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Glass Identification - Post here for all ID requests => Glass Paperweights => Topic started by: glasswizard on September 26, 2005, 09:49:02 AM

Title: The things I can find in Iowa
Post by: glasswizard on September 26, 2005, 09:49:02 AM
Went to an auction this past weekend and managed to snag quite a few great items. More on that on the glass board later. But imagine my surprise to find a paperweight made by Kerry Glass in Ireland. Thought I would share it with all of you. I think its really nice. Terry
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y283/Muscadale/TKerryglassweight.jpg
Title: The things I can find in Iowa
Post by: Leni on September 26, 2005, 11:55:21 AM
Nice find, Terry! :D  I wonder exactly when it 'emigrated'?    :shock:

Leni
Title: The things I can find in Iowa
Post by: David555 on September 26, 2005, 07:33:48 PM
Hi

I love that paperweight - so colourful - they did make some dense green and blue ones - this is one of the less colourful ones I own - note the map of Ireland foil label changed from the IOW style label on the bottle vase also shown

http://publish.hometown.aol.co.uk/blackcatgla/images/kerry%20paperweight%20copy.jpg

On both items shown, there is 'flame shaped' gather of glass pontil to base - same as IOW but reversed

This onion shaped 6" solifluer is nice, see the identical IOW triangular sticker c1070s early 80s - I sold its sister on eBay a year ago for about £100.00

http://publish.hometown.aol.co.uk/blackcatgla/images/bott%20copy.jpg

I think the vase shows the IOW connection most clearly with both the label and the pontil, but the paperweight has a flame pontil as well

I know a little, anyone know the full story behind IOW and Kerry glass - early shapes seem to be identical

Terry, I notice your paperweight has a very different label - perhaps for the USA market, has it the flame pontil?

Adam D555 :twisted:  :twisted:
Title: The things I can find in Iowa
Post by: glasswizard on September 27, 2005, 07:47:31 AM
Actually the weight has two stickers. The one you see is just a large G with guaranteed Irish on it. On the other side is the same sticker as shown on your weight. Yes it does have the flame pontil. I also have a Kerry Glass vase in blue and green, flame pontil but the sticker is just gold with Kerry Glass Handmade Kilarney Ireland and the flame symbol. I have to admit you have me lost somewhat in your reference to IOW. Would you please explain, thanks Terry
Title: The things I can find in Iowa
Post by: Frank on September 27, 2005, 07:11:58 PM
IOW used the flame logo in the earlier period.

(http://www.ysartglass.com/Otherglass/Images/IOWglasslogo.jpg)

Can someone post the Irish one?
Title: The things I can find in Iowa
Post by: KevinH on September 27, 2005, 10:39:25 PM
The Kerry Glass label shown in Adam's second link has same "flame" logo as the IOW one, but the stamp on the base of the vase, as also shown in Adam's link, is a mirror image. That's interesting.

I had forgotten all about Kerry Glass after first seeing three paperweights decorating a window ledge in a Cornish bed & breakfast establishment around 1999. And then I was reminded about the company when I got a copy of Ivo's glass fact file a-z. Soon after, I forgot about them again as I have not (until now) seen any paperweights, or vases, by Kerry Glass.

There's no information about the company that I know of in the paperweight literature! Other than references for places to visit when in Kerry (Fossa), there seems to be no information articles on the Net, but I see that there are occasionally eBay listings for various pieces.
Title: The things I can find in Iowa
Post by: glasswizard on September 27, 2005, 11:58:23 PM
In searching the net this is a site I came up with. http://homepage.eircom.net/~kerrymusic/kerryglass/
And not to sound to ignorant, but I still do not know what you are referring to with the letters IOW. Some enlightenment please. Terry
Title: The things I can find in Iowa
Post by: Connie on September 28, 2005, 12:02:15 AM
Terry - I *think* they are referring to Isle of Wight.  :?

BTW - Nice find.  When I lived in Iowa all I ever found was corn and hogs  :wink:
Title: The things I can find in Iowa
Post by: KevinH on September 28, 2005, 12:52:12 AM
Aha ...

Different bulletin board ... one on Isle of Wight Glass (yes, that's what we should should have said instead of just "IOW" - sorry, Terry) ... found this thread:
http://www.isleofwightstudioglass.co.uk/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=18&highlight=kerry

Also:
http://www.isleofwightstudioglass.co.uk/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=18&highlight=kerry

Thanks also to Terry for the link to "Kerry Crafted Glass" which tells us that Kerry Glass closed "2 years ago". But isn't it frustrating when web pages give information like that but don't state the date that the info was written  :!:

So, Kerry Glass was connected to Isle Of Wight (IOW) glass in the early 80s and used the same logo (and similar labelling). And IOW also had another connected outlet via Isle Of Man glass - that's something new to me, too. And it seems that the current IOW people don't know that Kerry Glass closed "2 years ago" (whenever that was).
Title: The things I can find in Iowa
Post by: glasswizard on September 29, 2005, 06:40:23 AM
Thanks KevH. Well this has been a learning experience. If I got all the info correct it goes something like this. Michael Harris created Mdina glass, went on to create IOW (see learning) then set up Kerry Glass which closed but we don't know when. That all lead to Jonathan Harris, son of Michael who set up his own studio in England leaving Mom and brother Tim to run IOW. My goodness it sure can get complicated.
Connie don't worry we still have plenty of corn and hogs, but as Peter (Paradisetrader) once told me, "You live in a glass goldmine." And in a way he is right and I have the house full to prove it. Terry
Title: The things I can find in Iowa
Post by: David555 on September 29, 2005, 10:15:00 PM
Good memory for past threads Kev

That sounds right to me, sorry Terry it was me that started the IOW thing, I shlould have put (Isle of Wight in brackets)

The story is right I think, but I am still interested in some of the info that has come up in this thread as I have a few bits of Kerry - paperweights can be beautiful and a also a bit grungy LOL

I am gonna try find out about the connections (another scooby Doo) - like I never knew Kerry closed two years ago and IOW never knew about it - also what is the history behind the reverse flame logo, stuff like that

Frank, the triangular foil label used up until the 1990s is the same as IOW, meaning the flame logo is same as you show (see my onion vase label), it's only the pontil that is reversed (always) as Kev says - later, I don't know exactly when they started using a different label with map of Ireland

I know it is off thread a bit, but they made some amazing vases, onion shaped and axe head with an Irish tint - using moss greens and silver aventurine

All my bits are like that, Terry your bit is the most colourful bit I have seen

Adam D555 :twisted:  :twisted:

Funny how Harris had a thing about Islands, he chose such Idyllic locations, I think it was the island coast - Kerry is very much a coastal county, was the facility on the actual coast so they could use the natural resources (like Mdina, IOW) - actually no, it was 25m (miles) from coast in Killarney - near enough I suppose - also someone still thinks that the factory is still open? http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g186612-d215118-Reviews-Kerry_Glass_Studio_and_Visitor_Centre-Killarney_County_Kerry.html or is that Terrence McSweeney set up on his own (as he seems to have) using the Kerry name?
Title: The things I can find in Iowa
Post by: Connie on September 30, 2005, 01:18:06 PM
OT Warning!

Terry - I have to be truthful, I found my most precious  treasure  (http://www.gemgirls.net/pc/SeptNat/08AKiera12.jpg) in Iowa  :wink: