Chance Pressed Glass Patterns

[David E]

IMPORTANT CHANGES TO SITE:

Due to the rapid growth of the Chance glass side within glassyeye.com, I decided to create a whole new web site purely to contain the research into this subject. The URL is now...

http://www.chanceglass.net

I think you'll find the site MUCH easier to navigate and the pages have been slimmed out more. It has also meant that the menu can now be far more specific, so each major topic has been split further (all Pressed glass styles into its own page, for example).

Thankfully (huge sighs of relief all round!) all patterns are now identified:

1934: Spiderweb
1948: Lotus
1949: Waverely
1949: Britannia
1951: Gossamer
1951: Lancer
1952: Cato

[Anne]

Britannia plate and bowl in these threads:
http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,2876.0.html
http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,2883.0.html

[David E]

For the missing two pattern examples I now have a description:

LANCER: The Pattern is based on horizontal and vertical ridges forming oblongs with rounded corners.

GOSSAMER: "... a design of fine tracery". Broadfield House have an exhibit so this is less of a problem.

[Bernard C]

... oblings ...

Beautiful new word David, presumably diminutive oblongs.    Nice try, nearly up to the standard of the Bensonic "knobberly".

Bernard C. 

[Bernard C]

David — Phew, lucky Lancer was made in Smethwick and not Sunderland, otherwise you would have had Jobling's oblings.

Bernard C. 

[Leni]

I like 'oblings'!    :shock:  Sounds like the sort of word my dyslexic son used to 'invent'  :roll:

It's a good, useful word    Thank you, David!  I shall certainly use it in future to describe small oblongs  :lol:

[Anne]

For the missing two pattern examples I now have a description:
LANCER: The Pattern is based on horizontal and vertical ridges forming oblings with rounded corners.

David, that sounds like the jug on eBay recently?

[David E]

David, that sounds like the jug on eBay recently?

I don't think so: this has panels that are ribbed vertically and horizontally, but NO OBLONGS! 

I ended up buying that jug and it has a star-cut, ground flat base, which doesn't seem to conform to Chance's bases. Good thought, and well remembered though :shock:

Think you mean this one, Anne?

click to zoom
:
Totally obling-less...

[Anne]

That's the one David. It's a super jug. So not a Chance design then... wonder who made it?

Just to add these to the pressed glass collection (David has copies of them already) yesterday I found two pieces in the Britannia pattern (click for larger image):

Small bowl 87mm diameter:


Oblong tray 155mm x 256mm:



David, check out this thread... does this look like Lancer?
http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,4310.msg34387.html#msg34387

[David E]

Either Lancer or Gossamer, but not sure which at present (ah, to be an expert... :lol: )

I guess I'd expect something a little 'lacier' if it was Gossamer so Lancer is the best bet at present. Here's the picture again:

http://www.encill.abelalways.co.uk/chanceglass/photos/pressed/lancer-bowl-clear11.jpg

[David E]

Sorry, of course it's Lancer: it has the 'oblongs'

[Anne]

Confirmed as Lancer (ref book: British Table and Ornamental Glass by L.M Angus-Butterworth, published 1956, London).  

[David E]

Anne's book does appear to have several examples of Chance glass and also covers other British manufacturers:

"British Table and Ornamental Glass" by L. M. Angus-Butterworth,
Published Leonard Hill (Books) Ltd., 9 Eden Street, N.W.1, 1956

Additionally there appears to be a seventh pattern called 'Cato'. This also appears to have a star-cut base like Lancer and has coloured(?) rings with a gilt rim — I'm sure I've seen examples before!

See: http://www.ssb3.net/members/watch/userimages/10126/jhgn_016.jpg

The other two photos are (top): Lotus tots with Galleon image and (centre) an example of Wild Rice.

Strange, I always thought Cato was Peter Seller's sidekick in the Pink Panther movies... :lol:

[Anne]

Anne's book does appear to have several examples of Chance glass and also covers other British manufacturers:

It was a lucky find and well worth picking up if anyone happens across a copy. Loads of info and photos, as David says, not just on Chance but on many of the British glassmakers too.

[David E]

I've now reorganised the Pressed Glass page so that they are organised by pattern, rather than type. Also placed patterns by date: from Spiderweb in 1934 till Lancer in 1953.

Another pattern to list shortly will be a scan from the book of the Cato pattern. If anyone can help with a date or this pattern I would be grateful. I suspect it might have been quite a late introduction.

Anne, I've now (finally!) included your Britannia pin dish and tray photos and this really starts to show the sheer variety of patterns that were available :shock: Oddly, I still haven't got photos of the 'Deluxe' range (coloured glass), but feel sure these will appear in time.

[Anne]

David, it's looking really good. We've a good idea of the range of each pattern from that. I saw two very small Waverley bowls in Lancaster a while back, no more than 4" diameter, plain edge, about an inch deep. One pink glass and one milk white - the pink one had a hole through the centre for a stand or handle. Both marked Chance across the centre also.

I've not found anything about the Deluxe range yet - what do we know about that?

[David E]

The actual range of Britannia is quite vast, as were Waverley and Spiderweb. I saw a picture in 'Mirror for Chance' and wished I'd photocopied it now, however I am hoping to get a scan which will be much better quality.

The Deluxe range were essentially just coloured versions. I think these have a band of colour around the middle so the pattern looks different to make room for this, but is still identifiable.

---

I've now found my notes on the Britannia 'De Luxe' range (not sure of spelling but that's what was written down):

De Luxe range from 1950 used colour (Moss Green, Blue, Amethyst and Ivory inserts

As to what the "inserts" are, I imagine this could either mean the 'cut' decoration or a separate panel of colour like the Waverley example: something at the back of my mind says the latter because I'm sure I've seen an example at some time. If it does have a separate panel it should look very impressive, I reckon.

[Anne]

Britannia de luxe with ivory inserts sounds like that curious bowl in the stand you found on eBay the other day David?

[David E]

I did wonder about that myself, but this has frosted 'inserts', rather than enamelled, and I think this is the criteria. Doesn't your large plate have frosted 'inserts' though?

I still think these are coloured panels.

Definition: 'Inserts' in this case meaning the 'cut' areas of the glass.

[Anne]

No, my large plate is frosted all over.