Topic: Sowerby Covered Mustard Pattern 1388

[mhgcgolfclub]

Fred

Sowerby black vitro-porcelain covered mustard pattern 1388. Lid and base both marked for 10th March 1879.
Not a very common pattern.

Length 3.25"
Width 2.5"
Height 3.5"

Roy

[Paul S.]

nice piece, especially in black, and is Registration No. 333173.          Simon Cottle correctly names this as a Tea Caddy - which is what appears on the original factory drawing, but I notice he doesn't provide a factory pattern No. for some reason, in his 'Sowerby - Gateshead Glass'.             Pattern book No. 1388, which Roy gives here, is shown accompanying Registration No. 333170 - which is also from the same date of 10th March 1879  -  there were in fact seven Registrations on that date.                  If Fred wants TNA factory drawing for 333173 let me know.
Registration 333170 (pattern 1388) is described by Sowerby on their factory drawing as a 'mustard and cover'.       Assume that this piece shows deep purple if held to a strong light?          I notice that the data in the Board's Glass Gallery for the shape that corresponds to Registration 333173 is described as a Mustard and is accompanied by the No. 333170,  so might be corrected when someone has the time.

P.S.   Roy, if you have a moment will you please post the details for the Truits book on Victorian glass - the one that includes much info on the Egermann production - or send to me direct.   thanks

[KevinH]

I have handled the Truitt book info ... see the other thread.

[Paul S.]

  yes, just seen it - thanks.

[Paul S.]

Just in case my explanation wasn't too clear in separating 333170 and 333173, have attached watermarked pix of both, and as is often the case with these things it's the shape that was being protected - certainly no surface decoration on either.        Don't know if we've ever had the mustard on the Board previously.
I seem to recall seeing Victorian caddies in this sort of sarcophagus shape on my travels.              As usual pix not very good, but better than nothing I suppose.

[agincourt17]

Thank you, Roy and Paul, for these pix. An uncommon pattern indeed, Roy.

Cottle obviously in error in his correlation of RD 333170 with pattern 1388 in 'Sowerby - Gateshead Glass'. A classic demonstration yet again of evidence from the definitive source material being infinitely more reliable than secondary sources. I have duly corrected the data for Sowerby pattern 1388 on the Glass Queries Gallery Sowerby Pattern album and the GMB RD database.

I will search for the Sowerby pattern number corresponding to RD 333170 and post it here in due course.

Fred.

[agincourt17]

Here are some photos of a somewhat similar tea caddy pattern often seen as attributed to Sowerby, but all the examples that I have come across were unmarked, and its true attribution is still being sought.

Fred

[Paul S.]

thanks Fred  -  nice piece though, the purple marbled one  ...........  any idea of size and what it was intended for?         If none of the examples you've seen carry a Reg. No. then like as not it wasn't recorded and we may never know the maker.

[agincourt17]

The purple marbled caddy is actually marked TEA on one of the longer sides.

Unfortunately, I don't have a record of the size, but they must be substantially larger than The Sowerby pattern 1388 caddy because the body is divided into two compartments.

Fred.

[Paul S.]

thanks  -  I thought that finial on the lid so distinctive that you'd imagine it would have been recognized by someone - but obviously not, and the main body shape looks like a sarcophagus from Tut's burial chamber
Presumably the white one is simply Vitro-Porcelain.      Will keep an eye out for that unusual handle.