Topic: Heaviest Piece Of Glass Ever !!!! But Who ?

[Pip]

It's also reminding me of some Orrefors pieces - although I don't recall seeing any with that 'sommerso' effect - but the overall shape and the rim certainly. 

[Hotglass]

When confronted with oversized sommerso my first thoughts are Poland and China unless the piece shows use of especially challenging, complex, time-consuming techniques and some originality in design. To me the rim and shape of the base are unremarkable. That said, I like it. I like the colours used and the simple form.
The frosting is another matter. I am baffled by whatever reasoning there might have been behind doing it. I have met Lesley Pyke and I will never forget it. She is a very remarkable woman. I would hate to think that she is responsible for spoiling this already decorative, modernist piece in such a way. I am not generally a fan of glass engraving but one look at her website will attest to Lesley's skills and artistry and shows the exquisite work she does. Altho capable of it, I sincerely hope that, if requested to do this this very basic design, she would refuse. Ed.     
 

[Sue C]

I never said Lesley Pyke was responsable for the engraving on this vase, i stated that there are a number of very good glass engravers, one of which is Lesley,  i admire her work greatly, which is why i mentioned her.
As i do not know the lady, i can not comment on whether she would undertake to do this BASIC engraving, if i offended any one i appologise.

[Hotglass]

Sue, I am not offended. Thank you for your concern. Yes it could have been done by anyone with the right equipment. I would only be surprised, sadened and disappointed if it were done by Lesley. Ed.

[Frank]

I suppose the design is acid-etched and hand finished?  I was mulling over if the design had been sandblasted, but I'm not entirely sure you can do that to vases...

It could easily by sandblast etching although hard to say from the pics, it does look a bit to deeply cut in this case.

I am looking at a Stuart Strathearn vase that is sand-blast etched on one side and it looks like it was transfer acid etched on the other side (Or a combination of acid and sand-blasting). Certainly not been near a wheel.

[saorsa]

another couple of pics showing some "chatter" marks

http://glassgallery.yobunny.org.uk/displayimage.php?pos=-8015
http://glassgallery.yobunny.org.uk/displayimage.php?pos=-8014

[lesley7]

hhmmm, I thought my ears were burning  , hello I have just joined this great forum. I thought I had better add my little bit to this particular subject....and thank you for the great compliments and votes of confidence above!

It is my opinion that this vase has been sandblasted. It looks like the artist hand cut the mask, probably a vinyl, and sandblasted at various stages for different depth and shading, but possibly not executed as well as it could have been leaving it with an unfinished look about it (softer shallow sandblasting for darker shading would have been more effective, contrasting against the deep edges of the most prominent features). There are a few marks that look like a drill has skipped over the surface for some reason, but disappears under the sandblasting, that one is a puzzle, maybe there was some kind of drilled sketch underneath that this artist wanted to cover to give the vase new life. I do not know the signature.

I sign all my work very clearly either Lesley Pyke, Les Pyke or LP and the year.
 

[Max]

Hi Lesley, welcome and thank you for posting here. 

I spent some time thinking about this technique, as it's something I'd like to try myself.  I think that laying a vinyl stencil over a curved vase must be quite tricky to do, I guess you must have to have some kind of thickness of glass to be able to take sand-blasting too?  Not to mention a flattish area to be able to lay the stencil down flat - or as flat as you can get it.

Thanks again for your input, it's very much appreciated. 

[lesley7]

Hello Max, indeed laying vinyl over a 2way curve is tricky, but can be done fairly successfully using a hairdryer and stretching it slowly over, if necessary in more than one piece with overlaps in severe cases, or simply cutting darts into it. Some use a specially prepared rubbery mix painted on and then cut when dried.
Regarding the thickness, I regularly sandblast on very fine crystal no problem, one just gets the feel of how far to go. You can have more fun if it is thicker.
Sandblasting is great, but for decorative creative pieces (as opposed to simple business logos for exampe) it is normally finished off with hand engraving.

[Max]

Thanks Lesley.    I wouldn't have thought you could sandblast onto fine crystal - that's a revelation for me!  I don't think I'd recommend the sandblaster at my Uni though, it works as if it's got shot in it rather than sand. 

I agree that sandblasting thicker glass would be more fun.  My friend and I are 'blammed out' (mental overload) with all the things one can do to glass...it's finding out which bit to do first and bearing in mind all the different techniques to achieve your aim.  Makes me head spin! 

Thanks again, very much.