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Author Topic: Blue opalescent basket vase RD 118152 – J Stembridge, 24 January 1889.  (Read 4273 times)

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Offline agincourt17

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A blue opalescent glass hanging basket vase or wall pocket. 5 ½ inches (14cm) high x 6 inches (15.2cm) wide. Raised Reg. No. 118152.  Polished pontil mark to the underside so that the piece is actually free standing.

RD 118152 was registered on 24 January 1889 by J. Stembridge & Co., Holborn, London; Importer.

I assume that the polished pontil mark on the bottom indicates that the vase underwent substantial manipulation on a pontil rod during manufacture, but I'm not entirely sure if it was initially pressed or hand-blown into a mould (the moulded decoration is not very crisp) before final shaping while still hot.

Because Stembridge styles himself as an importer, I suspect that there was a good chance that the piece was actually made in continental Europe (or possibly even America?) then imported for resale in Britain.

(Permission for the re-use of these images on the GMB granted by maiseycha)

Stembridge registered 5 designs during 1888-1889):
RD 92571        30 January 1888    (pattern table decoration – lamp)
RD 99490         7 May 1888
RD100207   14 May 1888
RD 100208   14 May 1888
RD 118152   24 January 1889   (hanging basket vase/ wall pocket)

I can’t recall seeing a Stembridge-registered piece before. Does anyone have photos of the other Stembridge-registered pieces to share?

Does anyone have more details about the registrant, his import business, or who the actual manufacturer of the piece might have been, please?

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Offline Frank

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Could be crimped. Stembridge were at 28 Red Lion Sq, Holborn. Sold fairy lamps, wholesale/export under trademark Bijou Illuminator. This is one. It would probasbly have had a glass stand, hanging in a ring. They claim to be a manufacturer.

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Offline Frank

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Here is a 'similar' example for RD 99490.
     
100207   & 100208  were cornucopia, with a 'similar' edge effect to yours, I don have pics of the others you mention.

There is no sign of the company after 1900.

Just noticed yours has moulded rd so it must be mould blown, with shaping and handles after.


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Offline agincourt17

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Thank you, Frank, for your very informative reply.

The fact that it hung by chains certainly explains the placement of the handles (which would have been awkward for a wall pocket).

I would never have imagined that it was designed to hang in such an elaborate stand without the registration drawings. The complete setup with chains, basket and stand, fully illuminated, would no doubt be quite spectacular.

Nowadays, with instant electric lighting, we tend to forget how important making the most of domestic lighting was to the Victorians - until you look at the plethora of glass registrations for reflectors, lamps, lamp chimneys, candelabra and the like.





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Offline Frank

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And of course it set the trend for lighting designers, factors etcetera,  who outsourced actual production and broke link between actual factory and object. As is probably the case here. Might be worth checking with Jim Sapp &  co... (Fairy lights) for more info on the company.

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Offline agincourt17

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The V&A Museum has a J Stembridge blue pressed glass footed bowl in their collection.
http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O3273/bowl-j-stembridge-co/#.UU4rnCCMKVc.email

The caption indicates that the design was registered, and gives the registration date as 1888, but gives no precise registration date or design number.  The previous posts do, however, show that, by elimination  it is most likely to be RD 92571 registered on 30 January 1888 (pattern table decoration – lamp).

I note that the V&A caption gives Stembridge as "manufacturer".

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Offline agincourt17

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Bought yesterday, RD 92571 J. Stembridge lamp in clear glass, but with a tricorn-shaped bowl. In case these lamps were made in different sizes, this tricorn example has 'sides' measuring 4 inches long, and it stands 2¼ inches high.

Interestingly, the V&A example is square and in pretty blue glass.

Fred

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Offline agincourt17

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Using the GMB search facility, I see that J. Stembridge, RD 92571 of 30 January 1888 has also been discussed at
http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,11479.msg83730.html#msg83730
with photos of Roy’s square example in blue archived at
http://glassgallery.yobunny.org.uk/displayimage.php?pos=-5976

The amber glass cornucopia / horn, RD 100208 registered 14 May 1888 by J. Stembridge & Co., Holborn, Importers, has been discussed and shown in the GMB thread
http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,33491.msg181569.html#msg181569

So, all that is needed now are photos of Stembridge-registered RD 100207 (also of 14 May 1888) to have a complete illustrated or photo review of Stembridge’s five registered designs.

Fred

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Offline paradisetrader

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A glasshouse or factory of any kind in Holborn is unlikely even in the 1880s. It was an expensive area even then. Particularly unlikely in Red Lion Sq. That would be an office address only.
Pete

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Offline agincourt17

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I’ve done a quick search of the internet to try and fill in some of the gaps:

http://www.fairy-lamp.com/Fairylamp/FairyLampDesignNumbers_All.html
is a useful page of registered designs associated with fairy lamps. Stembridge RDs 92571, 99490, and 118152 appear on the list (but not 100207 or 100208).

http://fairylampforum.forumotion.com/t374-fairy-lamp-base-marked-rdno92571
has a superb 1888 advertisement showing that the footed RD 92571 dish was designed as a posy bowl holder or stand for the “Bijou” fairy type lamps (imported [my emphasis] and sold by Stembridge. The whole assembly of posy basket, lamp cup and dome goes by the name of “The Floral Bijou illuminator (Registered)”.
An excellent photo of a complete assembly of a posy basket base plus “Bijou” lamp also clearly shows that the allover diamond pattern is common to the posy basket base, and the cup and dome of the “Bijou”lamp,  that pieces came in amber glass as well as clear, and that the posy basket base came in a circular ruffled shape as well as square and tricorn.
A photo of the lamp cup of a “Bijou” lamp in blue glass is presumably a colour match for Roy’s lamp, and this photo also shows quite clearly that the base of the “Bijou” lamp was marked Rd No 92571.

Does anyone know if the lamp dome bore the RD number too?

In the 1888 advert for the Bijou Illuminator (floral or otherwise), Stembridge describe themselves as “Agents for Belgian and Bohemian Glassware”.

http://www.fairy-lamp.com/Fairylamp/FairyLampUndoc481500.html 
item U-498 shows a photo of an amber “Bijou lamp” in a tricorn base (like my clear example) but rigged for hanging by chains as in the 1888 advert.

From
http://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/34597-fairy-lamps--lithophanes
“Lithophane fairy lamps (candle lamps) are truly works of art. The skill of the artist who sculptured the original mold (wax) was amazing.These are only four examples of countless different designs available. The dates on these vary but generally speaking the are from the Victorian-era (c.1888) with the exception of the "food warmer"/candle lamp on the right. It may be a bit earlier.The maker of these candle lamps is unknown. While many lithophanes are marked, these four examples are not. Many countries made lithophanes, but it seems that many/most are German in origin. The British importers, J. Stembridge & Co, referred to them as "Bijou Transparancies."

Nice advert for the Stembridge “Bijou Transparancies” at
http://www.fairy-lamp.com/Fairylamp/CatalogAds/Stembridge_1888.jpg

So, although Stembridge registered five glass designs, only once does he describe himself as a manufacturer, and certainly his adverts emphasise that he was an importer of Belgian and Bohemian glassware. He advertises imported lithophanes, but I can find no evidence to indicate their country of manufacture.

Fred





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