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Glass Discussion & Research. NO IDENTIFICATION REQUESTS here please. => Scandinavian Glass => Topic started by: wesley on January 30, 2008, 06:17:47 PM

Title: Signatures and engraved Scandinavian glass
Post by: wesley on January 30, 2008, 06:17:47 PM
I am quite new to vintage Scandinavian glass and I am finding it fascinating.

I am though, having trouble trying to find a reference book or site to identify and explain the signatures letters and initial it. I am thinking along the lines of something similar to a silver hallmark book for Scandinavian glass. Is there such a thing out there, or am I going to have to write one over the next couple of years?

Wes
Title: Re: Signatures and engraved Scandinavian glass
Post by: Lustrousstone on January 30, 2008, 06:32:59 PM
Our very own Ivo's book is a good starting place for some of them. See here (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Glass-Millers-Pocket-Fact-Files/dp/1840004290/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=gateway&qid=1201718115&sr=8-2)
Title: Re: Signatures and engraved Scandinavian glass
Post by: wesley on January 30, 2008, 06:55:58 PM
Ah yes, I have this one and it is very useful. I was thinking more about the ins and outs of the signatures. Is there a logical way to unpick them.

This example has the name Stromberg and a number B936/c1049 (i think!) another name and then another number. How do I break it down? Is there a sequence and significance to the numbering?


Thank you for your reply.
Title: Re: Signatures and engraved Scandinavian glass
Post by: Anne on January 30, 2008, 07:33:20 PM
B means vase, 936 seems to have been made between 1954 and 1962 (can't pin it closer from Ivo's book);  the later name - can you make out what it says... I think I can see R  TRAND but if you can pick out the rest it would be useful. :)
Title: Re: Signatures and engraved Scandinavian glass
Post by: Della on January 30, 2008, 08:30:16 PM

Rune Strand worked for Stromberg in the 1960's.

Title: Re: Signatures and engraved Scandinavian glass
Post by: wesley on January 30, 2008, 09:27:14 PM
Thank you Anne & Lustrousstone, I see it in the book now.

I would still like to see a photo archive of the signature intials in catalogued in one place for Scandinavian glass (maybe not as complicated as the silversmiths site I use. (http://www.silvercollection.it/Englishsilvermarks1.html) . Or maybe we could do this on glassmessages a bit like the labels archive there is on glassmessages?

Thank you,

Wes
Title: Re: Signatures and engraved Scandinavian glass
Post by: Anne on January 30, 2008, 11:29:48 PM
Wes, we are slowly building up a collection of labels and marks on GlassGallery, the image hosting server for the GMB. If you'd like to add yours to the collection please do, we'd appreciate that. http://glassgallery.yobunny.org.uk/index.php?cat=6
Title: Re: Signatures and engraved Scandinavian glass
Post by: Level on January 31, 2008, 01:10:08 AM
This particular piece probably has the longest signature you will find, lol. It includes the manufacturer-Stromberg B 936. and it also includes the maker of the vase- A. (Asta) Stromberg and the engraver Rune Strand.
Title: Re: Signatures and engraved Scandinavian glass
Post by: Frank on January 31, 2008, 02:26:46 PM
Hartmann's Glasmarken Lexikon is the most complete book 1600-1945 and his website expands this to 2005 http://www.glasmarken-lexikon.de/reg.php

Neither option is cheap, but invaluable.
Title: Re: Signatures and engraved Scandinavian glass
Post by: Pinkspoons on February 01, 2008, 01:27:12 AM
My site catalogues Kastrup and Holmegaard markings - these two companies account for the majority of Danish signed factory glass.

http://www.holmegaardresource.com/labels.html
Title: Re: Signatures and engraved Scandinavian glass
Post by: David E on February 01, 2008, 04:24:46 PM
Not sure, but I thought Ivo (or someone: Gareth?) posted on a topic, which gave some of the designers and unravelled the numbering. However, I can't remember which Scandinavian company - might have been Orrefors.

I am aware about the FM Konstglas, Ronneby, marking system that was definitely posted by Ivo and/or Ingela a while back.
Title: Re: Signatures and engraved Scandinavian glass
Post by: Anne on February 01, 2008, 06:20:40 PM
Possibly Bill Geary, David? It rings a vague bell with me too.
Title: Re: Signatures and engraved Scandinavian glass
Post by: alexander on February 02, 2008, 05:15:12 PM
Orrefors : Decoding Orrefors Glass Marks (http://www.xs4all.nl/~abel/Ofdecode.html)
Title: Re: Signatures and engraved Scandinavian glass
Post by: langhaugh on February 04, 2008, 06:54:39 AM
Ulrika Ruding has a chapter in Kerstin Wickman (editor) Orrefors: A Century of Swedish Glass that has the most comprehensive account of the Orrefors signature system. Both the Leslie Pina books also have brief accounts of each companies signature system.

David
Title: Re: Signatures and engraved Scandinavian glass
Post by: Ivo on February 08, 2008, 06:25:30 AM
The information on numbering can be found in the Swedish glass production catalogues book (Ricke) which is out of print and near impossible to find. I had to abbreviate the information on Strömbergshyttan to fit the book, so I only included the major codes (Blomvase, dish, ashtray etc) and concentrated the item numbers in 10 year groups. That way you'd get at least a time frame when design numbers were issued, and in combination with the information on designers you could get a fairly accurate approximation. But if you want to get to the bottom of the matter, there is no substitute for the production catalogues.
I also reached a point where I had to decide "yes but WHY would anyone want this information"? These are minor production designs, I think "Strömberg 1960s designed by Strand" would be perfectly adequate - the further information that it has made e.g. in the first quarter of 1963 as an olive dish would not greatly enhance the product.