Topic: Not a Strathearn salmon - but whose worm? ID = Dragon Glass , Australia

[brewster]

The images below were captured in a collectables emporium in Australia using a phone (hence the image quality, sorry). The item is about 22cm high and heavy walled. The "worm" impressed into the pontil mark has a passing similarity to the Strathearn leaping salmon, but possibly close enough to be more than coincidence. The shape of the vase could pass for Strathearn, but it is not as well made as Strathearn items I have seen, with a small bump and some stray colour pickup. What's more the colours don't look right (to my limited knowledge, at least). 

Who makes such things? It might even be an Australian studio piece, in which case the question becomes: What's their connection to Strathearn?

Trevor

[brewster]

Got it! This is the work of Eric Imeson and Carol Capalija, who operated a glassblowing studio called Dragon Glass near Atherton in far north Queensland (north of Cairns and slightly inland). Sadly, Carol died in April 2014, far too young.

There is a memorial to Carol on a blog, which also shows some images of the studio. More images including Eric and Carol blowing glass and some of their wares can be seen on an earlier edition of the same blog.

Trevor

[brewster]

Here is another item from the same makers. This one does not have the 'worm' stamp, but is simply ground off at the base. Its origin was stated by the previous owner and confirmed by seeing a gallery advertisement illustrating similar items.

Trevor