Topic: Whitefriars Wuidart Wealdstone trumpet vase — I got it right!

[Bernard C]

While away camping in the Isle of Purbeck, I was offered a large royal blue wave-ribbed trumpet vase at an antiques fair.   Nice piece, almost certainly Whitefriars, but I had this nagging doubt, so I did not buy it.

Checking Jackson on my return, there it is, p124, plate 111 (iii), colour as (v) and (vi).

What was wrong with it?   Well the conventional Whitefriars version has a slightly flared rim, whereas this Wuidart version is straight sided.   ... and I don't find this Wuidart production by Whitefriars at all easy to sell.   So I was glad that I left it alone.

Which brings me on to a more general point.   If the Wuidart production, well documented in Evans, is more difficult to sell, then prices should fall, which should attract more collectors, eventually establishing prices at a new level.   Why doesn't this seem to happen?

Bernard C. 

ps — I can't seem to be able to log into the whitefriars.com discussion board, yet the website recognises me.   Any ideas?

[Anne]

Probably a cookie that's gone pear-shaped Bernard. I can't recall which browser you use, and clearing rogue cookies is different depending on which you use... but in Firefox it's Tools menu > Preferences > Privacy > Cookies. In IE it's somewhere in the Internet Options but I can never remember where as I don't use IE.     You won't need to clear all cookies, just look for those relating to the site and delete those and then go back to the site & re-enter your details and accept the new cookie/s.

[Max]

It could be a problem with WF.com itself.  Leni had the same problem and it took quite a while to sort out.  That board has some strange vagaries occasionally. 

[vidrioguapo]

The W/F.com site appears to be working quite well currently, but it may be an idea Bernard, that you send Webmaster an e-mail explaining your problems.  There's a contact link right at the bottom of the Home Page. Emmi

[nigel benson]

Bernard,

To answer your question about Wuidart. Collecting is a fickle thing and I have always found the W/F Wuidart range, as a whole, is difficult to sell.

It is possible that had it been more prominent in the W/F Exhibitions and related book (Jackson) then more credance would have been given to it.

With the current drop in W/F prices it is difficult to know how to work in that market as a dealer, but I would suggest that now is a good time to buy. A similar situation happened with Clarice Cliff many years ago - and look what's happened there! What was very much a UK market became international, with all the associated consequencies.

Without this general uncertainy, I would suggest that the Wuidart pieces would have by now attracted more attention from collectors, BUT it is certainly an area where bargains are to be found and a good representative collection of W/F could be made, albeit that the items were made for another company, it's still as valid.

Nigel