Topic: UGB/ Sherdley kingfisher bowl and gazelle bowl by Harold Stabler

[Heidimin]

I finally cracked and bought one of the Sherdley kingfisher bowls discussed here previously (eg http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,1963.0.html).

Haven't got round to photographing it yet, but here's the links Anne E B posted to her pics (hope you don't mind, Anne):

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y195/glassie/amber006.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y195/glassie/amber002.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y195/glassie/amber005.jpg

I haven't been able to find out much about Sherdley's other pre-WWII production, other than some very undistinguished pseudo-cut glass and utilitarian kitchen items for Woolworths.

But I did come across a reference in the catalogue for the 1987 Broadfield House exhibition British Glass Between the Wars to two bowls exhibited by UGB/ Sherdley in the 1935 British Art in Industry exhibition at the Royal Academy, one depicting a gazelle and the other with a floral design. Both were designed by Harold Stabler (1873 –1945, Keswick School, Royal College of Art, Poole Pottery: http://encyclopedia.jrank.org/Cambridge/entries/061/Harold-Stabler.html), who also designed the Orlak heat-proof range for Chance (http://www.chanceglass.net/).

I can't find any more detail on the floral bowl, but there is a picture of the gazelle bowl in the illustrated souvenir of the exhibition:

http://glassgallery.yobunny.org.uk/displayimage.php?pos=-7507
Mod: edited to include correct URL

Three questions on which I'd welcome in-put from others:

did the gazelle bowl ever go into production, or was it designed solely for the RA exhibition? Has anyone ever come across an example?

I think there are some stylistic similarities with the kingfisher bowl - in particular, the rather naive quality of the design - which might suggest that Stabler designed the kingfisher bowl also - the timing is about right (kingfisher bowl registered in early 1936). Or is that just wild speculation?

has anyone ever come across the mysterious floral bowl?

Many thanks in advance,

[Heidimin]

On the principle of "in for a penny...", I'm now on the look-out for a flint kingfisher bowl. They seem to be much rarer - maybe because the bowls were often used as planters and the brown glass hides soil/ internal pot better?

[Lustrousstone]

I'll keep my eyes open for both. The gazelle one certainly looks nice

[Anne]

I saw one a while ago but cannot for the life of me remember where!  I was surprised by it and thought we'd mentioned it here on the board but I can't find an old topic about it. Perhaps it was the victim of the hosting problem a while ago?

[agincourt17]

This may be rather late for Heidi now, but here are  a couple of photos of a flint kingfisher bowl, and for anyone not familiar with the much-more-common brown version I include of photo of that, too.

(Permission for the re-use of the images of the flint kingfisher bowl granted by railwaychild007).

[Anne]

Ooooh thank you Fred! I mentioned above that I saw one of the flint ones some years ago and didn't really how few of them there are about - we see loads of the brown ones hereabouts - so it's good to have a photo on the board for permanent reference. The clear one isn't as effective so perhaps that's why there are less of them - maybe not as popular with the buying public?

[Lustrousstone]

Patricia reckons they are bulb bowls, so that's probably another reason

[Anne]

Ahhh that's a good thought Christine (and Patricia).

[Chris Harrison]

A month or two back, I saw a brown one was in my local antiques auction.  Upon closer examination, it had been lacquered and the lacquer was starting to peel off.

I've never had my hands on a "real" brown kingfisher bowl.  I assume that they *are* made of brown (bottle?) glass and aren't just lacquered?  [evil, evil grin...]

[Lustrousstone]

I've never noticed that mine or any other I've seen wasn't brown glass. A fired on finish would be much more expensive than the brown glass readily available at a bottle plant