Topic: Is this a Walther Lamp base?

[tigerchips]

Im not sure what this is but I've seen similar glass described on ebay as Walther glass.

I can imagine it being a beautiful lamp when the original shade is present.

Is it worth selling if it is damaged and with no shade :?:

here's the picture.
http://tinypic.com/a1k0at.jpg

I have a large pressed glass Art deco sailing ship on Ebay. It's the same colour as the lamp base and it's frosted too.

I've been buying and selling antique's and collectables for 5 years now and i've never seen one like it before.

Any help would be much appreciated.  

[Anonymous]

Hi Tigerchips

I have had a look through various Walther catalogues from 1928 to 1965 and neither the lampbase nor the sailing ship appears in them at all. Walther did make a couple of ships but these were galleons and not like yours  

Regarding your items on Ebay ... the tray most certainly is as you ascribe but again neither the candlesticks nor the ring tray appears in these catalogues. Can you advise why you think the c/sticks and pin tray are Walther.

Regards

Gareth


Morgan48

[tigerchips]

I presumed the candlesticks were Walther because two different "eBay Sellers" described them as such. Their candlesticks are identical to mine but are different in colour (light Pink, light Blue).  The ring holder is also described by another eBay seller as Walther (it is green like mine).

I haven't had any emails to say that they aren't Walther.  :?

Perhaps somebody out there might know :?:  

[Anonymous]

I presumed the candlesticks were Walther because two different "eBay Sellers" described them as such. Their candlesticks are identical to mine but are different in colour (light Pink, light Blue).  The ring holder is also described by another eBay seller as Walther (it is green like mine).

I haven't had any emails to say that they aren't Walther.  :?

Hi

Unfortunately a number of sellers on Ebay will add any name they think might  help sell their item. Misattribution is pretty rife with some bordering on the rediculous.... It becomes a bit of a vicious circle where one person gives something a name and then someone else picks it up and propogates it further... in some respects in the abscence of any other corroborating information this is what you have done as well... and with all due respect why would you question it to be otherwise.
Regarding not receiving emails refuting the attribution ...well not many people appear to bother... but again we are back to the sellers who do nothing to correct their listings even after having been given direct proof that their listing is incorrect.... I know because I have advised some sellers only to see it totally ignored.  
The catalogues I have are comprehensive for the period and I can only repeat that the items pointed out to you are not contained within those publications....... not 100% proof.... but not far off.... Without wishing to sound pompous I am the someone out there who might know because I have a very particular interest in Walther of this period.... but I'm not infallible either.


Regards


Gareth


Morgan48

[Glen]

Any chance of seeing the candlesticks?

Glen

[Leni]

The candlesticks, tray and ring tray I would say are definitely from the Walther 'Nymphen' set!  (I had a set myself and sold all but one pot which was chipped and the tray, which had a repaired crack    However, I have now obtained a perfect tray!    I love this design!  :shock:   )

AFAIAA, the mermaid candlesticks came in two versions, one with both arms raised and one with only one arm raised.  

I have seen this set in copies of 'Millers Guide' described as both 'Walther' and 'Czech' and I queried this with a gentleman (whose name I am sorry to say I have forgotten  :oops: ) at Broadfield House Glass Museum, where they have examples of this set displayed.  He informed me that although they are frequenlty described as 'Walther', the moulds were apparently passed around in the German / Czech area and they could be attributed to several glass houses around at the time they were made!   :shock:  :roll:

His view was that the 'Walther' attribution was as valid as any other, therefore I have always described them as Walther!  

Tigerchips, I would be happy to see these descibed as Walther 'Nymphen' or Mermaid on ebay, and I don't think many people (well, other than Gareth    :wink: ) would be unduly worried about that attribution.  

Gareth, if we were being pedantic (who, us?  :shock:  :wink: ) I suppose we could question the accuracy of the attribution but, IMHO, if Broadfield House are happy with it, so am I    

Leni xx

[Glen]

OK, I've found the candlesticks and all the rest of tiger's pieces on eBay.

Yes, the dresser tray and the candlesticks are Walther's Nymphen. Yes, they are Walther - the tray (named "Nymphen") is illustrated in the 1936 Walther catalogue - made in rose, green (prob vaseline) and blue. I also have most parts of the set.

I'm not sure that I accept fully what Broadfield House said about the items being made hither and thither. It's true that one can see items in several maker's catalogues of the period - eg Brockwitz pieces in Walther catalogues and Riihimaki catalogues. Same items in both Bernsdorf and Walther catalogues. But without absolute proof I think it's not safe to say that moulds were passed around and made by various makers. There are all sorts of reasons why similar items appear in more than one maker's catalogue.

The Nymphen items are Walther - catalogue attribution 1936. And that's the only proof that I can provide.

Glen

[Morgan48]

Right Tigerchips.... a good nights sleep ...fresh eyes .. so start again.

This morning I looked through all eleven catalogues, rather than skip odd years, and have a correction. Your lampbase is in fact Walther and only appears in the 1934 catalogue and is called  "Greta". This would have had a matching glass lampshade.

Regarding the Nymphen range ...the only 2 items listed are the tray, which you have and a powder bowl that comes complete with a rather ornate fish lid.

I could not find either a direct reference , or indeed anything similar, to your boat and candlesticks

with regards to attribution by Broadfield Glass Museum... you will have to decide for yourself.
The museum is an excellent source of reference and information but as I said in my earlier posting we are all fallible. To give you an example... in 1993 Broadfield were organising an exhibition of glassware by George Davidsons.... and after speaking to Nick Dolan I was told they would be including a selection of, until then, non catalogued "Davidsons" cloud glass. When I asked why.. the answer was because there was nothing to suggest otherwise... anyway after various conversations with Nick Dolan and explaining why I thought it was not Davidsons this glass was eventually displayed and catalogued as "foreign cloud glass"... much to the annoyance of some existing "experts". It was not until a few years later this other cloud glass was correctly identified as Walther.  
I am always quite happy and prepared to be corrected so if you can find any other evidence of attribution I would much appreciate it.... Better to know that I know rather than think that I do...but until then I'll go with what I believe based on the evidence I have found to date

With regards to your items on Ebay as far as I am concerned it is as I have said before.... ultimately its the buyers choice irrespective of what is contained in the listings..... good luck with them.


Regards


Gareth


Morgan48

[Morgan48]

The Nymphen items are Walther - catalogue attribution 1936. And that's the only proof that I can provide.

Glen

Hi Glen

I know my eyesight and my attention span are not 20/20...and I might even be a couple of sarnies short of a picnic basket...but.... I've had yet another look through the 1936 catalogue and I can still only find reference to the tray...not the candlesticks.... am I also a couple of pages short of a full catalogue :oops:  :roll:  :wink:


Regards


Gareth

[Glen]

Hi Gareth - it's not easy to spot. In fact I'll add some info about date of manufacture.....we can include right up to 1953 when it was made by the Walther merger company - Saschenglas.

Grab your 1936 catalogue..... find the dresser trays. There are three together: Waltraut, Amsterdam and Nymphen.

Shown again in 1953 in a group of three: Shamrock, Nymphen and Pierette.

I use a magnifying glass (makes me look like some sort of sleuth  :lol:  or is that a sloth  :lol: )

Glen

PS Yes, only the tray....but they HAD to have made the candlesticks too, surely!