Chance Expressions: The History of Domestic Glassware for Chance Brothers

[Della]

Chance Expressions: The History of Domestic Glassware for Chance Brothers.
Author:  David P. Encill
Publisher: Cortex Design
136 pages
Foreword by Charles Hajdamach
ISBN: 978-0-9549196-1-0

I waited with anticipation for a book, which I believed, which was full of well researched details, lots of photos and all of great quality.
Well, after a short delay, no fault of the author I might add, the book arrived.
Well worth the wait!
7 chapters of sheer reading pleasure, with information covering, amongst other things:
A short history of the Chance Brothers.
Chapter 2: Pressed glass from 1929-1953.
Chapter 3 moves on smoothly to cover, and cross-reference, Fiestaware slumped glass. There is also a very easy to use “scarcity indicator,” which is incredibly handy and simplistic in its form. Even I can work out use it!
Chapter 4 covers the Fiestaware patterns from 1950-1981. Discover the pattern of the piece you have, or wish to buy, at a glance; a great, no-nonsense reference chapter.
Of course, the renowned handkerchief & posy vases, 1956-1981, have a chapter (6) dedicated just to them.
The book is made of high quality paper and packed with fantastic photographs in every chapter, which enable the reader to easily identify their piece, or prospective purchase. There are detailed accounts and information for each item, giving dates of manufacture, etc.
This is definitely not a book just aimed at the collectors of the now ubiquitous “handkerchief” vases. This is a great reference facility that will be of assistance to a large spectrum of collectors and sellers alike.  
I take my hat off to you, David! A truly fabulous book, which I highly recommend.
Well done, David.

[Anne E.B.]

Chance Expressions. The History of Domestic Glassware from Chance Brothers.
David P. Encill.  Cortex Design. 2007.

I was so excited to finally receive David's book Chance Expressions.  The first long awaited book on Chance Glassware.  It far exceeded any expectations that I had.

What first struck me, when I was eventually able to wrestle the book from my OH who sat engrossed reading it, was the amazing number of photographs and illustrations it contained.  A feast of colour, detail and information - just what I personally want from a book on glass.

From the start I actually read it from cover to cover and found it a joy to read.  I've since 'dipped' into it many times and I know I will refer to it time and time again.  Evidence of David's incredibly detailed research is seen in the wealth of information contained in all seven chapters of the book.  I particularly liked the ingenious use of different types of charts (cross-referenced too) to simply, yet effectively convey facts and information, not to mention the use of a scarcity indicator.  A boon for the serious collector I'm sure.

I think this book is an excellent comprehensive, essential guide and reference source for lovers and collectors of Chance Glassware and for those just starting out.

Well done David!  Much respect

[Frank]

Remarkable work of design, at the first flip through it is an explosion of colour and overcrowded, but once you start to look through it that impression is quickly lost. To pack so much into so little space is a remarkable effort and clearly, in my view, puts David into the rank of top book designers.

It is also a superb showcase of the benefits of the new Indigo technology to have done the same by conventional methods would have needed a run well over 10,000 to have any hope of achieving the low cover price.

The presentation of information is of course the most important for the reader and I am highly impressed at how this has been managed - in this respects it exceeds my expectations by a huge margin. I expect this book will be creating an explosion in the collection of this glassware and I really look forward to volume 2.

Anyone new to glass collecting can be assured of an easy to assimilate training in Chance glassware and will wear the book out as they advance their knowledge. Not being particularly interested in Chance, per se, my interest in the technology and production is well addressed well.

A first class book with honours

[Pip]

I really feel I should add some words here but it would seem everything I wanted to say has already been said, and better!  What I will say however is that it's my current favourite bedtime read and I'm thrilled and honoured to have played a teensy weensy part in it's creation by providing a couple of pictures.  Thank you David, not only for the fine book, but for including me in it :-)