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Author Topic: Thomas Webb elephant and palm trees  (Read 4409 times)

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Offline wolkenreb

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Thomas Webb elephant and palm trees
« on: February 18, 2012, 03:08:32 PM »
I was doing a bit of browsing today and came across this auction site listing - it states that this piece was made by Thomas Webb and that they made several palm tree 'friggers' (what's a frigger???).  I have this piece and had never thought I'd find a maker (my one still has glass coconuts hanging from the tree - they are removable).  I also have a 3-piece band under palm trees which has very similar palm trees and base.

Can anyone here confirm that Thomas Webb did indeed make these, or these types of figures?  If so, is there any web info on them?

Here is the link to the auction site. http://www.premierantiques.co.uk/thomas-webb-glass-palm-tree-and-elephant-c1930-66-p.asp

And here are my pieces.

(Didn't mean to post the band twice [Mod: now only the one pic].  The colours in the elephant photo are not good - too pale.)
Nancy

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Offline chopin-liszt

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Re: Thomas Webb elephant and palm trees
« Reply #1 on: February 18, 2012, 03:17:10 PM »
A "frigger" is a piece of work made by an apprentice or glassmaker in order to show off their skills.
Originally, they were carried by the apprentices in parades.
So your lovely things are proper friggers.
I don't know anything more, sorry.

They're fabby!
Cheers, Sue M. (she/her)

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

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Offline wolkenreb

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Re: Thomas Webb elephant and palm trees
« Reply #2 on: February 18, 2012, 03:26:53 PM »
Thanks Sue!  I was going to look it up but forgot!  So would friggers be put on the market?  And what do you mean by parades?   :)
Nancy

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Offline keith

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Re: Thomas Webb elephant and palm trees
« Reply #3 on: February 18, 2012, 03:47:23 PM »
There is a picture on page 182 (20th Century British Glass)of some lampwork figures by Pirelli Glass that include a figure and a palm tree ;D

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Offline johnphilip

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Re: Thomas Webb elephant and palm trees
« Reply #4 on: February 18, 2012, 03:48:31 PM »
I believe Venini used to make something like that as well . i love em . :mrgreen: Dont suppose they are giong on ebay?

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Offline chopin-liszt

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Re: Thomas Webb elephant and palm trees
« Reply #5 on: February 18, 2012, 03:56:25 PM »
Glassmakers' Guild parades and processions.
I'm referring to somewhat older times, although these still do go on.

I'm not sure whether or not they were sold.

I do have a wee story about one though. :thup:
I know a chap who used to work for Phoenix glass here in the uk. He told me that somebody there had made a fabulous and massive frigger of the ship "Bismark". It was put into the annealing oven to cool - but when they went back for it.... it had vanished.
Nobody knows what happened to it.

So if anybody encounters a massive and fabulous frigger of the Bismark, it's from the Phoenix glassworks but - watch out - it's stolen property!
Cheers, Sue M. (she/her)

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

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Offline Lustrousstone

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Re: Thomas Webb elephant and palm trees
« Reply #6 on: February 18, 2012, 04:14:57 PM »
I think Thomas Webb did make palm tree things, as did several Victorian makers, but neither yours nor these are Thomas Webb. They were not lampwork just for a start and they weren't friggers. Yours and the example are both lampwork.

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Offline chopin-liszt

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Re: Thomas Webb elephant and palm trees
« Reply #7 on: February 18, 2012, 04:22:25 PM »
 :pb:

Ok, I got it wrong. Not for the first time either.

I just thought if they were Webb, they would have been friggers, as they're most decidedly non-standard.

(I should keep away from old stuff!)
Cheers, Sue M. (she/her)

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

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Offline Lustrousstone

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Re: Thomas Webb elephant and palm trees
« Reply #8 on: February 18, 2012, 04:27:19 PM »
Palms and ferns were big Victorian things and some of the palmy things were registered designs.

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Offline rosieposie

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Re: Thomas Webb elephant and palm trees
« Reply #9 on: February 18, 2012, 05:27:05 PM »
I'm having a real chuckle about this, and I will explain why!!

This morning in favourite searches, I have Bimini listed in case any Komaromy items come up under that heading.

Listed for sale was this piece:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RARE-MURANO-BIMINI-GLASS-MONKEYS-PLAYING-SAXOPHONE-VIOLIN-UNDER-PALM-TREE-1950s-/200715492668

I turned to John and said " what sort of artistic mind wakes up one morning and thinks to themselves 'Today I think I will make a glass ornament of two monkeys playing violin and saxaphone under a Palm tree,  that will be a really good thing to make' ?"

He looked at me as though I was having a laugh and I said "Really?" I said "Look!"  and showed him the listing.....thus proving to him that my glass collecting was indeed the first sign of madness!!

So then I go to the Glassmessages unread pages and see yours Nancy!!
We need the 'rotfl'  symbol back......you have made my day. Thank you.  :usd:
Rosie.

When all's said and done, there's nothing left to say or do.  Roger McGough.

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