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Glass Identification - Post here for all ID requests => Glass Paperweights => Resolved Paperweight Queries => Topic started by: ahremck on December 07, 2010, 02:15:48 AM

Title: Not an IOW item - signed "2001 BM". ID = IOW for British Museum!
Post by: ahremck on December 07, 2010, 02:15:48 AM
I strongly suspect that this Pwt is IOW - but not certain.  If it is I think it may be "Azurene".  Can someone more knowledgeable confirm or dispute my assumptions please.

Ross
Title: Re: Is this IOW? If so is it pattern "Azurene"
Post by: chopin-liszt on December 07, 2010, 11:42:02 AM
I do think it's Isle of Wight Studio Glass, but not Azurene.
Azurene is a coloured glass base with finely broken up silver and gold foil on the surface. This has the glad foil background, but iridescent ribbons of glass over it.  
Azurene has been produced since '78, I think this is from a range with a much shorter life span - and it's a bit more sophisticated than Azurene. I'm not up on pws, often designs can look very different on them from other items. However, I suspect this could be Golden Peacock. This was produced between '82 and '04, and is a very highly desirable range.

Or it might be "British Museum", a scarce and desirable beast..  but it's very hard to tell from your pic, I'm afraid. I can't see the whole pattern, I can't make out details.
Title: Re: Is this IOW? If so is it pattern "Azurene"
Post by: ahremck on December 07, 2010, 12:57:03 PM
I will try to take some side on photos and some close-ups to better show its features.

Ross
Title: Re: Is this IOW? If so is it pattern "Azurene"
Post by: glassobsessed on December 07, 2010, 05:45:16 PM
Is that a signature on the base?

John
Title: Re: Is this IOW? If so is it pattern "Azurene"
Post by: ahremck on December 07, 2010, 08:47:48 PM
 :pb: How embarrassing!!  Well spotted John.  Those must be old photos which I simply sized and submitted without actually LOOKING at the paperweight.

The base reads "© 2001 BM" so this must be one of the "scarce & desirable beast" that Chopin-liszt was referring to.  Lucky Me!!!!!!   :chky:

Thanks to you all for your help.  will still put up photos if I can put my hands on it today.

Ross
Title: Re: Is this IOW? If so is it pattern "Azurene"
Post by: glassobsessed on December 07, 2010, 09:11:14 PM
We have all missed a signature or two I am sure (in my case several). :nogos:

Definitely not azurene and I suspect not even IoW, which does not help much. :spls:

John
Title: Re: Is this IOW? If so is it pattern "Azurene"
Post by: chopin-liszt on December 08, 2010, 11:44:10 AM
The problem with it being British Museum is I don't believe it has gold foil in it - which this has.
An image of the pattern in focus, and from the side would help.
Or you could put it on the IoWSG forum, or write directly to the Studio.
It also might be a variation on one of the Ribbons, Lace, Satin and Silk range.

It's so much easier to tell on things not paperweights. (I have litttle or no interest in pws).

I also tend to focus more on earlier work from the studio. (or Tim's "specials")
Title: Re: Is this IOW? If so is it pattern "Azurene"
Post by: ahremck on December 08, 2010, 10:32:29 PM
  :-[   Well, John you have hit the nail on the head.  I finally did what I ought to have done first - I emailled IOW Glass.

It is definitely not IOW.  The "metallic" appearance is not what they have done - and the label remnant is definitely the wrong shape.  At least the 3 other pwts I enquired about from them are all Azurene - so I guess win some, lose some, applies.

I have also emailled the British Museum - no response yet - to see if it was sold through them c. 2001.

Thanks for all responses so far - the search for an identity continues.

By the way Sue, I finally found pictures of IOW "British Museum" - wow would I like one of those.  I know what you mean - I have consciously tried to specialise in collecting Autralian art glass.  IOW is about as far from here as it is possible to go.

Ross
Title: Re: Is this IOW? If so is it pattern "Azurene"
Post by: chilternhills on December 09, 2010, 12:02:33 AM
Hi Ross,

I hadn't seen the picture of the signature when you contacted me privately. As I said to you, the PW didn't strike me as IOW and now that is confirmed. Concerning the British Museum possibility, I have dug out two pieces designed by IOW for the British Museum (a bowl and a perfume bottle) and they are both signed "© 1997 THE BRITISH MUSEUM" (in capitals like this). I don't know if this is indicative of what they normally put on commissioned glass pieces. It would be interesting to see what the museum say in reply to you. But in the UK the museum is often called simply the BM, especially in scientific circles that I operate in. The museum could simply have abbreviated the name to BM since there is less space on the bottom of the typical paperweight. On the other hand there could be a glass artist with initials BM that is lurking out there somewhere!

Anton
Title: Re: Is this IOW? If so is it pattern "Azurene"
Post by: ahremck on December 09, 2010, 02:35:13 AM
I thought of the possibility of an artist - but it seemed to me unlikely they would copyright it, whereas the British Museum most likely would.

Ross
Title: Re: Is this IOW? If so is it pattern "Azurene"
Post by: chopin-liszt on December 09, 2010, 11:44:09 AM
Benny Motzfeldt's "signature" is BM, marked on the botom of the glass, but it's definitely NOT by her!

But Ross, you can get in the queue for a bit of IoWSG "British Museum" - I've been hanging in there for ages.
Title: Re: Not an IOW item - signed "2001 BW"
Post by: ahremck on June 10, 2011, 02:28:58 PM
Well after months of nil response from the British Museum I have taken what I hope are much more comprehensive photos and am asking for your expertise again.

Ross
Title: Re: Not an IOW item - signed "2001 BW"
Post by: scimiman on June 10, 2011, 03:45:37 PM
Hi Is the base flat or concaved?
I'm almost certain that its a piece of Okra from the Moorcroft days.  I certainly recognise the way in which it has been signed. Colourways are correct as well.

Mike www.abfabglass.co.uk
Title: Re: Not an IOW item - signed "2001 BW"
Post by: ahremck on June 11, 2011, 01:51:39 AM
The base is flat, Mike.  It has almost no wear - a pity the label is has had the top layer come off.  I never even thought of Okra - where were the brains looking when I tried to identify it before.  :-[

Looking now the almost spherical shape is obviously different from any IOW azurene weight I have ever seen.  But I do have an OKRA "Nebula" pwt and I never even thought of them because the label is a longish rectangle as opposed to the almost square one on this weight.

Can you give me approximate years, please Mike.

Ross
Title: Re: Not an IOW item - signed "2001 BW"
Post by: scimiman on June 11, 2011, 09:22:28 AM
Hi Ross.
I think the label is a red herring as that maybe the remnants of an old stock label or auction label.
2001 is OK for the year as they were still under Moorcroft ownership and they had many Glassblowers many of whom were not very good. I dont mean to be rude about your weight but its not up to the quality that you normally expect from them and if Richard had seen this weight he would have binned it.
I need to delve into my archives so as soon as I have found a definite match I'll post it on here for you.
Regards Mike www.abfabglass.co.uk
Title: Re: Not an IOW item - signed "2001 BW"
Post by: scimiman on June 11, 2011, 06:03:38 PM
Hi Roos,
Chapter and verse with the help of my dear old friend (very old) Ron @ Artius Glass.
This is a range produced in 1993 by Tim Harris for an exclusive range for the British Museum. The E is in fact a C for 'copyright. Rarely come to light. Doesn't fetch big money but perfume bottles and vases from the range do.
We always get there in the end.
Regards Mike www.abfabglass.co.uk
Title: Re: Not an IOW item - signed "2001 BW"
Post by: ahremck on June 12, 2011, 01:42:53 AM
Thanks for the help, Mike.  Does the fact it is from Tim Harris mean that it is in fact IOW after all?

I previously wrote ' The base reads "© 2001 BM" ' so I assume the range was produced for some time.

Ross
Title: Re: Not an IOW item - signed "2001 BW"
Post by: scimiman on June 12, 2011, 11:14:04 AM
Hi Ross.
Yes definitely IOW.
The label remnant probably whats left of British Museum stock label. Quite often when you make things for retail org or august organisation such as the BM they do not want where a thing is made identified with a makers label or artists signature.
I will find out how long it was roughly made for.
Regards Mike
Title: Re: Not an IOW item - signed "2001 BW"
Post by: scimiman on June 12, 2011, 03:47:13 PM
According to Ron they only placed two orders 1993/94
Mike
Title: Re: Not an IOW item - signed "2001 BW"
Post by: ahremck on June 12, 2011, 04:50:22 PM
To quote a well known lass "Curioser & curioser".  Perhaps the BM simply engraved stock when they felt like it.

Once again thanks to Mike and to Ron for being so generous with your time to research it.

Fascinating that my first guess (IOW) was in fact correct - but after all this time some mystery remains.

Ross
Title: Re: Not an IOW item - signed "2001 BM". ID = IOW for British Museum!
Post by: chilternhills on July 27, 2011, 07:48:31 PM
I have now got a page on my web site for the IOW 'British Museum' design that went into production, with one picture of a trial for the British Museum. As you will see they are very different. So it is not beyond possibility that your PW is an IOW trial.

http://iowstudioglass.wikidot.com/bm (http://iowstudioglass.wikidot.com/bm)

Anton
Title: Re: Not an IOW item - signed "2001 BM". ID = IOW for British Museum!
Post by: ahremck on July 27, 2011, 11:32:41 PM
Thank you Anton - I feel it is highly likely that this is one of those trial pieces since it post-dates the normally accepted dates for the BM.  Perhaps they were considering a subsequent order that was not pursued - guess we will never know for sure.

Ross