Glass candy

Susie Hoimes’s Venetian glass dazzles in Technicolor hues of lollipop pink, zesty lemon, and sunny orange.

Diane Dorrans Saeks, Photography by Barbara Vaughn

San Francisco antiques dealer Susie Hoimes started collecting Venetian glass vases and bowls while growing up in London. “I love the theatricality and ebullience of Venetian designs,” she says. “There’s a magical, ethereal quality that is very addictive. I’m mesmerized by the virtuoso techniques of the Venetian glassblowers.” Hoimes is known for her neoclassical furniture collection, vintage textiles (such as 1920s Fortuny), quirky paintings, one-of-a-kind English porcelain, and Arts and Crafts Lamps. Now, in her treasure-filled Polk Gulch antiques shop, MDVII, Hoimes is attracting equally passionate collectors and decorators—and curious passersby—with shelves full of graceful ’20s Salviati Champagne flutes, ’30s Seguso gold-flecked columnar candlesticks, dramatic ’50s Venini latticino glass lanterns, and Carlo Moretti’s bravura contemporary designs. To satisfy a sweet tooth for colored glass, start with a small piece or indulge in a rare masterwork—Hoimes’s prices range from $50 for a pink Barbini glass to $1,500 for a glamorous Salviati ruby compote from the late 19th century. All are calorie-free.
MDVII: 1507½ Vallejo St., S.F., 415-931-4213

Diane Dorrans Saeks is San Francisco’s contributing interior design editor.