Topic: Hartley Wood label - and perfume/vase? or is it something else entirely?

[flying free]

I bought this little vase/perfume (with stopper missing?) - it had a label stuck on with sellotape I wanted to read the label  
The label is a Hartley Wood one (photos on next post for future reference).  I just assumed it was stuck on randomly and that this couldn't be Hartley Wood from what I recalled seeing on the net.

However today, researching it again (having assumed it must be Mtarfa/Alum Bay type glass but the rim and base doesn't fit what I thought of these    this is what I found:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Hartley-Wood-Glass-Perfume-Bottle-Sunderland-1990s_W0QQitemZ200432448135QQcmdZViewItemQQimsxq20100126?IMSfp=TL100126184002r3901

So, I got to wondering, maybe it is?  Is it?  it is about 3.5" tall and perhaps three wide, the rim is ground and polished and there is no pontil.  It is a squashed flat sphere   with both 'faces' having a circular pattern getting smaller in them, where the glass has been flattened I presume.  The base also has concentric oval rings towards the middle but no pontil mark.  It is not cased.  You can feel the texture where the colours have been marvered in.
Any thoughts gratefully received.
Thanks
m

[flying free]

Hartley Wood label

m

[MarkHill]

mmm. Funny thing. I'm really not sure this is Hartley Wood, personally. It's mould blown and has a machine cut rim, neither of which are common HW characteristics. Then there's the colour and patterning, which aren't particularly HW either - this company was connected to the production of stained glass - swirled, brighter and more vibrant transparent colours are more usual. I can't recall when the factory closed, and I'm away from my library right now.
Handmade (hand moulded/blown) forms are also more typical for HW, most somewhat charmingly uneven. I've not seen a piece of HW in this globe form before either. I'd almost have suggested Guernsey or one of the Maltese factories you mention, were it not for the cut rim and mould blown nature - as you say. The colours are wrong for Royal Brierley Studio, although the shape and manufacturing technique are nearly there. However, I'm not sure what HW's FULL 1980s range included, and the tag does say 'giftware'....
I'd be very surprised if it was HW, but have seen enough about new and under-researched areas to know one should never say never. A last attempt at commercial success with a range of mould blown giftware perhaps? It is possible.
I'm out. Any other suggestions? I'd like to know myself!
Best,
Mark

P.S.; Is there a band inside of the rim that has been ground down, leaving it slightly rough? If so, there's certainly a missing stopper.

[flying free]

Mark thank you for replying

There is no ground area for a stopper and the neck is so pinched and short there would be nowhere for a stopper to rest when put in as far as I can see, apart from just hanging there.  However, when I saw the listing with a similar (ish) decor I thought mmm maybe, because the neck is very  narrow.  It is just wide enough to get my little finger stuck in it  - tiny.  That said, to me it just looks like a vase rather than a perfume.    I did compare it to a small Royal Brierley irridescent vase I have because the rim finish looked remarkably similar, however the width of the neck is different and when looking at both rims, it just feels different - I can't explain why.
It's grown on me despite it's browness    I love the technique/effect of it not being cased.  I'd love to know if it really is Hartley Wood because the vases I have seen in books and on the net have the wonderful swirling colours and are nothing like this or the link I posted.
I think there may be a typo in the label?  Alrfred instead of Alfred? Or was that how it was spelt maybe.
thanks again
m

[flying free]

I found another of these small enamelled vases recently.  This is not flattened and is just traditionally shaped vase with a wider neck.  It is 8cm tall by about 8.5 wide.  The same flat ground and polished rim with the colours uncased on the surface and the base has those concentric circles again when held up to light.
I've added it to this thread as I 'think' it probably is the same stable. I hope that is ok.
I haven't managed to find any more out about the Giftware though.
m

[flying free]

A larger and different decor, Hartley Wood vase here that has a tag label and also appears to have a cut and polished rim
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Large-Hartley-Wood-Glass-Vase-Superb-/280846798039?pt=UK_Art_Glass&hash=item4163c60cd7
m

[chopin-liszt]

I think the white and blue piece is Royal Brierley Studio, a pattern called "Terrazzo".
I suspect the brown spotted piece is RBS too.

[flying free]

Hi Sue
I've ummed and aahed over that, but they really are very different in terms of rim finish, width and heft compared to Royal Brierley Studio pieces - not that that means they can't be a different range of course.  My other 'quibble' is that I saw one on ebay similar to the brown one, flattened, and the blurb said, 'bought at Hartley Wood just before it closed down so now a  collectable piece and you won't get another one' type thing.  I'm still undecided specifically on the brown one. 
The blue one was different but I thought it may be the same maker - I'll investigate Terrazzo and thanks 
m

[chopin-liszt]

It's only recently I've discovered there's a lot more to the RB Studio range than the pieces designed by the Harris family.

A search on ebay will throw up several differnt designs. I have seen a brown speckly bit, although I couldn't swear it was exctly the same as this one.

I did find a large yellow lampbase, in the Terazzo pattern, but only identified it as such because it was the same design as a pink one on ebay, which had the original box, (with the Terrazzo name on it) and the RBS label. Sadly I don't have images I can post of the box, the label or the vase.
And somebody else has the lampbase. I can ask for pics to be posted of that.

The pattern was the same as the blue and white piece you show.

[keith]

While looking for information on Hartley Wood I came across this, I can now put a name to a couple of my RB'y studio pieces, thank you ladies,