Patchwork Coffeepot by Dick Marquis

Richard "Dick" Marquis transforms an everyday domestic form into a riot of white ribbons and jewel-toned fragments -- turquoise, orange, purple, ruby, green, and black -- then tops it with an improbably tall striped lid. The result is playful, slightly eccentric, and technically formidable: classic Marquis.

Marquis is one of the pioneers of American studio glass. In 1969, a Fulbright-Hays Fellowship took him to Murano, where he worked as a guest designer at the legendary Venini factory and mastered Venetian cane and murrini techniques. He subsequently became instrumental in introducing those methods to American studio glass. His work combines that breathtaking technical command with humor, collecting, kitsch, and an enduring affection for peculiar objects.

Marquis was Pittsburgh Glass Center's 2016 Art on Fire Honorary Artist. For serious glass collectors, his influence is foundational. For everyone else, this tiny coffeepot may simply be impossible to resist.

Dimensions (in. WxHxD): 3 x 9 x 3

The Live Auction will take place Sep. 18 at 8pm ET. Bid live at the event, place bids online via Live Auctioneers, or submit absentee bids by contacting Heather McElwee at 412-365-2145 or heather@pittsburghglasscenter.org.