Topic: Earthtones at Mdina and MDG; Discussion.

[Baked_Beans]

Here are some early IoW studio pieces (from the glass museum on the IoW) ....I think Raymond was talking about the grid pattern at MDG turning to a more random design (less grid-like) on top of silver nitrate as a background ...starting as a design at Mdina from c1978 . As a variation of the spiral design seen at IoW studio glass.

[WhatHo!]

I think it would best not to bring IOW glass into this conversation as it is not relevant. This is about whether Earthtones started at MDG or Mdina.
I know it is traditionally thought that Earthtones was Harris but now due to mine and Patricks new research I think it is not. Just put Mdina Earthtones in google images and you can see all the pieces seem to be generally late 70s or 80s and as Patrick rightly pointed out Earthtones are not in the Dexam catalogue.
I have also sent Jim Munnelly (who left Mdina in Aug '75) the Earthtones vase pic Christine put up earlier and he didn't know Earthtones when he worked there and only had been aware of this range in the last few years.
I think the timeline on Earthtones now needs to seriously be reconsidered, as we may have another myth on our hands

[Baked_Beans]

This IoW shelf is described as ' Tortoiseshell 1973 - 1983 ' , it's not easy to read the label in this photo. So it covers a period prior to 1978 and is very similar to 'earthtones' just in a spiral form .

[Nemmie]

is it new information?.. I have just discovered that Mark Hill said earthtones is post Harris but mid 70s. Which fits with what I own but doesn't fit your story.

Scroll down this thread

http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php?topic=9066.0

I think I will stick to his version of events as it matches the physical evidence.

[WhatHo!]

The evidence, physical, catalogue and from 2 ex-workers points to Earthtones starting at MDG. Mark Hill stated that Earthtones started after Harris left and roughly guessed the date as mid-70's, maybe it was late '70s, certainly looking at pieces in this colour it looks like it too.

[Lustrousstone]

Can we see a picture of your dated piece please Denver

[chopin-liszt]

Isle of Wight Studio Glass is absolutely relevant.

It proves, beyind any question of doubt, that Michael Harris was making this design of colourway in '73. That is real physical evidence.
Just because he did not make loads of it before he left does not mean it is not his design. He wasn't there for long.
I will stick with physical evidence rather than ancient hearsay.

Boffo chose to execute it in the grid formation, it's attractive and well done, but easier than random to make look good.

What confuses me about what is being said here is that it was previously reported that it was only Boffo who made the art glass pieces at MDG - this suggests there were other workers also making art glass bits.
Certainly, from the pieces I have that makes more sense.
I suspect he would have been working with somebody, training them whilst doing so. It would explain the lumpy thick flanges.

[WhatHo!]

Sue, Harris copied Mdina Tortoiseshell when he went to iow not Earthtones, these are different processes/colourways.

[chopin-liszt]

He didn't copy any of them, they were his designs.
Mdina Tortoiseshell is just browns and reds, he did make a few bits at IoWSG, but mostly experimental early one-offs, a known example being a very thick inside-out.
 
IoWSG Tortoiseshell, made from '73, is the same colourway design as Mdina Earthtones.

[Lustrousstone]

I'm not wanting to malign people but the "other worker" didn't leave school until 1976 and start at MDG in 1977 (as Boffo's assistant) and it closed down in 1978, when he went to Midina . Can you remember what you or your employer was doing when you were 16, 17, 18?