Topic: Suite names (or should that be "Sweet names"

[sph@ngw]

I have always been fascinated by the names chosen for a new suite of glassware. Often they are architectural "Chatsworth" "Woburn",   historical "Howard", "Rockingham"and "Raleigh" and sometimes ladies names.
At our factory we have "Faye" named after an important customer Faye Peck of Watford Glass, "Ruth"a good female Jewish name, Melissa ( my sister), Samantha (my wife), and " Loretta ", based on an early girlfriend called "Lorena".......

Now Dartington Glass have "Sharon", "Rachel" "Lily"  "Victoria""Eve"  "Inga",,,,,
Now we know two facts .
First that Frank's beautiful Swedish wife was called "Inga" and his charming daughters are called "Eve" and  "Sharon".
We also know Frank had a reputation for his popularity with the female fans , second only to George Best, and while not so good at football, he was probably more macho !

So I wonder if anyone can throw light on who were or are, Lily, Rachel, and Victoria, ( described in the blub as "a bit on the sideboard"- they did love their puns, the old Dartington crew), Agatha, Rebecca, Grace, Olivia, Cleo, and Sarah?
Were they dreamt-up names or from the Frank Thrower Little Black book?

Or perhaps even local girls who worked or lived nearby and may have even married some of the Swedish glass blowers who started the factory?

I shall lead others to remark the similarities between a nice full glass of wine
(with thanks to Mark Hill's book "Frank Thrower and Dartington, and my personal memories of Frank, an unforgettable and charismatic glass designer. Also, I am reminded of Louis Bega's song "A little bit of Monica..."!)

[David E]

With regard to Frank Thrower's naming of glassware, then there is also:

Hi-ya Cynthia (hyacinth vase)
Oakey-dokey (acorn vase)

As you say, they did love their puns at Dartington! 

Can't help with your question, though...

[chopin-liszt]

I found some Dartington wineglasses recently, in a design I did not recognise. I have been referring to them as my "Traceys", because they're not Sharons. 

I've been told they're specifically for Mateus Rose.

[sph@ngw]

The nearest I can find to this shape is a little known suite called "Portia" that has a kick-out rim. these were done purely for style as they tended to chip quite easily.These lack the usual elegance
of Frank's designs

They remind of a pair of wine Goblets (368 & 369)we designed for a City wine merchant now defunct called "Greens" in the Royal Exchange London  ran by two well known characters, Miles Maskell was one.
I thinks the restaurant Greens Restaurant & Oyster Bar was connected and is now at 36 Duke Street off Jermyn Street.
I managed to get a top page 3 model called Gillian D.  to pose for me holding this shapely glass, which echoed the shape of her profile- ( shades of Kim Khardashian!) but I wonder whether it would be censored by the editor of this august website?
I refrained from naming the suite Gillian but it will always hold an association in my mind.......

[chopin-liszt]

I think there is something "not quite elegant" about these glasses too. 
There's something odd about the thickness of the thing where the stem meets the body, the upsweeping lines are not right and they're over a sort of lumpiness.
It just does not work.
"page 3" is just so passe, these days, I'm afraid. It doesn't belong anywhere any more.