Author Topic: Is this Monart? (Read 1013 times)

SteveM · « **on:** May 25, 2005, 09:37:21 PM »

From the same house in Fife as my small Monart bowl with gold sprinkles,I found this shallow dish with rather larger sprinkles of silver(coloured?) metal.

It measures 20cm across and is 3 cm deep.Pontil and base have been ground away.TIA.

http://tinypic.com/5d8jgl

Frank · « **Reply #1 on:** May 25, 2005, 10:11:47 PM »

Hi Steve,

Yes, the silver flakes are mica which looks lustrous white outside glass. There used to be a story that it was introduced in 1935 for the Silver Jubilee. As with most of the tales around Monart that got disproved recently.

SteveM · « **Reply #2 on:** May 25, 2005, 10:37:20 PM »

Thanks Frank.As that is mica,I'm glad it's safely encased in the glass.Bet it wasn't too healthy for the workers.

If the mica wasn't specifically introduced for the Silver Jubilee,was it already in use then or didn't it come until later?

Thanks again.

chopin-liszt · « **Reply #3 on:** May 25, 2005, 11:06:48 PM »

I thought it was meant to be from Woolworths, the Christmas snow, so that these pieces are thought to be made in winter. Is that not from your Ysart book, Frank? (I don't have a copy, but I've read it).
Cheers, Sue

Frank · « **Reply #4 on:** May 26, 2005, 06:45:34 AM »

Quote from: "chopin-liszt"

(I don't have a copy, but I've read it)

Tsk, how is a writer supposed to make a living

- Happy to sell you a BRAND NEW copy for only €260 including postage, signature optional.

All other questions are answered here. http://www.ysartglass.com/Ysart/Xmas.htm except that Mica is chemically inert and thus unlikely to lead to health issues for workers.

SteveM · « **Reply #5 on:** May 26, 2005, 08:45:19 AM »

Great information.Thanks.
I seem to remember my parents using mica snowflakes on our Christmas tree in the 50's.
Only reason I mentioned mica, was that I seemed to remember it having been implicated in pneumoconiosis(miners lung) and there are safety limits for exposure to it in industries where it's used or mined.

http://www.nohsc.gov.au/OHSInformation/Databases/ExposureStandards/az/Mica.htm

"The Exposure Standards Working Group recommends a time-weighted average exposure standard of 2.5mg/m3 (inspirable dust) for mica containing less than 1% quartz. This exposure standard is based on its historical use in Australia; and should provide sufficient margin of safety in controlling pneumoconiosis and other respiratory effects"