Fritsche Glass and matching Claret Jug ?!

[claretjugcollector]

Some years ago i bought at an german auction a nice claret jug - when i received it i realized that there was an inscription at the mounting which reads : To Louis R. Stevenson from his old school fellow and friend T. G. Gillespie - i thought to myself - Stevenson ?.. hm - jekyll & Hyde - the treasure island ! but after searching and talking to the Robert Louis Stevenson Museum i was told that it was always Robert L. Stevenson and never Louis R. Stevenson ! so far so good !no problem - i was still happy with the jug because of its really finely engraved decoration . Today i looked at fieldingsauctioneers and what did i see !
A glass totally the same engraved like my jug !
my question is now - could it be possible that my jug is made by W. Fritsche as well ( the engraving is nice but not world class ) or was this kind of decoration on glass often used ?

Lot 330
A small 19th Century Thomas Webb clear crystal drinking glass decorated by William Fritsche, the circular foot rising to a plain stem set with an ovoid bowl engraved in the Neo-classical taste with repeat swags and scrolls highlighted with insects around two circular cartouche panels, the panels decorated to one side with a portrait bust of a classical female and to the opposing cartouche the Lords Prayer in full, signed below W. Fritsche, height 9.5cm.

[neilh]

A bit of basic research on Ancestry for you - 1881 census

Louis Rudd Stevenson, born circa 1841 in Islington, London. In 1881 he was living in Kenilworth Warwickshire, working as an iron merchant.

Thomas G Gillespie, born circa 1840 in Blackheath Kent. In 1881 he was living in Walton on Thames, Surrey. He was the Director of the London Tramway company and also the South Indian Mining company.

So he could probably afford to gift some nice glass pieces...

[claretjugcollector]

wow ! very interesting !
so you are sure that it is Louis Rudd  Stevenson, born October 15, 1840; died December 30, 1932. ?
His father, William  Stevenson , was born September 01, 1795 in of Highbury, London, and died 1854. He married (1) Catherine Cochrane. She died 1826. He married Louisa  Rudd in  1829.

may i ask where do you have your information from - about T.G. Gillespie ?

by the way the jug is hallmarked 1872 - Sheffield :-)

[neilh]

I had a quick look on the 1881 census - it's possible to veiw the index for free.

You can search it here:
http://search.ancestry.co.uk/search/grouplist.aspx?group=1881uki

And you'll see a Thomas Gillespie... the search I did was to look for everybody called Gillespie birth year 1840 +- 5 years (as they went to school together their ages had to be similar).

[claretjugcollector]

thx a lot !! that was an very interesting link :-)