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Author Topic: Webb's 'Gay' glass.  (Read 7322 times)

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Offline Paul S.

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Webb's 'Gay' glass.
« on: May 11, 2011, 09:39:02 PM »
I'm sure the experts are very much aware of the following, and hope they don't find this too boring (much of which has been said before, of course).       Apparently Webb called this particular surface pattern 'Venetian Ripple' 'horizontal wave' [see replies 16/17] (this piece measures about 7" x 7"), and for me, I see it on my travels as the most common finish after 'Old English Bull's Eye'.     Surprisingly, I have yet to find a 'Plain' finished piece, and I guess the remaining finish, the 'Water Lily' design, is the most uncommon.       Also, surprisingly, I've yet to find a piece of either 'Spring (a delicate shade of green akin to Eau-de-nil, apparently), or 'Evergreen' (a darker sort of Bristol Green) - why should this be so  -  were the 'greens' unpopular, or made in vastly lesser quantities??     If you read H. W. Woodward's book he unfortunately confuses the colour issue with regard to 'Amber' and 'Sunshine Amber', and refers to both simply as... "Sunshine" (golden amber), without making the distincton between those pieces containing uranium (Sunshine Amber) and the non uranium examples (Golden Amber) - and whilst the latter former [ * ] are perhaps the less common variety, they do exist in reasonable numbers.     There is no doubt that Woodward's book is of much value, since there is almost nothing else of reference on Webb (apart from some data in Charles R. Hajdamach, and Roger Dodsworth's 'British Glass Between The Wars') - but his four and a quarter lines on 'Gay' glass is paltry to say the least (and lacking a single illustration to boot).     We could do with someone producing something weighty on Webb.            Picture four is, of course, 'Golden Amber' (non uranium) - which you will all know, which seems to be a hue given to quite noticeable variation in depth of colour.      Does anyone know if this particular bowl is a common pattern, or scarce??  -  I'm sure I haven't seem an example previously.
References:     'Art, Feat And Mystery (The Story of Thomas Webb & Sons, Glassmakers) -  H. W. Woodward  - 1978.
                     20th Century British Glass  -  Charles R. Hajdamach  -  Antique Collectors Club 2009.
                     'British Glass Between the Wars'  -  Roger Dodsworth (Editor)  -  1987 

[ * ] Mod: edited in accordance with later comment by Paul.              

Offline Leni

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Re: Webb's 'Gay' glass.
« Reply #1 on: May 12, 2011, 08:22:37 AM »
Paul, I too have been frustrated in my search for information about Webb's 'Gay Glass'!  Did you see the thread about my Sunshine Amber bowl?  http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,37484.0.html   I can't help wondering if mine was a plain piece which was subsequently engraved, as the design isn't mentioned in any references I've found to Gay Glass. 

Doesn't Christine have a piece in 'Spring' green, I seem to remember?  I'm sure she's the person who would have it if anyone did! ;) ;D   
Leni

Offline Lustrousstone

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Re: Webb's 'Gay' glass.
« Reply #2 on: May 12, 2011, 12:50:25 PM »

Offline Paul S.

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Re: Webb's 'Gay' glass.
« Reply #3 on: May 12, 2011, 01:11:21 PM »
I had just typed my reply and it was crossing with Christines post, so I have deleted a small part, but otherwise will let it stand :)
""thanks Leni  -  and yes, I did see your link re your cut 'Sunshine Amber' bowl  -  you added it to one of my posts a couple of weeks back :) - and I see that my - slightly flippant - post remains the final comment, so guess you are still waiting to get some closure on the origins of your cutting.          Suddenly got to thinking, now that I have a number of pieces in 'Bulls Eye and one or two pieces in 'Ripple', how absent the other colours/finishes are.        Yours may well have been a plain example, subsequently given the cutting treatment  -  trouble is that you may well never know for certain.
I believe also that David Encell is very keen on Webb's glass  -  and makes me wonder if he might well have some  -  I would like to buy Keith's example, and Christine's please :ooh:      Nonetheless very annoying that these 'greens' are so difficult to come by, but I can't be left out, and will now look doubly hard.
Would be nice to see something in a printed format showing the full range of patterns  -  alwasy nice when you are a collector  -   shows how near you are getting to completing a collection  -  trouble then is that you will need another cabinet :24:""

Offline Lustrousstone

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Re: Webb's 'Gay' glass.
« Reply #4 on: May 12, 2011, 05:53:08 PM »
David certainly has Ripple mushroom posies in Spring Green and Sunshine amber and a Sunshine Amber Ripple tumbler (I've still got the pix he sent me). Perhaps he'll add to this when he's available.

Offline Leni

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Re: Webb's 'Gay' glass.
« Reply #5 on: June 13, 2011, 10:33:56 AM »
I'm reviving this thread, because yesterday at 'Reflect' I was lucky enough to find this piece.  It's 'Water Lily', engraved on 'Bullseye'! :D 

The clever bit (not sure if it's obvious from my photograph) is that every Water Lily and every leaf is cleverly engraved exactly on a 'bullseye'  :hiclp: 

I'm a very happy bunny!  :girlcheer:   :smg:
Leni

Offline keith

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Re: Webb's 'Gay' glass.
« Reply #6 on: June 13, 2011, 10:55:43 AM »
 :cry: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

Offline Paul S.

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Re: Webb's 'Gay' glass.
« Reply #7 on: June 13, 2011, 12:58:49 PM »
thought for a moment you said  'Relate'....... :24:              But seriously, truly great piece, and I think we are all very happy for you (no, we're not really, like Keith I'm green as hell and wish I'd found it).   In fact for me it's possibly the greens that seem to put in the least appearance, although do now have two or three pieces  -  but am still a little confused re classifying this particular colour - especially as there appear to be possibly three kinds.     Two of these are in the Gay Range...........Spring (Eau-di-nil) and Evergreen (Old Bristol Green), and then perhaps just an ordinary green like this one.    But Anyway, a wonderful piece, and where is it by the way that you go collecting ;)

Offline Lustrousstone

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Re: Webb's 'Gay' glass.
« Reply #8 on: June 13, 2011, 01:24:45 PM »
This is Spring (aka eau de nil); Leni forgot to say it was uranium. I suspect that the non-uranium green of this shade was also known as Spring; the punters wouldn't have known it didn't contain uranium.

Offline Leni

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Re: Webb's 'Gay' glass.
« Reply #9 on: June 13, 2011, 03:03:37 PM »
Leni forgot to say it was uranium.

 :pb:  :-[  Indeed she did!   ::)  Very definitely Uranium!  ;D 
Leni

 

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