Topic: Nice little mustard pot!

[Bernard C]

Tony — Brilliant.   :hiclp: :hiclp: :hiclp:

The export label on your preserve jar, new to me, adds a new and unsuspected dimension to this little-known company.

The vase shown in BGbtW also has decoration of plums plus foliage, but a different transfer.

Bernard C. 

[David E]

They do come up infrequently - see the three I have. The large vase is 18cm (~ 7in) tall. I also have an ashtray somewhere, but I'm darned if I know where it went. It is also noticeable that the inner enamel can tend to flake, although the transfers stay intact.

So how did they make them, with the transfers on the inside of the glass vase? One assumes the transfers were carefully guided in with nimble fingers, the insides were then over-sprayed and then the ceramic liner fixed in place with plaster-of-paris.

I was going to do a little study of this company, but the lack of items makes it difficult. However, I am also aware of a large vase with butterfly decoration - as striking as the dragon vase! Another point is that I believe that the mustard pot should have a lid. Possibly the dragon vase? I am also trying to find out who made the transfers - could be Johnson, Matthey.

There is an earlier thread on GMB about these mustard pots.

[Bernard C]

...   the ceramic liner   ...

David — It hadn't occurred to me that the liner might be other than glass (although glass is ceramic, isn't it?) as surely that would be too complicated.   Opaque white glass liners, together with confident use of transfers suggested to me a possible sideline operation to a mainstream lampshade manufacturer, a class of glass manufacturer about which we know very little.

If it's not known what the liner is made of, I could put the word out to my bottle collector friends to look out for a worthless knackered mustard pot that could be disassembled.   Does anyone know of a solvent or softener for plaster-of-paris?

Bernard C. 

[David E]

I have to say that the mustard pot does appear to be a ceramic liner, but the preserve pot might be glass. The vase is black and hard to say for certain.

[keith]

This 'salt' type bowl has a very similar look and feel in regards to the lining,probably just a thin layer of white glass but  :huh:

[Lustrousstone]

That's not the same at all Keith. What Bernard doesn't say, even though he gives the book reference, is that these items are double walled like a thermos flask. The outer layer is made then has its transfer applied on the inner side and then the inside is completely enamelled to give the colour. Then the liner is added as a finished separate piece and the two are then sealed together with plaster of Paris, which is then hidden under the metal rim; hence the discussion about  glass or ceramic. Hope that makes sense.

British Glass Between the Wars is a lovely book and worth getting hold of if you can buy it without taking out a mortgage.

[Bernard C]

BGbtW is my most frequently used reference along with Gulliver and Hajdamach II, both of which I'm still learning.   It is not easy to use as many of the items aren't illustrated.   Measurements are in the manufacturers' original imperial with metric conversions, which is precisely how it should be.   No weights, which is a shame but not surprising.

When using it you have to keep in mind that most of the authorship is from the museum curator sector.   Museum curators have rather a different experience of glass to ours, in that there is a much higher proprtion of exceptional "museum quality" glass in their pool of knowledge, and a correspondingly lower proportion of "ordinary" glass.   It shows.   For example, BGbtW is the origin of the completely unwarranted assumption that Bagley made the Knottingley Royal Visit plate, and the peculiar piece on Webb Corbett marks clearly demonstrates a very limited pool of examples.

If you keep this in mind together with the fact that it was groundbreaking material when it was published in 1987, you will find BGbtW most rewarding and informative.

Bernard C. 

ps — thanks, Christine for this opportunity.

[David E]

I am wondering, if there is sufficient demand, if this could be reprinted at a reasonable price, but with more illustrations and photos. I must admit that I haven't got a copy myself but I'll ask Roger about it.

How many people will :wsh: and buy a copy?

[Anne]

If it was an expanded version I'd be interested David, despite having a copy of the original (thanks to Angela!)

[David E]

I have already e-mailed Roger, so will announce anything here. There may be problems with copyright of course.