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Glass Discussion & Research. NO IDENTIFICATION REQUESTS here please. => British & Irish Glass => Topic started by: mhgcgolfclub on April 19, 2011, 07:38:57 PM

Title: Early pressed glass Peter Robinson & Edward Bolton Comport 1856
Post by: mhgcgolfclub on April 19, 2011, 07:38:57 PM
A very early registered pressed glass comport made by Peter Robinson & Edward Bolton . Made at the Orford Lane Glassworks in Warrington Lancashire.

Very heavy weighs over 2kg . Diametr 8", height 7.75".

Registered on the 23rd June 1856 and in near perfect condition it will be added to my collection of clear pressed glass.

Roy
Title: Re: Early pressed glass Peter Robinson & Edward Bolton Comport 1856
Post by: Lustrousstone on April 19, 2011, 07:48:29 PM
Nice one Roy. Don't think I've seen a piece I know was made in Warrington!
Title: Re: Early pressed glass Peter Robinson & Edward Bolton Comport 1856
Post by: Paul S. on April 22, 2011, 04:37:18 PM
yes, lovely piece Roy, I'm envious.       The foot seems relatively smallish in diameter in relation to the weight and size.
Title: Re: Early pressed glass Peter Robinson & Edward Bolton Comport 1856
Post by: mhgcgolfclub on April 30, 2011, 08:29:57 PM
Paul

The base is slightly smaller in diameter than you would have thought but still extremely safe for tipping over due to the weight and thickness of the base

Roy
Title: Re: Early pressed glass Peter Robinson & Edward Bolton Comport 1856
Post by: mhgcgolfclub on February 23, 2012, 10:33:11 PM
2 more items in the same pattern and both registered to Peter Robinson and Edward Bolton for 23 June 1856.

A small oval dish 5.25" or 13cm x 3.5" / 9cm weight 228gm.

A plate diameter 9.25" / 23.5cm weight 1022gm

Roy
Title: Re: Early pressed glass Peter Robinson & Edward Bolton Comport 1856
Post by: Paul S. on February 23, 2012, 10:49:38 PM
lucky you Roy  -  very nice additions to your collection  -  a coincidence indeed to find these so soon after the comport :)    Do the Nos. look quite sharp??

By the way, I saw last week the other 'smashed' very yellow/green uranium salt you left behind in 'that' shop  -  I do visit that town on a regular basis, but I will have to go more regularly  -  you seem to be finding some good pieces. ;D           I know there is another GMB member who also visits - we must be on our guard ;) ;)
Title: Re: Early pressed glass Peter Robinson & Edward Bolton Comport 1856
Post by: mhgcgolfclub on February 24, 2012, 06:24:02 AM
Paul to be honest the plate I have had longer than the comport as I discovered it recently in my garden shed. I must of had a few years as I cannot remember where it came from.

The small oval bowl came from a charity shop last week , one of those pieces you pick up and surprised its got a date lozenge, the mark on the plate is large and very clear while the mark is quite clear  but very small on the oval dish and you have to read it through the glass.

I do go to that town quite often as well, 3 times in about 10 days a few weeks ago and quite surprised how much changed each time . Had to take my wife down who was buying Pandora bits from the Jellewers either side of the river.

I have a clue who that GMB member may be  :-X

Roy
Title: Re: Early pressed glass Peter Robinson & Edward Bolton Comport 1856
Post by: jonchellycain on April 01, 2012, 06:17:28 PM
Hi all,
Whilst researching a piece I picked up this morning found this thread and thought I would add my piece to it and keep the info together (sorry for the hyjack)
The V&A take much better pictures than I do so take a look at the link, also has some info on Peter Robinson & Edward Bolton
http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O6994/flower-trough-boat/
Rd no 39414, 11 dec 1885.
33cm in length, 8cm in height, 900g (the Rd no can be found on the inside of the stern end)
 It is filthy rotten dirty, When I clean it up will get some better pictures
Hope you enjoy
michelle
Also some great info here
http://www.inchicore-pressedglass-museum.org/Edward%20Bolton1.htm
Title: Re: Early pressed glass Peter Robinson & Edward Bolton Comport 1856
Post by: Paul S. on April 01, 2012, 06:41:18 PM
thanks Michelle  -  and I assume there should be a stand for your boat but presumably you have only the boat - I'm guessing it was a boot sale.         As I said somewhere else recently, I also seem to never find the stands, so maybe they suffered from demise early in their lives.   If you want to see a boat to die for, have a look in Raymond Notley's small booklet - 'Popular Glass of the C19 and C20 Centuries' (a Miller's offering).   There is a very rare 14" Sowerby boat on original stand, in semi-opaque, sea green opal glass c.1885  -  and I see that the V. & A. aren't immune from losing stands either ;)

I think we should have a thread showing our various boats :)
Title: Re: Early pressed glass Peter Robinson & Edward Bolton Comport 1856
Post by: jonchellycain on April 01, 2012, 10:51:27 PM
Funnily enough when I bought it, it was the one in 'Popular Glass of the C19 and C20 Centuries' that I was thinking of, that was the first place I checked when I got home with it.
It was indeed a boot sale find and a good one at £1.50 I think.
Do you have any images of one with a stand Paul or would it have been the same style as the one in the 'Popular Glass of the C19 and C20 Centuries' ?
thanks
michelle
Title: Re: Early pressed glass Peter Robinson & Edward Bolton Comport 1856
Post by: Paul S. on April 02, 2012, 07:51:12 AM
sorry Michelle - I'm 'standless' - never found one so don't possess any images of my own to show, so not remotely qualified to comment, and notice that many authors show boats without a stand.
If you have a copy of Thompson you will see on page 25 what appears to be your Ed. Bolton boat - but minus stand - so no help there.
On the same page - there is a reproducton of some comments from the Sowerby catalogue of the 1880's, which says......"one stand fits all boats" (which seems a little difficult to understand when you think of the enormous size variation).   It's always possible that if Sowerby produced only one pattern of stand then other factories did the same  -  but that's my opinion only, and quite possibly a wrong assumption.
Hajdamach omits any boats, and Sowerby is the only stand I can see off-hand.

You need someone who actually knows what they're talking about..........Bernard, Neil or Roy might be able to help  -  anyway I think they are underestimated in terms of interest, and congrats. for a good boot sale find.               Why don't you 'float' a separate thread on boats - and sincere apologies to Roy for massive hijacking of his subject.
Title: Re: Early pressed glass Peter Robinson & Edward Bolton Comport 1856
Post by: Paul S. on April 02, 2012, 08:10:43 AM
I hope that one of the pressed experts will be able to help you Michelle, with information on stands  -  but I can of course look in the records and take a picture of Rd. 39414 when next I go to Kew - assuming there are images of both the boat and stand.
Title: Re: Early pressed glass Peter Robinson & Edward Bolton Comport 1856
Post by: Sid on April 03, 2012, 03:17:51 AM
Paul

I am not sure why you assume that there will be a stand as most of these boats made by various makers did not have stands.  The only boats with stands that I am familiar with are the Sowerby 1874 pattern boats.

Sid
Title: Re: Early pressed glass Peter Robinson & Edward Bolton Comport 1856
Post by: Paul S. on April 03, 2012, 07:49:16 AM
thanks for the correction Sid  -  must admit I was making an assumption - and certainly the few I have do all sit on level bases, so a stand not essential.
Title: Re: Early pressed glass Peter Robinson & Edward Bolton Comport 1856
Post by: Paul S. on April 05, 2012, 07:30:19 PM
I've just seen on the web site that George Davidson produced a boat which sat on a pair of wheels  -  whether this came as a single piece of glass, or if the wheels were separate, I don't know.
Title: Re: Early pressed glass Peter Robinson & Edward Bolton Comport 1856
Post by: Paul S. on April 05, 2012, 07:47:52 PM
apparently comes as a single pressing - there's one on ebay at the moment.
Title: Re: Early pressed glass Peter Robinson & Edward Bolton Comport 1856
Post by: mhgcgolfclub on April 06, 2012, 11:45:14 AM
Paul

I have a few pictures of one in amber I had a while back

Roy
Title: Re: Early pressed glass Peter Robinson & Edward Bolton Comport 1856
Post by: Paul S. on April 06, 2012, 11:56:43 AM
thanks Roy  -  I think the ebay example I mentioned was brown as well.    I've not seen one yet (in the flesh so to speak) - but I think they'd make an interesting themed collection - problem is that I keep lusting after those rarefied opalescent examples showing in Raymond Notley's book.    I saw an interesting boat in flint when I was at Ardingly in recent weeks  -  a shape/design I'd never seen before, and which looked very interesting, but I baulked at the price of £12 - £15, but wish now I'd bought it.   Maybe it'll be there next time I visit.
All this hijacking and moving away from your comport post is Michelle's fault, not mine ;D  -  but thanks for the pic of your boat -  why did you part with the amber example?
Title: Re: Early pressed glass Peter Robinson & Edward Bolton Comport 1856
Post by: mhgcgolfclub on April 06, 2012, 01:21:38 PM
Paul the boat was the wrong colour I only collect clear pressed glass mostly a few coloured items . I do not have the room to keep everything so decided only clear glass as its quite cheap to buy. I have at least 150 pieces some of it is used through the year. If I collected the more expensive pieces it would cost a lot and I would not like to use them .

The sowerby sea  green opal coloured  boats are quite common they are not uranium I see them quite often not with there bases though. The yellow pearline boats are not so common but I have had a couple in the past few years.

I think the most rare of the boats are the Sowerby large slag glass ones, not the small 6" purple slag glass boat, not sure but may have been made by Greener.

You try and find a Sowerby 10" purple slag glass boat . I can remember one selling on ebay quite a few years ago for about £300, they made the large boat in blue as its in the millars guide so most likely made in green . I have seen many opalescent pearline and opal coloured large boats but never found a large slag glass one yet.

Roy   
Title: Re: Early pressed glass Peter Robinson & Edward Bolton Comport 1856
Post by: bat20 on November 20, 2013, 01:02:31 PM
I thought this might be interesting to some,it's the larger sized oval dish,29cm long and 19cm wd,Robinson&Bolton 23rd june 56 date lozenge.It's a quite heavy robust piece and i was surprised to discover it's age.
Title: Re: Early pressed glass Peter Robinson & Edward Bolton Comport 1856
Post by: Paul S. on November 20, 2013, 05:41:47 PM
Can't always guarantee that these things were made in the year of Registration, but if the lozenge appears sharp and clear then quite possible  -  and it helps also to give the Rd. No. ;)

I've attached a picture of the original drawing from the National Archives at Kew.                      Nice piece by the way - a good find. :)
Title: Re: Early pressed glass Peter Robinson & Edward Bolton Comport 1856
Post by: Paul S. on November 20, 2013, 05:42:41 PM
Registration No. is 105196.
Title: Re: Early pressed glass Peter Robinson & Edward Bolton Comport 1856
Post by: bat20 on November 20, 2013, 07:26:52 PM
Thanks for the extra info Paul,it's always nice to find lozenge on a piece of glass and then looking up the history.
Title: Re: Early pressed glass Peter Robinson & Edward Bolton Comport 1856
Post by: agincourt17 on February 25, 2014, 05:05:57 PM
Here’s a celery vase to add to the various shapes for Robinson & Bolton’s RD 105196. 29cm tall.

(Permission for the re-use of these images on the GMB granted by Debra Saunders).

Fred.

Title: Re: Early pressed glass Peter Robinson & Edward Bolton Comport 1856
Post by: topcat on August 21, 2014, 10:32:17 PM
Hi, I'm new to GMB and I have a pair of comports of design 105196 – P2. Thanks to agincourt17 for this informative link http://www.inchicore-pressedglass-museum.org/Edward%20Bolton1.htm

I inherited these from my great granny, who apparently used them on the fining table for  white and brown sugar. They are 6.5" tall and approx 991g in weight.  They vary slightly in height and weight, is this usual?

See pictures on Dropbox
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/4od6sz5don46fq7/AABKAaDMnam1QbQQrv7TmyZHa

Tricia
Title: Re: Early pressed glass Peter Robinson & Edward Bolton Comport 1856
Post by: agincourt17 on August 22, 2014, 07:53:42 AM
I'm not sure if the variation in weight and sizse is usual, but it is certainly possible or even probable.

As far as I am aware, the size of the gobbet of glass that was put into the mould for pressing was estimated by skilled and experienced guesswork, so the resulting piece that came from the mould was, by its nature, somewhat variable in weight. Likewise, the fact that the hot piece had to be removed from the mould and manipulated by hand was quite likely to cause some degree of distortion or variation in the dimensions.

Fred.
Title: Re: Early pressed glass Peter Robinson & Edward Bolton Comport 1856
Post by: Paul S. on August 22, 2014, 08:11:38 AM
Hello Tricia  -  welcome to the GMB.

Like Fred, I'd also assume some variation was inevitable regarding the finished sizes of these things.      I don't know how many separate shapes/patterns there are for Rd. 105196 - probably at least four judging by the images we have posted here, and there might be more, of course.

Congratulations on the quality of your pix and drawing  -  you obviously have some skills with the photography.
I notice you call your shape comports - might it be possible that their purpose was intended to be as open sugars?        Looking in Silber & Fleming, comports from that period appear quite shallow, and often more delicate, compared to sugars which tended to be far more chunky.

Sorry to seem ignorant, but can someone tell please me what the 'P' designation refers to in the link. :)
Title: Re: Early pressed glass Peter Robinson & Edward Bolton Comport 1856
Post by: topcat on August 22, 2014, 09:52:37 AM
Thanks for your expert opinions.  I agree that my items are probably "open sugars" rather than comports because they are quite chunky. 

I used this handy tool to identify the mark, and the "P" is the parcel number.
http://1st-glass.1st-things.com/lozengetranslator.html

Tricia
Title: Re: Early pressed glass Peter Robinson & Edward Bolton Comport 1856
Post by: Paul S. on August 22, 2014, 01:10:06 PM
thanks for the explanation Tricia :), although I'd suggest that to include Parcel Nos. together with the Rd. No., albeit the correct one, is unnecessary and possibly confusing  -  I don't recall seeing this before.

All pieces which conform to the design protected by Board of Trade Registration 105196, no matter what shape or whenever produced will, to the best of my knowledge, carry the exact lozenge details as shown in your very clear drawing.

It's always possible, of course, that the creator of the history page in your link had some other reason for including Parcel Nos.         In the ordinary course of events, I don't get the impression that Parcel Nos. convey special significance, although when searching archives/books to confirm Rd. Nos., then often a Parcel No. is one more piece of information which might help to verify a maker.

GMB members will always help, if possibly, to supply comprehensive Registration details for any glass about which you might like to know more.

Might we get to see more of your glass collection some time?  :)