Glass Message Board
Glass Discussion & Research. NO IDENTIFICATION REQUESTS here please. => British & Irish Glass => Topic started by: sandymae on June 01, 2011, 05:52:04 AM
-
I have this vase which I think is designed by Dennis Mann 1984. From reserch I've found that it was from the Wick Glassworks, which Caithness took over. I have found another on line, but my signature is different on the base. The one on the net has, Cog, DC CG, but mine has a longer name in front of cog. Can anyone help me with what it is?
-
Sorry, here's the base.
-
These vases were made at Wick, they come in this blue set of colours and in ambery tones. Sometimes they have a sandblasted image on them, as your does, normally something sea-related, sometimes they're plain.
Dennis Mann is an engraver, I doubt he has anything to do with these.
I suspect your "Cog" is actually C 09, a date.
If you dust a little talcum powder over your mark, then run your finger over it to remove the dust from the surface, the marks might be easier to photograph and read.
-
It is engraved, so Denis might have designed it. He did do designing for CG. The COG could be the engraver's signature.
Caithness didn't take over the Wick glassworks; it was where Caithness Glass started. There was no glass works there previously, as it was purpose built.
-
ummmm - it's blasted, not engraved, Christine - it's NOT Denis Mann's work, honest! (though he may have designed it - I don't know)
-
chopin-liszt , Here is one identical to mine, COG is the design of the boat which is on the vase, not C 09. Also whats the difference blasted to engraved. I thought it looked engraved? This is my first Caithness, and love it, it's such a chunky piece of glass, and hope to learn more about Caithness.
Here is the link that I found to identify the vase.
http://www.scotlandsglass.co.uk/cms/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=181&category_id=89&keyword=cog&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=6
Will try the talcom powder, and take another photo. :X:
-
:girlcheer: Talcum powder worked, here's a better photo.
-
In that case your ID is good and your letters are probably just a product code, possibly incorporating the engraver's initials. I think these have to be engraved not sand blasted. To use such a fine stencil would be extremely difficult
-
I've got one of these, and a hollow paperweight with a button top in this design, with a lobsterpot on it.
Both are sandblasted designs, not engraved. Honest.
I believe the new book out has the names and designers of the sandblasted pieces in it.
Sandblasting involves a stencil being stuck to the body of the vessel and blasting it with sand to make the pattern - it can be repeated and repeated fairly easily.
Etching can involve a stencil, more often made of wax, and uses acid to eat away at the glass.
Engraving is achieved by hand, using (very often) a copper wheel. The wheel turns (it is also lubicated) the engraver holds the glass to the wheel to cut away parts to make the design. Engraved pieces are unique.
-
OK I surrender and I've got round to looking at the book. It's sandblasted (which sounds much more complex than engraving, though obviously quicker). The one on the website was blasted by Douglas Cowie. I think yours is Andrew Webster.
-
..., and a hollow paperweight with a button top in this design, with a lobsterpot on it...
Is that the one? It's from the 1986 "Sea Shanties" series - mimicking fishing floats.
-
:hiclp: Thanks so much everyone, I'm now hooked, love the lobster vase, will have to try and find the Sea Shanties series.
-
... love the lobster vase ...
Warning: the Sea Shanties are not vases, but fishing floats, i.e. hollow, but closed .... originally designed to keep fishing nets floating.
-
It's like that, but turquoisey blue, Wuff. :thup:
However, I don't think mine would float - there's a big crack in the button top. :thud:
But I'm delighted to hear I have one less paperweight than I thought I had. >:D
-
Sorry Sue, engraved and designed by Denis Mann. Following an recent e-mail enquiry I updated the entry on SG here (http://www.scotlandsglass.co.uk/cms/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=181&category_id=24&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=6) I will, in time, add images of the other design. Engraving can look like sb sometimes.
-
Frank, would my one be engraved by Andrew Webster, which Lustrousstone thought might be the AJW initials?
-
You might like to look at my Bawley vase which is very similar. http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php?topic=39379.new;topicseen#new
There the type of Boa was named and the letters of the etcher/engraver added. Perhaps yours id the same type of vase.
By the way I think it looks like the Santa Maria the flagship of Columbus (see added picture of a replica boat)
Ross
-
I'm not positive about a Santa Maria id. - I think a lot of boats looked like that!
-
Yes, engravers are differentiated by initials... each piece thus being unique. It was silly of me to say designed AND engraved by DM. Sometimes I forget to read what I write. Not that the 'Cog' is the type of ship engraved not the name of the vase. The other 3 engravings are named in the link in my earlier post, will add images to SG when I have time.
-
Denis did use the sandblast technique, as the one on Franks site was mine and it was sandblasted not engraved, also the paperweight on Franks site somewhere, called the something rose was also sandblasted
-
Just to clear up a point about the ship itself. A COG had just one mast!!!!
My guess of the Santa Maria still looks good. It had three masts and the stern mast carried a lateen sail.
Ross
-
But in the early 1980s reference source were not as global as today and the design error may be the fault of some author. Of course this adds colour to history, it might be interesting to try and ID the source that Denis used - without asking him of course.
A somewhat overdue announcement re DM http://mastermindtrophy.wordpress.com/