Maker Unknown Aztec Headdress Marigold Vase

Let's talk about Aztec Headdress. This vase is easy to find in Brazil. I bought mine in Minas Gerais, and when I did this I talked with Glen Thistlewood about it. I was sure it was a new discovery, but it was not. Glen told me that it was made in South America, but she was not sure if it was in Brazil or in Argentina, and that the pattern name was Aztec Headdress.

I think Aztec Headdress is a beautiful name, but when I saw this pattern my first time, I thought it was very similar to the Headdress used in Brazilian carnivals in the "desfile das escolas de samba", and I am almost sure that it is a Brazilian Carnival Glass. This is because, first, as I told you, it is easy to find this vase in Brazil, and second, is that I really think that it has some connection with a factory named "Santa Marina" that was bought by Saint Gobain in the 1940's, I think. I will tell you why.

The Fir Cone vase, an item produced in France by Saint Gobain, and the Fir Cone vases found in Brazil have a history. What do Aztec Headdress and Fir Cone has in common? The border of both vases is the same, kind of like "little mountains", and in both vases the border it is not iridescent! Also, the iridescence is the same as the Aztec Headdress and in the Fir Cone too, and has similar imperfections. The texture looks like a kind of "rough" glass. Shown is a base I speak of, rough with no iridescence.

So, I am almost sure it is a Brazilian Carnival Glass, but who made it?

The glass and the marigold color are very different from Esberard pieces that I have. We know that Saint Gobain bought Santa Marina. It is supposed that Santa Marina was able to make this kind of glass. Santa Marina exists only in the name because they used to do a kind of glass used in kitchens that are named "Marinex", but Santa Marina was bought by a big old factory named Nadir Figueiredo. I tried to have some history information, but Nadir Figueiredo does not have a history department about Santa Marina.

One more curiosity about Aztec Headdress is that this vase is the first carnival glass that I saw being used in a senario of a Brazilian soap opera. The soap opera is "Eta Mundo Bom" and shows the city of São Paulo in the 40's and 50's. Here is a photo of the vase in the senario:

The measurements of the vase are 9 1/4" tall, or 23.5 centimeters.

The Claudio Deveikis Collection, SA