Blue vases - who? Maybe Stennett-Willson? ID = Made for Woolworths

[Anne]

Does anyone recognise these please? They are the same shape and almost the same size (a few mm difference only), but are two different shades of blue. They are 4" tall and 5¾" at their widest point. No pontil mark - see base picture. Rim is flat as if cut like Caithness and polished smooth, but not rounded like the Whitefriars soda vases I've seen. I thought the colours look rather like Lemington but I don't know if this is a Lemington pattern.

[Anne]

Doing a bit more searching on these and found Pip has a floor vase and a candlestick in her shop which seem to match the colours of my two vases, so am I right in thinking mine are RSW as well?

Also, are there any books on RSW that are worth having?

[Anne]

I ran them past member cmdg (Chris) who collects RSW pieces but who thinks these aren't, so back to square one. Chris suggested possibly Holmegaard (Nic...?) or another Scandi maker. So they are still a puzzle. (Thanks for your info Chris.)

[Della]

I handled one up like these, yesterday, it was acid etched Villeroy & Boch on the bottom. The neck finish was exactly the same too, but I didn't have a camera with me. 

[Pip]

Anne - I did wonder about them being Stennett-Willson/Lemington - you're right that the colour is very similar to the big Lemington floorvase in my shop however I've not been able to find the shape of yours referred to anywhere (online or in any reference books).

[Anne]

Della, thank you, that's the best lead I've had so far!   

Pip,  I went all through your pics comparing colours and was almost convinced they were Lemington but for the shape! Thank you.

[Anne]

Updated info!  I saw another of these today in red ... and it was labelled on the base ...

Imported for Woolworth's

... so I don't know who made them but I do know who sold them. Ho hum...

[Anne]

Now I'm wondering if these are part of the range which Ray and Adam discussed here: http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,648.0.html - I don't suppose you kept the article, by any chance did you, Adam?

[Anne E.B.]

Another Woolies one I think ...

http://glassgallery.yobunny.org.uk/displayimage.php?pos=-9923

I've seen some really stylish glass from Woolies (and IKEA) over the years but just wish they would put the maker/designer on their labels.

[Anne]

Ahhh I think you're right Anne. I wonder if Adam still has the article about the Woolies glass he mentioned?

[aa]

'fraid not. Sorry 

[Anne]

Adam,  that's a shame, it's probably useful sort of info to archive... can you recall the newspaper or not?

[sph@ngw]

I reckon they are Scandinavian, made for Woolies and imported for them by J.W Wuidart. John Wuidart employed both RSW and Frank Thrower to source glass from some of the smaller Scandinavian factories for import into the UK. I believe both Reducta and Edward Bowman did the same.
Of course John, who was a real charmer who went onto become the agent for Waterford as WaterfordWuidart, and bet the MD of Waterford that within 5 years he could sell £1m in the UK.
He won his bet and was bought a Jaguar XJ6 ! I have a photo of him with a hot actress of the time Suzy Kendall and him lounging on the bonnet drinking champagne out of Waterford flutes and a couple of Waterford Directors alongside! the photo is from Pottery and Glass gazette of circa 1965?
John lived in Welwyn and was a real glass buccaneer. He imported some Portuguese tankards for Guinness, until  the quality become "iffy" and we at Nazeing Glass, were asked to make some,half pint and 1 pint.