Topic: Pair of Sarah Peterson Sculptures

[Pinkspoons]

Picked these up from a fair, more because they caught my eye than anything else. The seller told me they're by Sarah Peterson, but they're unsigned. Google coughs up a few paperweights with similar style sensibilities... but nothing overtly the same.

They're solid freeform shapes with a spiral of controlled bubbles inside, as well as a floating three-dimensional 'shell' of opal glass. On the verso surface is embedded a mix of thin sheets and rods, powdered enamel, and granular lumps of coloured glass.

Tallest is 25cm, smaller is 23cm.

Are the Sarah Peterson, and - if so - do they have a name?

Thanks for looking.

[Lustrousstone]

Sarah Peterson works for Caithness  :huh:

[chopin-liszt]

These look as if they belong more with the same sort of ranges and period as the "free-form" limited edition pieces produced for a short while, fairly recently, Nic.
I'm sure jakgene showed a "Cyclone" vase (amongst others), from this "free-form" sets of things fairly recently.
 
It's the complexity as well as the style of bubbles included that makes me think this. They do look very "Sarah Petersen" - I have no problems with this attribution, though I'm no ex-spurt on this.

And yes, Caithness, Christine, thanks, I forgot to mention that!

I see Frank's "Glass Images" are currently unavailable online, due to lack of funds to support the site.  :thud:
I shall have to do a bit of organising to arrange it, but will be contributing something shortly. :thup:
It's an incredible resource.

[Pinkspoons]

Thanks for the look-in. I neglected to mention Caithness in my post - but I already knew she worked for them. 

The Caithness site and Frank's Scotland's Glass site were my first port of call after a bit of Googling when I got home with them, but I couldn't find anything from the same series.

The seller mentioned that she also worked for Dartington and Poole pottery for a while, but I couldn't find any mention of this online.

 :huh:

[Pinkspoons]

Just re-read my above post - I meant couldn't find any link to Poole online, not Dartington.

[Wuff]

The seller mentioned that she (Sarah Peterson) also worked for Dartington and Poole pottery for a while, ...

I have never heard about Poole pottery - but she certainly worked for Dartington, 2004 - 2007, when Dartington took over Caithness.

I haven't found your exact items in my catalogues, but the ones below are certainly close relatives.

[Pinkspoons]

Oh, actually, they look to be exactly the same as mine (barring height difference and the fact that mine are a little more sparse of decor). Even down to the floating opal 'shell'.

 :thup:

What year is the catalogue for?

Seems I'm missing two lightboxes for them... which is fine, because they make them look a bit tacky (imho). They look great enough with natural daylight behind them (also imho).

Edit: Had a closer look at the catalogue - you might be right about them just being close relatives... mine are a lot more free and easy with the colour combinations too. Add to that the size and the less cluttered decor.... Hmm...

[Wuff]

The catalogue was from 2008 - but the numbering (U07...) indicates they were issued in 2007. This means, issued in the year Dartington took Caithness over and Sarah Peterson came back to Caithness. As I haven't seen your sculptures in later catalogues, they could be studies (done at Dartington?) leading to Forest Flame - with a fair chance they were not combined a priori with a light box (which I'm not too fond of either).

[Pinkspoons]

Thanks for the information.

Do you know if the Caithness production models would have been signed? (I'm not too familiar with their output)

[Wuff]

Do you know if the Caithness production models would have been signed?

They usually are, at least more recently. In the early years you'll find many (unlimited) with just a label (limited editions would carry at least the numbers); also later unsigned ones are around - either because it may have been felt obstructive (for some designs) or just missed - but these are the exception.