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Author Topic: Re: E. Downey  (Read 24140 times)

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Sklounion

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Re: E. Downey
« on: March 08, 2007, 07:04:56 AM »
Please,
Does anyone have any information about the role of E. Downey, within the UK glass importer Vitrea?
Who was he/she? From what date were Vitrea commissioning Downey to produce designs?
Anything at all about this person, would be gratefully received,
TIA,
regards,
Marcus

Sklounion

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Re: E. Downey
« Reply #1 on: March 10, 2007, 08:59:43 AM »
Just a note:

Downey's designs were made by Sklarny Inwald and Spojene Ceske Sklarny. I would like to clarify whether Downey was designing free-lance for the Czechoslovakian companies, or whether the designs were licensed to those companies, by Vitrea/Downey. There seem to be similarities to the John Jenkins and Co Ltd/Inwald "Barolac" situation in the 1930s.
TIA,
Regards,
Marcus

Offline Adam

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Re: E. Downey
« Reply #2 on: March 10, 2007, 09:06:01 PM »
This name is ringing very faint bells with me.  My mould-making colleague at Sowerbys used to talk about a pre-war designer (employee?, contractor?, consultant?) and I think the name MIGHT have been Downey.  Any possible connection?

Adam D.

Sklounion

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Re: E. Downey
« Reply #3 on: March 10, 2007, 09:13:26 PM »
Hi Adam,
Between the wars and into the 1950s would be the right time-frame.
There is a serious probability that Vitrea commissioned items from both UK and Czechoslovakian glass-works, so Downey may well have designed items made by Sowerby.
Thanks very much for your assistance, much appreciated,
Marcus

Offline Frank

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Re: E. Downey
« Reply #4 on: March 10, 2007, 09:20:39 PM »
Did Vitrea also set up in the UK then?

Sklounion

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Re: E. Downey
« Reply #5 on: March 11, 2007, 07:23:40 AM »
Hi Frank,

Vitrea (Merchants) Ltd
Showrooms at 12-16 Clerkenwell Road, London E.C.1
Definitely still there in 1964. But when they started?

The Downey items have post-war numbers (some of them) but there is a vase with three swans to the base, inspired by European vase designs from Brockwitz and Inwald themselves, which looks very 1930s. It could also be, that Downey designed Inwald items that are now wrongly assumed to be from the Barolac range.

Regards,

Marcus


Offline Frank

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Re: E. Downey
« Reply #6 on: March 11, 2007, 09:39:01 AM »
"Dr. Markovic said he had left Czechoslovakia in March, 1948, and could not say very much about events there since. He knew, however, that all non-Communist employees had been discharged. During the last twelve months, he had heard that sales departments had been divorced from the manufacturing side, the former now being divided into two separate departments, one (DUTA) being responsible for the home trade, and the other (VITREA) dealing with exports. The regional groupings were being abolished and individual works were now under direct control of the central organisation."
PG&GTR Jan 1950 courtesy glass-study.com

Sklounion

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Re: E. Downey
« Reply #7 on: March 11, 2007, 11:08:46 AM »
Hi Frank,
Not sure how this works then, as we know Skloexport (Glassexport) appeared in 1948. There does not appear to be any other organisation handling export, other than Jablonex. Certain small companies, (less than 50 employees) were still advertising in early 1948, in CGR, as exporting from the Jablonec region.
Is Vitrea London, a wholly-owned Czechoslovakian subsidiary, in which case, why employ Downey as a designer?
Do you have a pre-war gazetteer from PG and GTR, Frank, and is there any mention of Vitrea, pre-war?

Thanks and regards,
Marcus

Offline Frank

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Re: E. Downey
« Reply #8 on: March 11, 2007, 03:09:14 PM »
Well well, PG 1933  - Vitrea Union Bottle and Glassware Co,. Ltd., 173 Evelyn St, Deptford

Appears under both

British Glass Manufacturers AND Directory of London Merchants, Factors & Importers.

Possibly unrelated to that one:
PG 1962 directory of importers - Vitrea (Merchants) Ltd. 12, Clerkenwell Road, EC1. Agents for Glassexport (Bohemia Glass; Moser: Rhapsody: Harmony: Pizzicato: Hartil: Durit. (Also an advert)

But possibly not a conicidence of name. So company records for both of the above? Might reveal why a designer was needed.

Sklounion

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Re: E. Downey
« Reply #9 on: March 12, 2007, 10:46:31 AM »
Hi Frank,
Possible that this is one and the same:
Vitrea (Merchants) Ltd, registered company from 31/12/1926. Obviously the same company that was at 12 -16 Clerkenwell Rd. Cannot find whether or not there was a name change at some point, but will check this further.No name change shown as Companies House seem only to keep these for 20 years.
Thanks and regards,
Marcus

 

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