No-one likes general adverts, and ours hadn't been updated for ages, so we're having a clear-out and a change round to make the new ones useful to you. These new adverts bring in a small amount to help pay for the board and keep it free for you to use, so please do use them whenever you can, Let our links help you find great books on glass or a new piece for your collection. Thank you for supporting the Board.

Author Topic: Peter Layton signed perfume bottle - but who is A S or A J Clarke?  (Read 7105 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline jakgene

  • Members
  • **
  • Posts: 715
  • Gender: Female
  • Mrs Doasyouwouldbedoneby
    • Mid 20 Century glass
    • Australia
I just received this gorgeous iridescent perfume bottle bought recently here in Australia. The seller had highlighted the signature of A S Clarke - or possibly A J Clarke - on selling. However on just trying to take some photos to post here I have also found a signature to the base of Peter Layton - which looks to me identical to the authenticated ones on this site. How excited was I  ;D

The perfume bottle has a silver butterfly stopper - hallmarked - as far as I can tell from my Googled research - Northern Goldsmiths, Edinburgh,  1979 . See photo.

So - is it an early Peter Layton piece? - stopper seems to fit well so looks original - if that is 1979 presumably so is the glass?  And who is Clarke? I wondered if he/she perhaps made the stopper? although it would seem odd to engrave the glass with that signature - why not engrave the stopper?

I am thrilled - never thought I could afford a Peter Layton piece - I must have been good at some time  :angel: and this is payback.

Would appreciate any information about this piece - and confirmation that i am not dreaming......

JAK




jakgene
Western Australia
Mid 20 Century Glass
British Glass, Scandinavian Glass, Murano Glass,
Paperweights. (and anything gorgeous!)

Offline jakgene

  • Members
  • **
  • Posts: 715
  • Gender: Female
  • Mrs Doasyouwouldbedoneby
    • Mid 20 Century glass
    • Australia
Re: Peter Layton signed perfume bottle - but who is A S or A J Clarke?
« Reply #1 on: August 03, 2011, 09:41:38 AM »
sorry - forgot the size

Base is smooth but not polished - just dull looking

8 cm (or 3 1/4 inches)  tall without stopper - stopper fits in quite deeply so adds only about 1 cm to height when fitted.
The colours are much more bluey silvery amethysty pinky  in reality than it appears in the photos - it is not nearly as amber looking as it appears.

Silver and enamelled butterfly top is quite tarnished - the silver looks black - should I clean it or leave it ? anyone know?

JAK

jakgene
Western Australia
Mid 20 Century Glass
British Glass, Scandinavian Glass, Murano Glass,
Paperweights. (and anything gorgeous!)

Offline Greg.

  • Members
  • **
  • Posts: 1815
Re: Peter Layton signed perfume bottle - but who is A S or A J Clarke?
« Reply #2 on: August 03, 2011, 09:45:57 AM »
Hi Jak,

I would presume the A J Clarke is probably N S Clarke. Norman Stuart Clarke who is a key British studio glass artist. I believe that Norman worked with Peter Layton quite a few years ago, which would probably tie in with your piece, in some way a joint collaboration I would Imagine.

Nice item, hope this helps.

Greg

Offline chopin-liszt

  • Members
  • **
  • Posts: 14462
    • Scotland, Europe.
Re: Peter Layton signed perfume bottle - but who is A S or A J Clarke?
« Reply #3 on: August 03, 2011, 10:06:49 AM »
The signature looks okay-ish for Norman Stuart Clarke - I've just compared it with two I have - which are both slightly different - this fits in nicely with them though.
Cheers, Sue M. (she/her)

‘For every problem there is a solution: neat, plausible and wrong’. H.L.Mencken

Offline jakgene

  • Members
  • **
  • Posts: 715
  • Gender: Female
  • Mrs Doasyouwouldbedoneby
    • Mid 20 Century glass
    • Australia
Re: Peter Layton signed perfume bottle - but who is A S or A J Clarke?
« Reply #4 on: August 03, 2011, 10:10:56 AM »
Thanks Greg and Sue. I will look up NS Clarke. - does having both signatures make it more interesting?

Also realised I didn't post the hallmark photo.

JAK

jakgene
Western Australia
Mid 20 Century Glass
British Glass, Scandinavian Glass, Murano Glass,
Paperweights. (and anything gorgeous!)

Offline chopin-liszt

  • Members
  • **
  • Posts: 14462
    • Scotland, Europe.
Re: Peter Layton signed perfume bottle - but who is A S or A J Clarke?
« Reply #5 on: August 03, 2011, 10:23:15 AM »
The hallmark should give you the year - it also appears to have maker's initials NC on it - for Norman Clarke?
Personally, I prefer things with Norman Stuart Clarke on them to things with Peter Layton on them.  >:D
I have a belief that I'm holding something actually made by the signatory, not just designed.
Cheers, Sue M. (she/her)

‘For every problem there is a solution: neat, plausible and wrong’. H.L.Mencken

Offline jakgene

  • Members
  • **
  • Posts: 715
  • Gender: Female
  • Mrs Doasyouwouldbedoneby
    • Mid 20 Century glass
    • Australia
Re: Peter Layton signed perfume bottle - but who is A S or A J Clarke?
« Reply #6 on: August 03, 2011, 10:31:21 AM »
Yes Sue - I have identified the hallmark  - appears to be Edinburgh 1979. makers mark looks like NG rather than NC. There is a metalsmith company called Northern Goldsmiths - and the lettering looks like their mark.

So I am a little confused now - who would have made this ? Layton or Clarke? or would it be a collaborative effort as suggested earlier?

Found a signed N S Clarke paperweight just sold on Ebay  - but the signature on that doesn't look anything like this one?
And if Clarke and Layton were both south of England  based how come an Edinburgh hallmark ?

I am more confused by the minute here  :-\

JAK

jakgene
Western Australia
Mid 20 Century Glass
British Glass, Scandinavian Glass, Murano Glass,
Paperweights. (and anything gorgeous!)

Offline chopin-liszt

  • Members
  • **
  • Posts: 14462
    • Scotland, Europe.
Re: Peter Layton signed perfume bottle - but who is A S or A J Clarke?
« Reply #7 on: August 03, 2011, 10:42:29 AM »
The date might help you to find out if it was likely to have had Peter Layton's hand in it - if you can find out when he went from making stuff himself to getting others to do it - try writing to him or NSC about it?

Silver can be added to things at any time after they're made, the hallmark only tells you where and when it was assayed.
(I avoid things with silver stuck on them, sorry, not much use here)
Cheers, Sue M. (she/her)

‘For every problem there is a solution: neat, plausible and wrong’. H.L.Mencken

Offline Frank

  • Author
  • Members
  • ***
  • Posts: 9508
  • Gender: Male
    • Glass history
    • Europe
    • Gateway
Re: Peter Layton signed perfume bottle - but who is A S or A J Clarke?
« Reply #8 on: August 03, 2011, 10:49:58 AM »
Peter Layton's first studio was in Scotland. Ask him about it as I would guess this was probably made in Scotland - so quite a significant find indeed!!!! :rah:

Offline jakgene

  • Members
  • **
  • Posts: 715
  • Gender: Female
  • Mrs Doasyouwouldbedoneby
    • Mid 20 Century glass
    • Australia
Re: Peter Layton signed perfume bottle - but who is A S or A J Clarke?
« Reply #9 on: August 03, 2011, 11:18:27 AM »
Thanks Frank - if you are excited then I definitely am!

I have emailed some photos and a link to this to Peter Layton and will pass on any reply I get.
Thanks

JAK
jakgene
Western Australia
Mid 20 Century Glass
British Glass, Scandinavian Glass, Murano Glass,
Paperweights. (and anything gorgeous!)

 

SMF spam blocked by CleanTalk
Visit the Glass Encyclopedia
link to glass encyclopedia
Visit the Online Glass Museum
link to glass museum


This website is provided by Angela Bowey, PO Box 113, Paihia 0247, New Zealand