Glass Message Board
Glass Discussion & Research. NO IDENTIFICATION REQUESTS here please. => Scandinavian Glass => Topic started by: obscurities on April 07, 2009, 09:48:50 PM
-
This vase was given to my mother in the late 50's, and subsequently given to me. It is marked Afors on the foot, along with the initial GH followed by 793. I am interested in the artist, if anyone can tell me, and also in an approx. value of a vase like this. It is unlike any Afors pieces I have seen online, or on ebay. It is much more strongly reminiscent of some of Ingeborg Lundin's Ariel pieces for Orrefors. The piece is in excellent condition, has age appropriate age wear on the underside and measures 7 inches tall, 4 inches wide and 3 inches deep. Thanks in advance for any info. Craig
-
Gorgeous vase. I found another example of an Afors "Ariel" piece of glass at http://www.botterweg.com/Auction/tabid/36/auctionID/4/tag/Afors/language/en-US/Default.aspx.
I wonder if it the same maker.
-
Thank You. It would appear that unlike Orrefors, the initials GH, as opposed to indicating an artist may actually be a part of the model number, or possibly a date code of some sort. It would not seem logical that the artist of that piece would sign both his name, and then also use initials. The other piece is dated in the description to a very similar age that my piece would be. I am not exactly sure of the year that my mom received it, but if not 1957, within a year or two of that either direction. I'll wait and see if anyone else can provide additional info..... I now know more than I have ever known before about this type of glass and Afors. Thanks!!! Craig
-
GH stands for Ernst Gordon who joined worked at Åfors from 1953 to 1963.
If you are googling him, be careful with the spelling it IS Ernst, not Ernest ;)
-
Thanks for the additional info. I may actually be on my way to knowing what the piece is, and who the artist was. Thanks again!! Craig
-
I knew I'd seen this piece before, it was the link to Ernest Gordon which brought back where...
http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,24729.0.html
-
I knew I'd seen this piece before, it was the link to Ernest Gordon which brought back where...
http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,24729.0.html
Inspector Clouseau! :clap:
-
A link provided to another Ernest(sic) Gordon vase like this one has led me to believe that the number on the base of this is most likely 193, and not 793. The 7 is most likely a 1 with an age wear scratch in front of it.
I am in the US and am also wondering if the numeric 7 used to mark vases in Europe / Scandinavia / UK would be what we refer to as a European 7 with a horizontal line through the vertical portion of the 7, and if so, is this pretty consistently done?
Thanks, Craig
-
The barred 7 is not routinely used in the UK Craig.
-
Craig,
What do you want to know about Ernest Gordon ? (Ernest not Ernst, he was from Sheffield, but I think Ernst is the more common Swedish spelling and you invariably see his bits listed as such on their sites).
I've been collecting his pieces for approx 5 years, and was lucky to meet him a couple of years ago (now sadly passed on) but am still in contact with his wife. My goal in the next year or two is to publish a book of his pieces - almost there ! (just need the time)
He worked at Kosta for few years, and Afors for much longer, then came back to the UK.
I'm aware of 4 "production" ariel pieces he did: yours and the three below. (the same bowl was made under two numbers - I've got both and can't see a difference).
I've also two others (unsigned), one shown on this message:
http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php?topic=24729.new;topicseen#new
and another that's the second one below, but flared out into a bowl - I'll see if I can post a pic.
He seems to have used similar signing codes at both Kosta and Afors G for Gordon and then H, G, S etc etc. (ie same as Lindstrand LH, LG, LS)
Approx value ?
I've not seen 193 sold before.
GH 194 (bit bigger vase) went for around $800 - $900 in 2004 (2 sales), time has moved on, but so has the credit crunch.
If you ever do decide to sell, do let me know - always collecting his bits for the book
Gareth
-
here's the other one I mentioned
-
Gareth,
Thank you for all of the info you gave me. So he was English, and not Swedish!! As you can see earlier in the thread there was a reference to him with the "other" spelling. I grew up with the piece of glass, and would probably never sell it, but will pass it down to my daughter who also loves it.
I am curious as to the size of the 194 as opposed to my 193. The other pieces you posted images of are quite nice..... I will have to keep an eye out for them.
I would be most interested in knowing about your book when it appears, it would be a great item to have with the vase.....
When he went back to England, did he produce glass there? If so, what firms did he work for, or with... What styles of glass did he produce most?
Craig
-
Craig,
GH 194 is about 8.5 inches tall.
If you drop me an e'mail I can send you some more detailed pictures (my e'mail is in my profile), and I'll let you know if I see one for sale.
He didn't design glass when he came back, as far as I can gather he only designed glass for Afors and Kosta.
He had a couple of specialities:
Engraved glass (see below)
Bubbles (see next post)
but he also did played with lots of other styles - eg there's an opaque powder blue battuto flat long necked vase that comes up occasionally - very nice.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=300297234370
or this one
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=310132524572
-
bubbles in lots of different colours and styles
this only scratches the surface - he and Lindstrand did pretty much the same styles, including Colora (he was a contemporary at Kosta)
Gareth
-
Gareth,
Your email shows as "hidden" when I look at your profile.....
I love the images you posted of some of his other work.......
Craig
-
try c8gtaylor at blueyonder dot co dot uk
Gareth
-
What beautiful glass, thank you for posting the photos and information, I feel a little better educated tonight.
-
Gosh, I'm really sorry about my claim that the spelling is Ernst.. I'm so used to reading Swedish that it didn't occur to me that his name could actually be Ernest. Even though I knew he was English.. :-[ ::)
Thanks for all the info, Gareth and the images..like Craig, I'm feeling much better educated!
with best pink-cheeked wishes,
Aine