Topic: Confused by a registration diamond. ID = Percival Vickers

[SNJ]

I have a tazza with a clear Victorian kite mark which - unless I'm being particular stupid - shows the registration date (1, G, W) for February 1 1878. Checking with the Great Glass site, the closest date that I can find is March 1 1878, a Percival, Vickers design. As the design looks more-or-less identical to a couple of P,V examples pictured on the English Pressed Glass site, I'd assume that this was a manufacturing error. If so, is it safe to attribute to P, V? Would such errors have been common?

[KevinH]

It seems you have the codes mixed up, and the parcel number is probably 8

Using: http://1st-glass.1st-things.com/lozengetranslator.html, and reading clockwise from the top of the lozenge, the codes 1, W, G, with parcel number 8 specifically gives ...

1st of March 1878, Percival, Vickers & Co.Ltd., Manchester

[Paul S.]

P.V. appear to have made several different shapes under this Registration  -  Jenny Thompson includes this number in her list of P.V. Registrations, and describes it as a 'pressed dish', but doesn't provide any illustration.             Her pressed dish was in fact the shape shown on the original factory drawing submitted to the Board of Trade and which was allocated the Registration No. 319090 of 1st March 1878.              This drawing is now at Kew -  and I've attached a couple of pix to show not only the shape of the pressed dish, but more importantly the design which was the feature Registered.
Subsequently (presumably), there is a 'standing dish (or comport) with frosted glass decoration and heavily moulded stem', showing in Raymond Slack's book on page 127.            Then there is the piece showing here.

Am sure that Fred will have more to add, and may possibly know of further shapes.

P.S.    request please...........   when people post items referring to specific Registrations for pressed glass, it is very helpful to also include the Registration No.

[SNJ]

It seems you have the codes mixed up, and the parcel number is probably 8

Using: http://1st-glass.1st-things.com/lozengetranslator.html, and reading clockwise from the top of the lozenge, the codes 1, W, G, with parcel number 8 specifically gives ...

1st of March 1878, Percival, Vickers & Co.Ltd., Manchester

I was using the Great Glass Co website which identifies the month letter G as February. Bah, last time I use them! And yep, parcel number 8 as the photo (indistinctly) shows.

Very useful to know about the translator, thanks.

I have to say I really don't like the word tazza - I know that it's Italian but it seems to be popular with the Americans. Henceforth I promise to only ever use the word 'comport'!

[Paul S.]

there are fashionable words I suppose, that leak into general usage  -  but agree there's nothing here to suggest a tazza, which I seem to remember from reading the books is a smallish diameter shallow dished vessel on a stemmed foot, used for dinking - but quite what the Italians drank from a tazza I've no idea  -  alcohol of some sort I guess - but as a design it goes back a long way I think.

Assume this thread should be in 'British'?

[agincourt17]

Thank you for the pics of the design representation, Paul.

The best info and pics of the various shapes in this pattern - the Manchester Set - are to be seen on Neil Harris's site at
https://sites.google.com/site/molwebbhistory/Home/registered-designs/percival-vickers-designs-by-date/percival-vickers-1878

As to the term 'tazza'... I always understood it to be used for a circular flat plate (sometimes with a shallow rim) raised on a footed pedestal (a bit like a small cake stand) , usually located on a hall table, and used for leaving visitor's calling cards.

Fred.