Topic: VERRERIE Glasshouse, St. Albans. CATALOGUE....... Circa 1975. Update c 73

[Pip]

I visited the Biot glassworks as a child whilst on holiday with my family in the late 1960's - my brother bought a couple of pieces at the time - a soap dish and a wine glass (odd things for a child to buy but he was always old before his time!).  They're very bubbly and that sort of recycled green colour - next time I see him I'll ask if I can photograph them to put up on here.

[vidrioguapo]

Yes I looked at that site.  They are similar, but mine measures 7.25 inches and the nearest one there is 8". It is fairly substantial and has a rough pontil on base.  Lots of random bubbles and yes, sort of a recycled glass look about it.   The Biot seems rather expensive to me ...

Perhaps mine is the St. Alban's one as theirs too is very similar.  Emmi

[Ivo]

Biot pontils are blowpipe circular abt. 1" diameter. Broken off but in a neat circle, not from a rod.

[Patrick]

Hi, I have looked closely at the Wine Carafes on page 3 and they have the SHEILD....   Will post a pic later. In the meantime I am going to phone Jonny King who bought the glasshouse sometime in 1970. I am going to try and get as much info as possible, ie, Names of any glassblowers, has he any old stock etc.
 Regards Patrick

[catshome]

Am sure I have a Porron Burrette in the bootsale box.  I thought it was a piece of recycled glass and had no idea it had such a posh name!  Will dig it out next time I do a bootsale.

Patrick - thank you!

Cat

[Patrick]

Hi, This is an enlargement of the motif on the Wine carafe on Page 3.
http://glassgallery.yobunny.org.uk/displayimage.php?pos=-5857

I am still trying to contact Johny King.
 Regards Patrick.

[Frank]

That (shield-logo) points to it being a distinct glassworks but still using Biot designs, so very connected.

[Patrick]

Hi, Still trying to talk to Johny King,  I have found this shield used by St Albans......
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Arms-st-albans.jpg
  Regards Patrick.

[Patrick]

Hi,  I have finally spoken to Johnny King......................
 He bought the glasshouse in 1973 or 1974 from a person who also had a Bed and Breakfast in Paddington. There were only 2 glassblowers, the owner ( Who also had the b&b )and a chap called Jean Paul --- ?. Where they went after it was sold he did not know.
 I then called Ray Annenberg who had told me that he went to see the glasshouse before John King bought it . It was in a mission hall and the roof was in a bad state of repair. The furnace was a crumbling fire brick tank and the glass was full of stones and bubbles. Ray talked to Big Ronnie Wilkinson about buying it but decided to both stay on at Whitefriars. Ray said there was also a small showroom probably run by the wife of the glassblowing owner.
 Neither Ray or John knew how long the glasshouse had been there .

 Regards Patrick

[Frank]

Jean Paul...

The French connection? But why in 1975 did they produce a catalogue of the French designs if they appear to have had no knowledge of the prior owners. Puzzling. Can Johnny King add more?