This is a mercury glass Madonna I bought at the Rose Bowl awhile back. I don't know if she is an authentic antique or not. There is some authentic looking age on it, however so I think she really is old. The guy I bought her from had no idea so I got her for ten dollars. She is about eight inches tall. She has a special luminous quality which I find so inspiring, that I can't imagine she was made in a factory in China or Bangladesh, but I guess you never know. Mercury glass has been a popular knock off item recently so you have to be very careful when you buy pieces you think are old because there are a lot of fakes out there. Original Mercury glass was made from about 1850 till the 1930's in Europe. The glass pieces were blown double walled. Originally a solution of liquid silver nitrite was poured into the glass wall created by the double layer of glass to coat the glass and then the glass was sealed at the opening with melted glass or cork. Mercury was never actually used. Mercury was used to coat mirrors, however, so this mirrorlike glass came to be known as Mercury Glass. It was a cloudy moody day outside, very un- Californialike. I was gazing at my Madonna on my windowsill and I thought I should take a picture of her to share her special beauty.
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