I discovered the world of opaline vases 20 years ago, at the end of a flea market, on Place du Jeu de Balles in Brussels. Acid-colored vases, not very clean, left alone on the floor. Their colors won me over, and I've never stopped collecting them.
What is opaline?
Opaline is a type of decorative glass that appeared in France at the beginning of the 19th century. It enjoyed great popularity among the aristocracy and the bourgeoisie, particularly during the reigns of Louis-Philippe and Napoleon III.
Opaline glass was inspired by Venetian glass and European porcelain. Its development began around 1800 in France, notably thanks to the Baccarat, Saint-Louis, and Choisy-le-Roi factories.
It became very popular under the Restoration (1815-1830) and especially under the Second Empire (1852-1870), where it was associated with a certain idea of luxury and refinement.
This oplaine is defined as a colored and opacified glass , often confused with porcelain. Its composition varies according to the period, but generally includes:
Silica (main component of glass)
Lead oxide (to give weight and shine)
Opacifying substances such as tin, calcined bone or fluoride
Metallic dyes (copper for green, gold for pink, cobalt for blue)
The famous manufacturers of this period were : Baccarat, Saint-Louis or Choisy-le-Roi.
But personally, among French manufacturers, I have a particular weakness for Portieux opaline.
The opaline of Portieux
Opaline de Portieux is a French glass production from the Verrerie de Portieux , a factory founded in 1705 in the Vosges. It is particularly renowned for its creations in colored opaline and molded glass, which enjoyed great success from the 19th to the 20th century.
In the 20th century : Portieux opaline became a classic of the Art Deco and Belle Époque styles, highly prized in France and internationally.
Portieux opaline is distinguished by:
A milky and translucent appearance , often denser than Venetian or Italian opaline.
A wide range of colors , including:
🔵 Portieux Blue (iconic sky blue shade)
⚪ Milky white (most common)
🌸 Pale pink
💛 Golden yellow
🖤 Intense black (rare)
A molded patterned glass : unlike Baccarat's blown opalines, Portieux favors molding to create reliefs.
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Classical and neoclassical motifs : garlands, pearls, flowers, mythological figures...
The Bleu Portieux vase is one of his most famous designs, instantly recognizable by its vibrant color and timeless yet ultimately quite modern design.
This is also a model that I regularly hunt for in the catalog, this vase and the glasses.
The opaline of Empoli
Bazaarologie's flagship opaline comes primarily from Italy. It's Empoli opaline, produced in Tuscany. It's particularly recognizable for its vibrant colors and translucent or semi-opaque appearance.
Empoli opaline is an opacified colored glass , similar to French productions, but with certain specificities:
Strong and vibrant colors , including emerald green, intense blue, deep red, and amber.
Translucent or opaque appearance , sometimes brighter than French opaline.
Clean, modern shapes , in keeping with 20th-century Italian design.
It is made from silica, metal oxides for color, and opacifying agents such as fluorine or tin.
Several Empoli glassworks have particularly marked the history of this opaline:
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Empoli Glassworks – A large 20th-century manufacturer known for its colorful vases and carafes.
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VB Opaline Florence – Specializing in creations from the 1950s-1970s, with a very modern design.
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Stella Glass – A company active in the production of elegant pieces in opaline and crystal.
I generally try to preserve the label of origin as much as possible, to enhance this expertise. You are free to remove it later.
Empoli opaline is distinguished by particularly vivid shades:
- Empoli Green (signature color of the region)
- Sapphire blue
- Ruby red
- Amber orange
- Powder pink
- Milky white (closer to classic opaline)
These manufacturers adapted their designs to the specific needs of the markets they exported to. Certain colors were only produced for the English market or North America, for example.
This opaline was very popular in the second half of the 20th century.
Empoli opaline objects are often slender and refined , with soft curves and a minimalist design, in keeping with the Italian style of the 20th century.
This makes it attractive to lovers of vintage design , especially creations from the 1950s and 1970s. Its modern shapes and vibrant colors make it a piece that blends particularly well with our current interiors.
You will therefore find a lot of Italian opaline but also Belgian opaline, from the Rupel Boom glassworks.
Rupel Boom opaline
There are, moreover, many parallels to be drawn between these glassworks in the South and this one in the North. All produced both exceptional pieces and industrial productions; Fanta or Coca-Cola bottles for the Italian glassworks and beer glasses for the one in Boom.
Often labeled "Genuine Opaline - from Valoi - Buckingham - master glassmaker Rupel Boom," this opaline product was then considered a luxury gift. I particularly like their range of pastel colors. But the most sought-after pieces are mainly those from the Hulabaloo collection, close to Scandinavian design, with rounded and refined shapes, creations by Felix Albrecht Van Ransbeeck.
Retired since 1981, his cobalt blue-lined vases can be found in the museums of Liège, Charleroi and Ghent.
I will come back to the case of Scandinavian but also Spanish creations in another post. Because ultimately when it comes to opaline , more than their origin, it is the assembly of shapes and colors that transform you into a collector.
And here I risk being a little lyrical, the opaline is exalted when it is in family, with several people. More is more. Definitely.