Glass Message Board
Glass Discussion & Research. NO IDENTIFICATION REQUESTS here please. => British & Irish Glass => Topic started by: Aislingeanbeag on May 06, 2013, 01:24:02 PM
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Some of you may find this story interesting!
A friend of ours who is now a senior citizen grew up in Perth and she recalls her mum's neighbour who worked at the glassworks gave her mum and dad "some bonny glass ornaments when she was onlya bairn."
I came across what remained of these ornaments some years ago and asked about them.
Our friend told us the story of how her Mum's friend Mr Eesat gave her mum The Queens glasses for her and her sister and how she had taken them to Portugal with her, "where the big dish got stolen", before she returned to Scotland.
Three or four houses later there remain a vase and three small goblets one of which got broken recently.
I recognised the glassware immediately as Monart and on inspection the labels proved me correct but the pattern of light duck-egg blue to nearly clear with gold flakes was not one I had seen previously.
I searched the internet and found Frank Andrews who quickly identified the pattern as The Perth Royal Wedding Gift.
A little more talking with the family and Mr Eesat became Mr Ysart and the year became 1947. The eldest brother remembered the tale of how the glassworks made loads of bits and then selected the ones with least variation to form the Perth present.
Apparently any with the slightest defect were destroyed before labelling and what the family were given by the Ysarts were some of the surplus remaining after selection.
So we move forward six years to this week and a call from our friend who is clearing out everything prior to a final move.
In the shed in a small box I re-found The Royal Wedding Gift pieces that had been 'Put away safely' !!!!!!
Our friend wants to dispose of these historic remnants but how?
I again reminded her that they have a value on the market but selling and shipping would be risky so she has a dillema that I am hoping someone here may be able to solve.
Can someone please offer her advice as to the best way to deal with her vas and two and a half small goblets!
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tell them to put them on ebay or ask what they are looking for them and let me know,
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She should just give them to me. I'll keep them safe and will pay for the shipping (including all that very heavy bubble wrap) ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
Carolyn
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Whilst in no way am I doubting the story as related to youself. Could the vase you mention be decanter minus the stopper. Below is a picture of Betty Reid (who dealt with the office side of Monart) with the full set of the Wedding Gift and as can be seen no vase in the set, also in all the literature I have read makes no mention of vase in the set, there was decanters, sweetmeat dishes, goblets, finger bowls and fruit bowl made for the gift.
The rest of the story sounds correct, in 1947 Moncrieff glass works was commissioned to make a gift for the royal couple, it was Paul Ysart and his apprentice Chic Young who made the set.
Gary
Image reproduced with the kind permission of Perth Museum.
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Gary I will get pictures later today when I visit Wendy.
When I first found these bits behind her bar six or so years ago Frank identified them as Royal wedding.
The vase is I think from memory either an A or a C probably VI size
The small goblets are like those pictured on the table and I was told the stolen big dish was like the one she is holding.
I agree no sign of the vase in the boardroom picture however I had presumed that various other pieces were made for possible inclusion in the gift set before the final selection but none of the family know anything except what they were told by their mother and what they remember from their early childhood.
It occurs to me that if the vase is indeed a rare survivor from the selection process then it would be a trial piece and probably made by Paul himself!
The Taylor family mythology is simply these bits of fancy glassware were given to their mother by Mr Ysart her friend and neighbour!
Until I poked my nose behind the bar they had no idea that the pieces had anything other than sentimental value as mothers ornaments.
I will also get details of the address in Perth where their parents lived and any more details I think may be of interest when I visit later today.
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Aislingeanbeag i replied to you yesterday asking if i could view with the intentions of buying,but you havent replied , the posts have been moved to the glass market place on here, email me on millar69er AT aol DOT com
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... it was Paul Ysart and his apprentice Chic Young who made the set.
Also assisted by Johnny Jones, as confirmed to me personallywhen I spoke with Mr Jones some years ago. He was also shown in a related photo in a Perth newspaper.
Gary, could you also please confrim the situation regarding copyright of the Betty Read photo. Not sure if I have asked this before, but if it is a copy of a photo from Perth Museum, it probably should at least have a "with kind permission of" statement.
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The image is from the Perth museum Monart archives. I got permission from S Martin (assistant curator at the time) to use the image.
I should have put it in the my original post.
Image reproduced with the kind permission of Perth Museum.
I knew that Johnny Jones worked with Paul making Monart but was unsure if worked on the wedding gift set, so thanks for that info Kev.
Gary
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Thanks Gary. I have added the permission statement to your post with the pic.
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Apologies if I gave a false impression but these are not mine to sell and Wendy who owns the pieces although cleaning out her sheds and stores could well decide to hang on to her mothers things as she did when I first found them those few years ago.
The story was put here for interest and the advice requested was a genuine request as well as an attempt by me to gauge local interest.
If Wendy decides to sell I will follow her instructions.
She has no idea of current value except the indication given by Frank that is now several years out of date.
Because of the Royal connection and the involvement between the Taylors and the Ysarts it was originally thought that these pieces would attract a premium but now who knows?
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Hello,
I have read both threads about these Wedding Gift pieces and understand that they are of particular interest because of the family connection to Paul Ysart and that the story is quite genuine.
Unfortunately, in my experience, there have been many such stories related, particularly with items that have turned up over the years in auctions, particularly in the Perth area. Rarely do they have any documentary proof, such as a hand written letter by the original recipient stating the linkage to the Ysarts. As a result they tend not to attract a premium, rather the value is based on the colour way, shape and aesthetic appeal. This is because when the collector, or dealer, who purchases the piece(s) wishes to resell, the story can only be passed on apocryphally. For true provenance there should be a paper trail - whether this is in note/letter form, or through auction and/or gallery evidence left on the item.
This is especially true in the art market and it is that model that sets the precidence with reference to the original sale through such and such a gallery or auction - directly fro the artst or original collector. This process traces the ownership through to current time and creates the provenance.
Maybe a letter from the current owner stating what she knows with a much information as possible about the history would help the pieces along should they decide to sell them? :)
However, for me whay Gary has mentioned in the other thread about the vase has validity and is backed up by the evidence that is available about the actual gift given to the Royals. :(
Nigel
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I myself was interested in purchasing the pieces as another shape to add to my collection and nothing to do with who they were made for, as Nigel has already said there is no actual written proof from the original person whom gifted these, i just dont have any Monart goblets in my collection so hence my interest, i have pieces in the wedding gift colourway already and have seen plenty in the past of sveral shapes, so here is where my interest in purchasing them stops, i bow out gracefully your majesty ;D
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Heh, Heh,
No need to bow out Gary ;) :)
Cheers, Nigel
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lol Nigel ;D