No-one likes general adverts, and ours hadn't been updated for ages, so we're having a clear-out and a change round to make the new ones useful to you. These new adverts bring in a small amount to help pay for the board and keep it free for you to use, so please do use them whenever you can, Let our links help you find great books on glass or a new piece for your collection. Thank you for supporting the Board.

Author Topic: Fabulous and unusual modernist frigger - from Chance!  (Read 5854 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline David E

  • Author
  • Members
  • ***
  • Posts: 3908
    • Heart of the Country, England
    • ChanceGlass.net
Fabulous and unusual modernist frigger - from Chance!
« on: February 21, 2008, 09:09:41 AM »
I was fortunate to photograph this most unusual opal-glass 'pendant' that was made by a Chance Brothers worker as a 'foreigner' (a colloquial term in the Midlands for something made illicitly) and can therefore be classified as a frigger.

I have called it a pendant, but at about 19-20cm long and quite heavy, it is probably impractical to wear as a piece of jewellery. It appears to have been formed by casting it onto a table, and formers probably made from pieces of tube, and sections of tube, being bodged into it. Simple, but oh-so effective :clap: and one future project for Max's future Fine Arts degree? ;)

Because it represents a unique piece of history, I would be interested in acquiring it. However I feel its value might put me out of the frame, but having photographs does mean I can at least use this for any future publication.

But the question is (and you know I would never normally ask!) is... how much would you pay for it???
David
► Chance Additions ◄
The 2nd volume of the domestic glassware of Chance Brothers
Contact ► Cortex Design ◄ to order any book

Offline Frank

  • Author
  • Members
  • ***
  • Posts: 9508
  • Gender: Male
    • Glass history
    • Europe
    • Gateway
Re: Fabulous and unusual modernist frigger - from Chance!
« Reply #1 on: February 21, 2008, 10:39:56 AM »
Looks like a Joss Stick holder to me.

If I was a serious Chance collector I might not have a limit until it reached three figures.

Offline David E

  • Author
  • Members
  • ***
  • Posts: 3908
    • Heart of the Country, England
    • ChanceGlass.net
Re: Fabulous and unusual modernist frigger - from Chance!
« Reply #2 on: February 21, 2008, 10:47:32 AM »
I don't think this was the intention - far too flat and the hole at the end is almost certainly used for passing a thread or cord through. It is a 'dangly-thing' and not really suitable for a joss stick, IMHO.

A little background - the father of the current owner was a test engineer at Chance and would occasionally be given odd items by workers when he passed through the factory floor. There is also a set of four flint swans, which I also have photos of.
David
► Chance Additions ◄
The 2nd volume of the domestic glassware of Chance Brothers
Contact ► Cortex Design ◄ to order any book

Offline Lustrousstone

  • Members
  • **
  • Posts: 13627
  • Gender: Female
    • Warrington, UK
    • My Gallery
Re: Fabulous and unusual modernist frigger - from Chance!
« Reply #3 on: February 21, 2008, 10:56:13 AM »
Looks like a dangly suncatcher sort of thing, when was it made?

Offline Frank

  • Author
  • Members
  • ***
  • Posts: 9508
  • Gender: Male
    • Glass history
    • Europe
    • Gateway
Re: Fabulous and unusual modernist frigger - from Chance!
« Reply #4 on: February 21, 2008, 10:56:45 AM »
Swans?  ;D

Most joss stick holders are flat and have a hole at on end, the stick leans over the extended section on which the ash drops. Some are curved at one end but many are completely flat and this is a shape I have had as one.

Offline David E

  • Author
  • Members
  • ***
  • Posts: 3908
    • Heart of the Country, England
    • ChanceGlass.net
Re: Fabulous and unusual modernist frigger - from Chance!
« Reply #5 on: February 21, 2008, 11:02:46 AM »
Christine: I imagine c.1965. I can find out when opal-flashed glass was still being made.

Frank: OK, I take your point you may be right. A dangly, suncatcher, joss-stick holder, thingy then  ;D
David
► Chance Additions ◄
The 2nd volume of the domestic glassware of Chance Brothers
Contact ► Cortex Design ◄ to order any book

Offline Frank

  • Author
  • Members
  • ***
  • Posts: 9508
  • Gender: Male
    • Glass history
    • Europe
    • Gateway
Re: Fabulous and unusual modernist frigger - from Chance!
« Reply #6 on: February 21, 2008, 02:51:52 PM »
Also the time I bought loads of these things, for sale at every 'head' event by the crafties in every imaginable material. You could not have a party without that smoky haze :angel:

Offline David E

  • Author
  • Members
  • ***
  • Posts: 3908
    • Heart of the Country, England
    • ChanceGlass.net
Re: Fabulous and unusual modernist frigger - from Chance!
« Reply #7 on: February 21, 2008, 04:00:58 PM »
David
► Chance Additions ◄
The 2nd volume of the domestic glassware of Chance Brothers
Contact ► Cortex Design ◄ to order any book

Offline Chris Harrison

  • Members
  • **
  • Posts: 495
Re: Fabulous and unusual modernist frigger - from Chance!
« Reply #8 on: February 21, 2008, 04:42:55 PM »
bother*!

I wish I knew if I were there...

Offline aa

  • Glass Professional
  • Members
  • ***
  • Posts: 1835
    • http://www.adamaaronson.com
Re: Fabulous and unusual modernist frigger - from Chance!
« Reply #9 on: February 21, 2008, 10:21:27 PM »

Because it represents a unique piece of history

But the question is (and you know I would never normally ask!) is... how much would you pay for it???

Always important to bear in mind that history does not equate to value. It is the additional actual and even anecdotal information that expands the provenance and adds value.

As an unidentified piece that you might pick up in a market... perhaps £5. But by identifying it, you may have already increased the value from unknown to a provenance! Now that you have identified it, the question is are there any more? If it is the only one and there is more than one Chance collector after it, its potential value, say at auction could be considerable, even though not much is really known about it. Even the suggestion from Frank that if he were a Chance collector, he would set his limit at three figures, has arguably pushed the value up!! ;D It is probably worth over £100 now! ;)

On the other hand, by identifying it, you may have simply notified someone who has hundreds of similar ones, that they were Chance trials. In which case the value could plummet again. Except that if there were lots of different ones on the market, they could become collectable..like handkerchief vases...and the value could start rising again. :)

However, if your subsequent research established who the maker was, and if that maker turned out to be someone important, that could send the value much higher. For example, if you were able to show that Michael Harris made it there as a trial, and that it was the only one, it would make it considerably more valuable. Because this could make it attractive to MH collectors as well as Chance collectors.

For obvious reasons most people don't like to guess values, as you know.....because there is always a risk that they will turn out to be wrong! So I won't be offended if I turn out to be way off the mark! ;D  Just another case of SYNOS ;)
Hello & Welcome to the Board! Sometimes my replies are short & succinct, other times lengthy. Apologies in advance if they are not to your satisfaction; my main concern is to be accurate for posterity & to share my limited knowledge
For information on exhibitions & events and to see images of my new work join my Facebook group
https://www.facebook.com/adamaaronsonglass
Introduction to Glassblowing course:a great way to spend an afternoon http://www.zestgallery.com/glass.

 

SMF spam blocked by CleanTalk
Visit the Glass Encyclopedia
link to glass encyclopedia
Visit the Online Glass Museum
link to glass museum


This website is provided by Angela Bowey, PO Box 113, Paihia 0247, New Zealand