow-moulded vase was reported that hadn't been seen before. Found at an auction in   Philadelphia, its pattern, in deep relief, was of plump pine cones and it was aptly given the name "Fircone" by the owner, Alphonse Tvaryanas. A second example (like the first one, also found in the USA) was reported and for a number of years those two examples were the only ones the Carnival world was aware of. Then, more recently, a small number have been reported in Brazil  . Where? Yes, Brazil. We were puzzled by this, and with the help of fellow researcher Marcus Newhall, we have researched this further.

On the iridised base of the first reported vase were the moulded words (in block letters) FRANCE and what appeared to be COTY. The vase (above) stands almost 12" high and is a massive and impressive item. It was blow moulded and iridised with a deep and intense marigold, with green and red highlights. The pattern is in deep relief and features pine cones and needles, as well as a stylised art deco geometric panel up the sides, as shown by the detailed photos above.

But if the vase was marked "FRANCE" then how come several are being found in Brazil? They're big vases, so it's unlikely that they would have been exported in bulk to Brazil. We asked the Brazilian seller if he had any information, and whilst he was unsure of the maker, he was able to tell us that he believed the vases were made in Brazil during the 1950s or 1960s, and that the name of the factory might be "Saints".

So what is the link between France, Coty and Brazil?

Our enquiries led us to the Saint Gobain glass conglomerate which has subsidiaries all over the world; its origins are in France but one of its major factories is in Brazil.

With thanks to Marcus Newhall (glass researcher) and Nathalie Duarte (archivist for Saint-Gobain), we have pieced together the the history of Saint Gobain and its connection with Coty and Brazil - and put forward our theory regarding the fascinating history of the Fircone vase. 

Coty and Saint Gobain

In 1930, the "Societe des Parfums, Coty", acquired the glass-works of La Chapelle, so as to produce their own flasks and jars - they formed the "Societe des Verreries de La Chapelle-Saint-Mesmin". Three furnaces were in operation at the plant, and in 1932 a production hall was constructed, followed by a gas factory. But skilled workers proved difficult to find, and some problems in manufacture as well as the death of Francois Coty in 1934, saw the factory going into liquidation in 1934.

The plant was purchased by Saint Gobain and formed into  the "Societe d'Exploitation Verriere (S.E.V.) Beauce-Bourgogne", consisting of the La Chapelle-Saint-Mesmin and Genlis (Cote d'Or) glass-works. The first President of S.E.V. was Baron Thenard, while the management of the factory was handled by Lawrence King, a Canadian, who (rather intriguingly) was known as "The Sioux" by the workers. The parfumier Coty remained a customer of the company, which continued to make containers for a full range of products. Further amalgamations continued and the production of perfume bottles was reduced as goblet production increased.

In more recent times, the Saint Gobain works at La Chapelle-Saint-Mesmin was turned over to the production of Duralex table ware (tempered glass that is break resistant and shatterproof). Saint Gobain now ranks among the world's top 100 industrial corporations, operating in 46 countries and employing more than 170,000. Besides producing glass for the widest possible range of uses, Saint Gobain also makes tubing, building materials, industrial ceramics and abrasives and operates in the distribution and retailing of construction materials. They supplied the glass for the Louvre Pyramid and interestingly are responsible for insulating a fifth of all homes in the USA!

Saint Gobain and Brazil

Saint Gobain began acquiring businesses in Brazil in 1937, when it bought Companhia Metalurgica Barbará and Brasilit S/A. Over the years, it acquired more companies and grew enormously - in fact Brazil has the widest range of activities possible among the countries in which the group operates. In Brazil, Duralex is one of the lines produced at the Saint Gobain plant (in Santa Marina).

So who made the Fircone vase?

Our conclusion is that the original Fircone vase with the short neck was made, possibly in the early 1930s, at La Chapelle-Saint-Mesmin, near Orleans in France, when it was owned by the perfumier, Francois Coty.

Subsequently, after Saint Gobain acquired the factory, the Fircone mould was shipped over to the Saint Gobain subsidiary in Brazil - probably sometime during the 1940s or 1950s.

The two versions of the Fircone vase. On the left is the earlier version that was made by Coty in France. On the right is one we believe to have been made later, by Saint Gobain in Brazil - the significant difference between the two is the much longer neck on the later version.

We know that Carnival Glass was made in other South American glassworks, and quite possibly this inspired Saint Gobain's Brazilian factory to try it out themselves, with production sometime during either the 1950s or 1960s. And what better piece to use than one that had been made in Carnival before? We know that a few other items in Carnival were also produced at the Brazil factory, including some vases with necks very similar to the Fircone. 

It all seems to add up.