Topic: Mercury glass ashtray,id if possible.

[keith]

2.5 inches high,in poor condition but took pity on it as it has been staring at me for years in my local shop,marked English make,patent 153799,which is 1890-92 but can't find who,any ideas please,

[Ivo]

mercury glass + english - the equasion brings up varnish.

[Paul S.]

another absentee from the 'Blue Book' Keith  -  but nice piece.         This Rd. No. will be somewhere in the latter part of July 1890  -  I'll look for you next time I visit TNA at Kew.     Quite possibly registered under CLASS IV.

[Paul S.]

Obvioulsy not looking properly  -  just woken up to the fact that the word PATENT is used  -  assume in this instance it means the same as Registered No.??

[keith]

I thought 'Varnish' glass was marked 'Varnish'  ,
Paul,I have tried the patent office before but their web site left me befuddled

[Paul S.]

uhmmm..........you have a point, I think.         Isn't there also supposed to be a plug where the mercury went in??

Sorry, do you mean The National Archives office...........can be difficult to navigate  -  I think Anne has cracked it though - but not sure you can yet work down to individual Rd. level on the screen???

[Paul S.]

assume you've had a look at Hajdamach - 20th Century Glass  -  there's a page or two there that should help.      I'm certain Ivo is correct.

[Lustrousstone]

A registered design and a patent are not the same. One is a design; the other is a method of doing something or how something works in simplistic terms

[Paul S.]

quite correct Christine  -  I wasn't reading the books properly..............Varnish and Thomson's patent for the double-walled silvered glass process was patented on 19th August 1849, so presumably nothing to do with July 1890.      However, still unsure about the apparent lack of a plug.

[keith]

Thanks for all the input but after a busy week I'll read it all tomorrow when more awake and a little less tipsy