The Chalet “birdbath” ashtrays

The Chalet “birdbath” form is one of the rarest and coveted of all the Chalet pieces. It was only produced in a very few numbers. As a special bonus, we actually have the story behind its origin!

 During a 2011 interview for “The Shapes and Colours of Chalet Art Glass”, I showed Chalet Maestri Gatto, Panizzon and Guarniere a picture I had received from a member of the collectors’ forum attached to my Chalet Web site. It was of a piece I had never seen.

Photograph courtesy of Robin Thorne.

Gianfranco Guarnieri was able to tell me how this form came to be. One day, after shift on his personal time and with the permission of the Chalet owners, he made a piece for his father-in-law. It was this style ashtray. However, his gift piece had no gold dust in either the bird or bowl and had an amber bowl with an orange bird. Chalet Maestri and owners Sergio Pagnin and Luigi Tedesco were very intrigued with the form and subsequently produced a very limited number and variety of this style as a test to consider its viability for larger production runs. The test run determined that the ashtray was not feasible as a production run piece as it was too expensive both in terms of materials cost and the labour required.  

Let’s do some bird watching. No binoculars needed!

The Chalet birdbaths typically stand about 5 inches high and have a diameter of approximately 9” Weight is close to 6 pounds. As these are hand-blown forms, there will be variation in size, shape and weight.

This piece from the collection of Laura Zamos.

It most often has 2 indented “butt rests” on the rim of the ashtray bowl but the two polvere d’oro and silver foil pieces in top row of photo gallery have only 1 applied, not rim indented, “butt rest.” In comparison, the two at bottom have typical “butt rests.”

Thanks to Graham Thoms (top left), Jonathon Tremblay (bottom left), and Cindy Bishop Laughlin for photo use.

The tails of the applied figurines can be coloured or clear crystal.

Left - from the collection of Graham Thomas (as shown above). Right - from the collection of Pina Pina.

In some of these forms, there is no gold dust or silver foil in either the ashtray bowl or applied bird figurine.

Olive ashtray without gold dust at top left from the collection of Pina Pina. Gold birdbath with gold dust at bottom left in the garden of Alain Frenette.

Another variation - in 2 other forms that collectors have found, there is gold dust in both birds and gold dust in the bowl of one and silver foil in the bowl of the second.

 A few have been found with 2-tone birds. To date, these birds are orange and amber and the ashtray bowl is amber gold. These 2-tone bird figurines also contain gold dust.

On display in the collection of Kevin Hall.

Left as shown above. Right from the collection of Cindy Bishop Laughlin.

There is a variety of colour combinations in the ashtrays without gold dust. In addition, as of time of posting, all the bird bath ashtray bird figurines found are in a contrasting colour to the ashtray bowl.

From the collections of: Randy Episcopo (top left), and Pina Pina (middle). Elizabeth Charest contributed the photograph at top right and Cindy Bishop Laughlin contributed the bottom right picture.

They have been found with a range of company and retailer brandings.

Etched “Chalet Canada.”

Etched “FASCINATION PAR C.M. ” 

Photograph courtesy of Cindy Bishop Laughlin.

Pina Pina is very fortunate to have the left and middle pieces in her collection. Photograph at right contributed by Cindy Bishop Laughlin.

Etched Eaton’s.

Double marked “Chalet Canada” brandings – etching and sticker.

Collector Laura Zamos found this at an outdoor flea market!

Double marked “FASCINATION PAR C.M.” and “Chalet Canada. ” 

As Chalet retained its ties to tradition, some Murano “birdbath”examples from the collection of Ken Brewer. The Italian influence is obvious.

Neodymium. From the glasshouse of Seguso Vetri d’Arte (SVdA).

Opalescent. From the glasshouse of Vetreria Artistica Obell.

At present, there is no evidence that Lorraine Glass Industries produced “birdbaths.” However, we have seen 2 styles of EDAG “birdbath” ashtray forms.

Photographs of these EDAG forms courtesy of Cindy Bishop Laughlin.

And there is this one from an unknown maker.

Photograph courtesy of Ken Huss.

In my opinion, it is definitely not a Chalet piece. Why do I think this?

The shape of the unidentified ashtray bowl is different – it is more elongated, thinner glass and not as high. The colours of its bird figurine are atypical for Chalet. The unknown’s overall bird figurine shape and pose is markedly different – birds on the verified Chalet are much more upright. The pose of the Chalet birds is “perching” – not “nesting.” The tail position and shape are different in both – the unknown piece’s tail is upright not straight out, it is neither solidly coloured or clear crystal, and there are more numerous and closer together folds in the “fan” of its tail.

I think strong possibilities for its maker are EDAG (given the one shown directly above) or Murano. What do you think – love to hear your thoughts!

 Now, let’s relax and let these birds enjoy their bath.