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Glass Discussion & Research. NO IDENTIFICATION REQUESTS here please. => British & Irish Glass => Topic started by: Wayne on July 23, 2011, 12:25:55 PM

Title: For Reference - Davidson Glass Sculptures
Post by: Wayne on July 23, 2011, 12:25:55 PM
These have cropped up a few times on the board, never a positive ID before as far as I know, possibilites were Italian, Canadian, Far Eastern...I've kept my eyes peeled for one with a label, and finally found one.  I never expected them to be British!  I guess that explains why there seems to be quite a few of these in the UK though.

(http://www.20thcenturyglass.com/images/items/other_glass/misc_glass/thumbs/otherglass_sculp17.jpg) (http://www.20thcenturyglass.com/images/items/other_glass/misc_glass/otherglass_sculp17.jpg) (http://www.20thcenturyglass.com/images/items/other_glass/misc_glass/thumbs/otherglass_sculp18.jpg) (http://www.20thcenturyglass.com/images/items/other_glass/misc_glass/otherglass_sculp18.jpg) (http://www.20thcenturyglass.com/images/items/other_glass/misc_glass/thumbs/otherglass_sculp19.jpg) (http://www.20thcenturyglass.com/images/items/other_glass/misc_glass/otherglass_sculp19.jpg) (http://www.20thcenturyglass.com/images/items/other_glass/misc_glass/thumbs/otherglass_sculp20.jpg) (http://www.20thcenturyglass.com/images/items/other_glass/misc_glass/otherglass_sculp20.jpg)

Can anyone date the label?  1960's?
Title: Re: For Reference - Davidson Glass Sculptures
Post by: Wayne on July 23, 2011, 12:30:57 PM
More from this range:

(http://www.20thcenturyglass.com/images/items/other_glass/misc_glass/thumbs/otherglass_sculp01.jpg) (http://www.20thcenturyglass.com/images/items/other_glass/misc_glass/otherglass_sculp01.jpg) (http://www.20thcenturyglass.com/images/items/other_glass/misc_glass/thumbs/otherglass_sculp02.jpg) (http://www.20thcenturyglass.com/images/items/other_glass/misc_glass/otherglass_sculp02.jpg) (http://www.20thcenturyglass.com/images/items/other_glass/misc_glass/thumbs/otherglass_sculp03.jpg) (http://www.20thcenturyglass.com/images/items/other_glass/misc_glass/otherglass_sculp03.jpg) (http://www.20thcenturyglass.com/images/items/other_glass/misc_glass/thumbs/otherglass_sculp04.jpg) (http://www.20thcenturyglass.com/images/items/other_glass/misc_glass/otherglass_sculp04.jpg) (http://www.20thcenturyglass.com/images/items/other_glass/misc_glass/thumbs/otherglass_sculp05.jpg) (http://www.20thcenturyglass.com/images/items/other_glass/misc_glass/otherglass_sculp05.jpg)
(http://www.20thcenturyglass.com/images/items/other_glass/misc_glass/thumbs/otherglass_sculp08.jpg) (http://www.20thcenturyglass.com/images/items/other_glass/misc_glass/otherglass_sculp08.jpg) (http://www.20thcenturyglass.com/images/items/other_glass/misc_glass/thumbs/otherglass_sculp09.jpg) (http://www.20thcenturyglass.com/images/items/other_glass/misc_glass/otherglass_sculp09.jpg) (http://www.20thcenturyglass.com/images/items/other_glass/misc_glass/thumbs/otherglass_sculp11.jpg) (http://www.20thcenturyglass.com/images/items/other_glass/misc_glass/otherglass_sculp11.jpg) (http://www.20thcenturyglass.com/images/items/other_glass/misc_glass/thumbs/otherglass_sculp06.jpg) (http://www.20thcenturyglass.com/images/items/other_glass/misc_glass/otherglass_sculp06.jpg) (http://www.20thcenturyglass.com/images/items/other_glass/misc_glass/thumbs/otherglass_sculp07.jpg) (http://www.20thcenturyglass.com/images/items/other_glass/misc_glass/otherglass_sculp07.jpg)
Title: Re: For Reference - Davidson Glass Sculptures
Post by: Lustrousstone on July 23, 2011, 01:53:07 PM
This looks like a relative but it's uranium, so I wonder http://lustrousstone.co.uk/cpg/displayimage.php?pid=499
I've always assumed it was Murano
Title: Re: For Reference - Davidson Glass Sculptures
Post by: Wayne on July 23, 2011, 01:59:18 PM
Hi Christine.  I've had a couple in uranium before too, from the look and feel, thickness of the glass etc, I'd say they were the same, surprising though it seems!  The most common ones are red + amber, which glow orange thanks to Selenium content as you will know.  ;)
Title: Re: For Reference - Davidson Glass Sculptures
Post by: Anne on July 23, 2011, 02:21:41 PM
Good grief, that's a turn up for the books, Wayne! Davidson eh...?  I wonder if Chris Stewart knows about these... ?
Title: Re: For Reference - Davidson Glass Sculptures
Post by: Trebor on July 23, 2011, 02:25:17 PM
Thank`s Wayne .I to would not of thought it Davidson :hiclp:
Title: Re: For Reference - Davidson Glass Sculptures
Post by: Anne on July 23, 2011, 02:35:38 PM
I'm guessing they date to after Adam Dodds' time at Davidson (Sowerby 1949-56, Davidson 1956-61, Jobling 1961-72) but he may have thoughts on the label, I'll drop him a note.


Title: Re: For Reference - Davidson Glass Sculptures
Post by: keith on July 23, 2011, 02:45:10 PM
This has some random bubbles,do they all or is mine an alien :spls:
Title: Re: For Reference - Davidson Glass Sculptures
Post by: Wayne on July 23, 2011, 04:03:13 PM
This has some random bubbles,do they all or is mine an alien :spls:

Some have the odd bubble here and there, I'm sure yours is part of the gang Keith.  Should glow a nice orange under UV, hard to capture on cam though!
Title: Re: For Reference - Davidson Glass Sculptures
Post by: Lustrousstone on July 23, 2011, 07:04:24 PM
Mine has more bubbles than champagne. What is the edge of the base like? Is it chamfered?

This one I'm pretty confident is Murano, as I've seen it's very close relative labelled, but look at the similarities http://lustrousstone.co.uk/cpg/displayimage.php?pid=492 The major difference is the clear layer
Title: Re: For Reference - Davidson Glass Sculptures
Post by: keith on July 23, 2011, 08:01:02 PM
No chamfering whatsoever,can you say chamfering? ::) ;D ;D
Title: Re: For Reference - Davidson Glass Sculptures
Post by: Wayne on July 23, 2011, 09:09:42 PM
This one I'm pretty confident is Murano, as I've seen it's very close relative labelled, but look at the similarities http://lustrousstone.co.uk/cpg/displayimage.php?pid=492 The major difference is the clear layer

Yeah I've seen those with Murano labels, even with coloured casing instead of clear I think.

Also seen these with Murano labels, which are VERY similar to some Canadian Altaglass designs:

(http://www.20thcenturyglass.com/images/items/murano_glass/other_glass/thumbs/muranoglass_sculpture18.jpg) (http://www.20thcenturyglass.com/images/items/murano_glass/other_glass/muranoglass_sculpture18.jpg) (http://www.20thcenturyglass.com/images/items/murano_glass/other_glass/thumbs/muranoglass_sculpture21.jpg) (http://www.20thcenturyglass.com/images/items/murano_glass/other_glass/muranoglass_sculpture21.jpg)
Title: Re: For Reference - Davidson Glass Sculptures
Post by: Lustrousstone on July 24, 2011, 09:35:51 AM
No wonder it's a minefield, even for the wary!
Title: Re: For Reference - Davidson Glass Sculptures
Post by: Adam on July 27, 2011, 01:54:07 PM
Sorry, Anne, I can't help here re the label.   When I was at Davidsons I had absolutely nothing to do with the sales or warehousing of the domestic (as against technical) products therefore labels were a closed book to me.  That contrasts with Sowerbys where I was involved with practically everything!

Re the glass, Nazeing comes immediately to mind.  Just before I left Davidsons, Nazeing acquired, rather indirectly, a strong influence there.  Nazeing products, testing Davidsons market,  perhaps???

Adam D.
Title: Re: For Reference - Davidson Glass Sculptures
Post by: Anne on July 27, 2011, 04:19:14 PM
Thanks Adam, that's an interesting thought... so perhaps Nigel or Stephen P-H may be able to add more... this is becoming a paperchase! :)
Title: Re: For Reference - Davidson Glass Sculptures
Post by: bfg on August 04, 2011, 05:00:00 PM
Hi

Came across this discussion whilst researching a lovely lump of glass I recently acquired. The red glass glows orange under UV light which had me puzzled at first but I now know thats the Selenium  :hiclp: and the yellow glows green - as I had hoped, hence the UV treatment! so, is it Davidson? did they use Uranium in their glass? or is it something else.

Please bear with me on photos its my first attempt at uploading here  :-[

Thanks for any imput
Title: Re: For Reference - Davidson Glass Sculptures
Post by: Wayne on August 04, 2011, 05:39:53 PM
Looks like it's one of the gang to me.  ;)  I don't think I've seen one of these in a selenium/uranium combo before, but I've seen others with uranium + no selenium, so it wouldn't surprise me.  Any chance of a pic of it under UV?
Title: Re: For Reference - Davidson Glass Sculptures
Post by: bfg on August 04, 2011, 06:14:58 PM
ooh, thanks for the input Wayne, my glass is in a gang! lol. I'll give it a go with the UV - see what I can do
Title: Re: For Reference - Davidson Glass Sculptures
Post by: David E on August 14, 2011, 04:26:05 PM
Quote from: Wayne
I don't think I've seen one of these in a selenium/uranium combo before
I have two pieces in this style, both the 3-pronged affairs in two different sizes. Sadly, the large one later became a 2-pronged affair... but it did have stress marks in the glass so I wasn't surprised when it fell apart.

But I am quite staggered to see that Davidson was involved with these. Just playing Devil's Advocate for a while:
  • Could the label have been transferred across from another piece of glass?
  • Could Davidson have imported these, or perhaps another English company produced for Davidson who then labelled them? Nazeing perhaps?

  • However, Chris' site does state (although probably unrelated):
    Quote from: CloudGlass.com
    In 1966 the first adverts for Blown Lead Crystal glassware appear. In an age of mass production, Davidson started to advertise the fact that their products were hand finished, stressing that hand moulding and freehand styling of glassware was a reason to buy Davidson glass.

    Just thinking out aloud, as it seems so unlike the type of glass that it is known for. Perhaps a last throw of the dice? The company did free-form a few items of pressed glass, but these items involve techniques quite alien to its normal production items.

    Like everyone else, I would love to find out their origins!
    Title: Re: For Reference - Davidson Glass Sculptures
    Post by: Lustrousstone on August 14, 2011, 04:46:02 PM
    When you look there's a surprising number of this "gang" about. Has anyone poked Stephen P-H or Chris Stewart?
    Title: Re: For Reference - Davidson Glass Sculptures
    Post by: Wayne on August 14, 2011, 04:56:33 PM
    Hiya David, long time no speak!

    Could the label have been transferred across from another piece of glass?

    That did occur to me actually, although I can't see it really raising the value much to be worth the effort, and you'd think they would put it on something a bit more Davidson-ish!  Also the label seems to have quite a bit of wear from being on the base a while.  I guess there's no way to know for sure until we find another one though.

    Could Davidson have imported these, or perhaps another English company produced for Davidson who then labelled them? Nazeing perhaps?

    Adam suggested something similar, could well be a possibility.

    Also, there are quite a lot of these around, so it's surprising there aren't more with labels.  :huh:
    Title: Re: For Reference - Davidson Glass Sculptures
    Post by: David E on August 14, 2011, 05:23:58 PM


    When you look there's a surprising number of this "gang" about. Has anyone poked Stephen P-H or Chris Stewart?

    Yes, I mailed Chris after I replied to this topic. I have some others that are in the "don't know" category, so will post these later. These three have opaque coloured glass inners, with a transparent casing. Look quite different, but the same styling is used.

    Hi Wayne, still about as you can see! Yes I see Adam's post now... (d'oh)  :hb1:
    Title: Re: For Reference - Davidson Glass Sculptures
    Post by: Wayne on August 14, 2011, 05:54:03 PM
    Are they like this by any chance?

    (http://www.20thcenturyglass.com/images/items/other_glass/misc_glass/thumbs/otherglass_sculp13.jpg) (http://www.20thcenturyglass.com/images/items/other_glass/misc_glass/otherglass_sculp13.jpg) (http://www.20thcenturyglass.com/images/items/other_glass/misc_glass/thumbs/otherglass_sculp14.jpg) (http://www.20thcenturyglass.com/images/items/other_glass/misc_glass/otherglass_sculp14.jpg) (http://www.20thcenturyglass.com/images/items/other_glass/misc_glass/thumbs/otherglass_sculp15.jpg) (http://www.20thcenturyglass.com/images/items/other_glass/misc_glass/otherglass_sculp15.jpg) (http://www.20thcenturyglass.com/images/items/other_glass/misc_glass/thumbs/otherglass_sculp16.jpg) (http://www.20thcenturyglass.com/images/items/other_glass/misc_glass/otherglass_sculp16.jpg)
    Title: Re: For Reference - Davidson Glass Sculptures
    Post by: David E on August 15, 2011, 07:18:27 AM
    Very similar:
    Red and pink with clear casing
    White with amethyst casing
    White with Amber casing

    The bases are ground so that the different casings show through. They all appear to be double-cased as well.
    Title: Re: For Reference - Davidson Glass Sculptures
    Post by: Wayne on August 15, 2011, 09:48:59 AM
    I wonder if there could be a link between Davidson, and Altaglass (http://altaglass.ca/) of Canada?

    Altaglass made some very similar items to these sculptures, in similar colours, such as the red/amber selenium:

    http://altaglass.ca/index.php?set_albumName=bowls&id=pmb218&option=com_gallery&Itemid=30&include=view_photo.php

    And speckled:

    http://altaglass.ca/index.php?set_albumName=bowls&id=pmb74&option=com_gallery&Itemid=30&include=view_photo.php

    None of the shapes I've seen in the UK appear on the Altaglass website though.  I wonder if Davidson copied them or had some kind of deal with them.

    Also, an interesting link here between Altaglass and Nazeing:

    http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,834.msg48458.html#msg48458
    Title: Re: For Reference - Davidson Glass Sculptures
    Post by: David E on August 15, 2011, 12:25:04 PM
    I always think that the Altaglass freeform items are much 'whackier' than the items normally found in the UK. I also think that because of the shape and size of most of these freeform items, they would have been a nightmare to ship from abroad (certainly not in a suitcase!) and the reason why being British-made does make some sense. But, conversely, I've never seen mention of these things in Pottery Gazettes or Pottery & Glass trade journals, and I've scoured virtually every issue (also have a few copies) from the late 1930s right up to 1981.
    Of course, it is possible they were the output of a smaller concern, who just bashed them out for a few years and were not concerned about offering them through the trade. But why the Davidson label? I think until Chris Stewart reads this topic we are thrashing about in the dark a little.
    Title: Re: For Reference - Davidson Glass Sculptures
    Post by: David E on August 15, 2011, 02:39:20 PM
    I see from McConnell's 20th Century Glass that he identifies the amber/red Selenium models on p.77 as "... could have been made in Sweden, Czechoslovakia or the United States."
    Title: Re: For Reference - Davidson Glass Sculptures
    Post by: Wayne on August 15, 2011, 03:41:54 PM
    Darn, that's one of the few books that I don't have.  I wonder why he didn't mention Italy or Canada, they were the two I had down as most likely...British being the least!
    Title: Re: For Reference - Davidson Glass Sculptures
    Post by: bfg on August 27, 2011, 03:43:24 PM
    phew, well after 2 weeks and the purchase of a hefty 24" UV flurescent tube I finally got a pic or two not brilliant but you can see the orange glow, also the orange was so vivid it all but blocked out the green uranium to the eye! :-\
    Title: Re: For Reference - Davidson Glass Sculptures
    Post by: bfg on August 27, 2011, 03:44:17 PM
    note to self: *spell check* sorry :(
    Title: Re: For Reference - Davidson Glass Sculptures
    Post by: Wayne on August 28, 2011, 07:34:20 AM
    Thanks for posting the pics.  Actually that's how I would expect it to look if it didn't have any uranium.  Maybe it just has something else such as manganese causing a bit of a green glow, that doesn't show up on camera?
    Title: Re: For Reference - Davidson Glass Sculptures
    Post by: Wayne on September 26, 2011, 09:54:20 AM
    Finally spotted another one of these with a label [here (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-Arte-Murano-Sommerso-ICET-Large-Freeform-Art-Glass-Centrepiece-Vase-Blue-/270818892668?pt=UK_Art_Glass&hash=item3f0e105b7c)].  Not labelled Davidson though, but ICET of Venezuela.  More info on ICET [here (http://www.fossilfly.com/Forums/showthread.php?t=364)].

    So, if these are the same make, then there must be some link between Davidson and ICET, or probably more likely, the Davidson label doesn't belong after all.

    There sure does seem to be a lot of these around in the UK though.  :huh:
    Title: Re: For Reference - Davidson Glass Sculptures
    Post by: Lustrousstone on September 26, 2011, 11:49:03 AM
    There are loads of them about!! Maybe it was a marketing arrangement. The Davidson label doesn't actually say Made in England
    Title: Re: For Reference - Davidson Glass Sculptures
    Post by: Wayne on September 26, 2011, 12:12:38 PM
    The Davidson label doesn't actually say Made in England

    That's a very good point!  Also the ICET label says Murano as well as Venezuela, so we could have Murano glass, made in Venezuela, sold by a British manufacturer!!
    Title: Re: For Reference - Davidson Glass Sculptures
    Post by: Wayne on September 26, 2011, 08:07:07 PM
    The seller has kindly given permission for the pictures to be posted here for reference:

    (http://www.20thcenturyglass.com/images/glassmessages/thumbs/icet01.jpg) (http://www.20thcenturyglass.com/images/glassmessages/icet01.jpg) (http://www.20thcenturyglass.com/images/glassmessages/thumbs/icet02.jpg) (http://www.20thcenturyglass.com/images/glassmessages/icet02.jpg)
    Title: Re: For Reference - Davidson Glass Sculptures
    Post by: Wayne on February 25, 2021, 05:01:31 PM
    It's been a while since this discussion, and I've been baffled by these sculptures ever since. However I just came across [this (https://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/123183-green-alien-hand-by-viartec-thf)] old post on Collectors Weekly, where a Spanish company called Viartec THF is mentioned. After some googling, I found a few examples, with labels that read "Viartec Hand Made in Spain":

    [Example 1 (https://www.todocoleccion.net/vintage-decoracion/de-casa-viartec-made-in-spain-preciosa-escultura-o-centro-mesa-cristal-tal-como-se-ve~x25589709)]
    [Example 2 (https://www.todocoleccion.net/antiguedades/jarron-murano-cristal-soplado-base-bano-plata~x162683414)]
    [Example 3 (https://www.barnebys.com/auctions/lot/to-figurer-af-glas-italien-og-spanien-2-jwytgmqvh3e)]
    [Example 4 (https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Art-Glass-SWAN-Candy-Dish-Bowl-11-1-2-Spain-Handmade-Amber-Glass-/153819021089)]

    The label can be seen best in the last one. I also found [this (https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1970s-Coulorful-Art-Deco-70s-Spanish-Glassware/193152888447?hash=item2cf8cf2e7f:g:ZeUAAOSw4zJeKydZ)] listing, no ID or label, but the seller claims to have brought it back from Spain in the 1970's. If these were sold in Spanish tourist shops in the 70s, it would explain why there are so many of them here in the UK!

    This doesn't explain the Davidson label or the Icet label of course, so there is still a bit of a mystery!




    Title: Re: For Reference - Davidson Glass Sculptures
    Post by: glassobsessed on February 26, 2021, 09:41:27 AM
    Labels can be transferred, even innocently....

    Finding several from this range with the same label though is a different matter, especially as you have found corroboration in various countries. Deserves a round of applause!