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Glass Discussion & Research. NO IDENTIFICATION REQUESTS here please. => Malta Glass => Topic started by: Baked_Beans on October 20, 2012, 02:50:07 PM

Title: Are these USA ebay items MDG ? The second example is superb !
Post by: Baked_Beans on October 20, 2012, 02:50:07 PM


http://www.ebay.com/itm/221140915590?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

http://www.ebay.com/itm/370669035688?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649        <------- really lovely  :o

I think they are both approx. the same size and shape !

Ta , Mike.
Title: Re: Are these USA ebay items MDG ? The second example is superb !
Post by: chopin-liszt on October 20, 2012, 03:48:28 PM
They might be, or they might be Mdina - they're both Boffo though.  ;D
They are executed in his distinctive style - but when it comes to the Earthtones pattern, it's impossible to say where they were made unless there's a label or a written script on the base.
The second one has been offered for sale for a long time. Nobody's biting at that price.   ::)
Title: Re: Are these USA ebay items MDG ? The second example is superb !
Post by: glassobsessed on October 20, 2012, 03:50:48 PM
They do look to be, they can be tricky to tell compared to Mdina but I think you are right. Quite a bit of the MDG production can be fairly wonky - can see that in the first link.

John
Title: Re: Are these USA ebay items MDG ? The second example is superb !
Post by: Baked_Beans on October 20, 2012, 04:48:29 PM
Thanks very much  ;)

The first example has quite a bit of red in it (I think) and I thought that was an indication of MDG. The lip/top of the vase/bottle is a bit wonky/asymmetrical though, as you suggest John  !

Are there Mdina examples with the same/similar colours as in the second case ?   

Both are a definate Mdina shape though , I had a blue one with label once !

I'm just trying to get an eye for MDG (without buying !! at that price !....but if I had the spare dosh I would !!)

It's all very tempting ,

Thanks very much for your help , Sue & John , I really do appreciate it !
Mike   :)
Title: Re: Are these USA ebay items MDG ? The second example is superb !
Post by: chopin-liszt on October 20, 2012, 05:27:09 PM
No, red is not an indication of MDG, it's found a lot in Mdina too.
The brown colour was made using red glass, it's the silver (from the silver nitrate used) reacting with red glass that makes brown - so the streaky effect arises from unchanged and changed reds.
The only way of telling MDG by colour is if it is cased in amber, uses green glass or is the blue that is specific to MDG.
I think I've got an MDG cloudy yellow stoppered bottle too.

I reckon wonky MDG arises because Boffo was working with an apprentice on a piece during training. If you've got a perfect piece, it's probably all him or because he's got an experienced assistant at Mdina. Although I do have a couple of "perfect" bits that are definitely MDG.
Title: Re: Are these USA ebay items MDG ? The second example is superb !
Post by: Lustrousstone on October 20, 2012, 05:37:08 PM
My gut would say MDG too. Pity there are not bottom pics, as that might help.
Title: Re: Are these USA ebay items MDG ? The second example is superb !
Post by: Baked_Beans on October 20, 2012, 05:56:48 PM
Thanks Sue,

Gosh , I've still got a long way to go with my ID of MDG ! It's all so fascinating , thanks for the info on the reds , very interesting indeed !!

In the second example I think there  is some use of gold leaf  (as can be seen from the photos and in the description) . Was gold decoration used at Mdina do you know ? I've seen photos of a green MDG bottle (here on GMB) with , what looked like, silver leaf (can't find the link at the moment).

Anyway , it's wonderful... if it's Mdina or MDG , does it matter !! ;)

Ta very muchly , Mike  :D



Title: Re: Are these USA ebay items MDG ? The second example is superb !
Post by: Lustrousstone on October 20, 2012, 06:00:46 PM
No that's just the silver chloride and I'm pretty sure the green didn't use silver leaf either
Title: Re: Are these USA ebay items MDG ? The second example is superb !
Post by: Baked_Beans on October 20, 2012, 06:03:49 PM
Thanks Christine,

You can tell I need some chemistry lessons  ::)

Thanks !!
Title: Re: Are these USA ebay items MDG ? The second example is superb !
Post by: glassobsessed on October 20, 2012, 08:48:05 PM
This one is from MDG, the seller has another bottle with the same shape but no label and I think they have mixed up the two stoppers: ebay link (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1970s-MALTESE-HAND-MADE-DECANTER-MICHEAL-HARRIS-/130787206167?pt=UK_Art_Glass&hash=item1e73866417)

John
Title: Re: Are these USA ebay items MDG ? The second example is superb !
Post by: Baked_Beans on October 21, 2012, 07:37:15 AM
Well spotted !

Anyone buying would have to buy both and then swap the stoppers !

Very interesting that the name has changed to Malta Craft Glass with the letters CGL (I guess craft glass limited) rather than MDG . Anyone know when that happened ?

Here is a link to another thread I startad on MDG . The green bottle is one of yours John and you can see it on the last page (through John's link). The decoration just looks a bit silver leafy, that's how I got the wrong end of the stick.

http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,46630.0.html

Ta, Mike.

Title: Re: Are these USA ebay items MDG ? The second example is superb !
Post by: Baked_Beans on October 21, 2012, 09:35:19 AM
Here's another one....

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/180999119246?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

Cheers.
Title: Re: Are these USA ebay items MDG ? The second example is superb !
Post by: Greg. on October 21, 2012, 10:38:39 AM
There seems to be a few pieces of MDG cropping up lately, there's a handful of different MDG pieces currently for sale in the states, normally listed as Mdina. I think this rather nice decanter that's recently been listed is also an MDG piece.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/MDINA-ART-GLASS-EARTH-RANGE-TONE-SMALL-DECANTER-9-1-2-/110966334581?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19d61be475
Title: Re: Are these USA ebay items MDG ? The second example is superb !
Post by: chopin-liszt on October 21, 2012, 10:39:19 AM
Well spotted you, Mike! Labels are few and far between, and often worn. I've not seen Malta Craft Glass, or the different letters around the cross on the label before.
So I don't know anything about this at all.  ;D

Greg, that's a gorgeous bottle, definitely MDG, most probably Boffo alone - it's so finely made - narrow flange etc. It's very like mine!

Ummm, John, Christine.... why are we telling everybody about this, rather than grabbing it all for ourselves?  ;D
Title: Re: Are these USA ebay items MDG ? The second example is superb !
Post by: Baked_Beans on October 21, 2012, 11:23:28 AM
Well it is so good of you all to share your expertise and knowledge .

At least a bigger picture can unfold, of MDG, the more people that are out there looking for and appreciating it !

My personal interest in Boffo came about a few years ago when I found a Boffo fish in a charity shop in Castle Cary (not far from Shepton Mallet show ground) . I didn't know about the  Boffos or Boffo fish so I didn't buy it. A few days later I was searching Whitefriars.com members galleries and found a photo of a Boffo fish , the same colour (Kingfisher Blue) . So I had to find out who Boffo was .....then discovered penguins and all manner of other delights including MDG.  There was an Antiques Fair at Shepton Mallet not long after I saw the fish in the shop . I think it might have turned up there and I think I know who may have bought it, but that's another story  ;) !!

Anyway , it's all so fascinating and I'm pleased you haven't seen the label Sue , more intrigue !

ta, Mike.
Title: Re: Are these USA ebay items MDG ? The second example is superb !
Post by: chopin-liszt on October 21, 2012, 12:07:26 PM
Eeeeeek - keep away from those penguins.... I'm certainly having nothing to do with any them!  ;D
(I'm not at all fond of the animal things, and it's just far too contentious, there are so many dreadful penguin things - probably apprentices having their very first go at hot glass!)
I'm sticking with the beautiful glass vessels, based on the MH designs but executed with Boffo skill.

Title: Re: Are these USA ebay items MDG ? The second example is superb !
Post by: Baked_Beans on October 21, 2012, 06:26:22 PM
Gorgeous !

 
Title: Re: Are these USA ebay items MDG ? The second example is superb !
Post by: Greg. on October 24, 2012, 01:23:27 PM
Just wondering out of curiosity if this rather nice globe is another piece of MDG...?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/MDINA-Art-Glass-Turquoise-Blue-Vase-/370593806751?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item56491cb99f
Title: Re: Are these USA ebay items MDG ? The second example is superb !
Post by: chopin-liszt on October 24, 2012, 01:36:05 PM
yes, Greg  ;D
Baken-beans, those penguins mean trouble.....
Title: Re: Are these USA ebay items MDG ? The second example is superb !
Post by: Baked_Beans on October 24, 2012, 05:27:14 PM
Very funny !!

I thought this might be one also...there is a red label on the base , could this be a MDG label ?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/300800704025?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

The blue globe vase is superb !
Title: Re: Are these USA ebay items MDG ? The second example is superb !
Post by: chopin-liszt on October 24, 2012, 05:33:25 PM
Very definitely a Malta Decorative Glass label. It says so on it, ;D  it has MDG around the cross shape   ;D

- you may notice the cross is a different shape to the one used at Mdina? - the tails of the ends of the arms of the cross have an angular indent in them.
If a prunty indent is made using a cross shape on a bit of MDG, it also has this feature on the arms.
Title: Re: Are these USA ebay items MDG ? The second example is superb !
Post by: chopin-liszt on October 24, 2012, 06:38:32 PM
And (oops, managed to miss the link!) yes, that is a blue MDG pot in the listing. It's not nearly as nice as the globe, is it?
Title: Re: Are these USA ebay items MDG ? The second example is superb !
Post by: Baked_Beans on October 24, 2012, 07:09:54 PM
Cheers Sue,

No it isn't (nice though) , the blue globe is well worth the asking price IMHO (very tempting !) Interesting to know about the prunty indents .

Is the broken silver leaf effect patterning silver leaf or is it something else ?

Ta, Mike.
Title: Re: Are these USA ebay items MDG ? The second example is superb !
Post by: chopin-liszt on October 25, 2012, 07:52:24 AM
Absolutely not!  ;D

It's an incredibly thin layer of silver chloride melted over the surface of the glass, the silver reacts with the glass, colouring it, then it has been further blown to do the stretchy effect.
Title: Re: Are these USA ebay items MDG ? The second example is superb !
Post by: chopin-liszt on October 25, 2012, 01:30:00 PM
There's a good close-up of the foil-like effects on a bottle I posted pics of in this thread - but you can see the striations of the chemical reactions between the silver metal released and the hot glass in the patches - they're silvery/yellowy/bluey - not silver metal.
http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php?topic=47555.new;topicseen#new
Title: Re: Are these USA ebay items MDG ? The second example is superb !
Post by: Baked_Beans on October 25, 2012, 05:41:10 PM
Thanks very much Sue for the explanation, I can see what's going on now (I think) ! The patches of silver chloride go from silver to brownish yellow/brown and the brown reaction seems to congregate in striations within the patch . I don't think this would happen at all with a just straight silver foil/leaf application.

I have learnt so much and thanks to everyone for all the input here and on other threads , such an interesting duo of topics   ;) !  Mike.
Title: Re: Are these USA ebay items MDG ? The second example is superb !
Post by: chopin-liszt on October 25, 2012, 05:52:32 PM
Well, yes - but with the patches which look silver, they're actually pale yellow and a grey-ish blue, where the colour is very, very thin - but in the deep brown and ochre patches, the colour is deeper, (obviously), because there has been a much higher concentration of silver metal released.
All the tectonic plates are glass reacted with silver.
Title: Re: Are these USA ebay items MDG ? The second example is superb !
Post by: Baked_Beans on October 25, 2012, 08:48:46 PM
Thanks so much Sue , I fully comprehend the wonderful subtleties of this gorgeous art !
Title: Re: Are these USA ebay items MDG ? The second example is superb !
Post by: Baked_Beans on December 16, 2012, 07:02:19 PM
Here's another nice example with label ....

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mdina-Malta-Art-Glass-4-5-X-4-25-BROWN-GOLD-BOTTLE-121004030-/350665837174?pt=Antiques_Decorative_Arts&hash=item51a5500a76

....If you havn't seen it already... ;)

I'm building a collection of 'saved' photos here....it's cheaper  !!

Merry Christmas to all on Glassmessages  ;D
Title: Re: Are these USA ebay items MDG ? The second example is superb !
Post by: chopin-liszt on December 16, 2012, 07:08:13 PM
I'm not looking at ebay - so no, I hadn't seen it - it is lovely but I've got one already - with a stopper.
I think you've got it sussed though!
fabulous festive frolics to you. :-*
Title: Re: Are these USA ebay items MDG ? The second example is superb !
Post by: Baked_Beans on December 16, 2012, 07:57:19 PM
Lashings of luscious Laphroaig lasciviousness to you too !!....hic... ;)