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Who are the important British Domestic Glass designers of the 20th century?

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Frank:

--- Quote from: Glen on September 24, 2007, 07:13:22 AM ---... but that he was the impetus behind it all...

--- End quote ---

Which would put an entirely different twist on things. Yet there is surely a dilemma in pre, say, 1930 when there were few people recognised as 'designers' and often they were anonymous employees. Designer obsession and indeed the discipline of design history barely existed 20 years ago and most of those that did have a following then were firstly major as architects or artists. Glen is emphasising that management had a major impact on design in that it chose to allow, disallow or encourage in an industry that, in the UK, was largely conservative and reluctant to embrace change.

Sklounion:
Hi,
Whilst design history is a relatively modern phenomena, after 1950, there was very clearly a shift in British industry as a whole, toward the use of designers. Some of this was a response to two major exhibitions, "Britain can Make It" and the Festival of Britain, but arguably also a response to reducing market share as imported glass from Scandinavia and Czechoslovakia, made its impact. The use, by certain UK  glassmakers, of the Design Research Unit, (Jobling)  members of the Society of Industrial Artists, (GEC) and various RDIs (Royal Designer for Industry) (Chance) is relatively well documented, such designers were instrumental in leading change, and few of those designers were primarily architects or artists. Irene Stevens clearly specialised in glass, and was the first female glass designer to have worked in the British glass industry (I may be mistaken).
Designer recognition (rather than obsession) was apparent in the 1960s.
Marcus

Frank:
Yes, I was referring to the earlier part of the century but added confusion by then talking about managements importance which was more general. I readily admit to very patchy knowledge in this area particularly after 1950.

sph@ngw:
May I thank all those who have contributed names and ides of British Glass Designers. missing of course is Christopher Dresserregarded perhaps as teh faher of modern British designer ( along with Rennie Mackintsoh in Scotland!
yes, he did design manynon glass items, but i hope to feature him and many of the otehr names mentioned.
My next plan is a tribute to the late great Peter Deiser, MBE one of the nicest and most talented people I hav ever met!
We worked together on a few projects including the amazing ruby glass cone, ( one of the last things made at Thomas Webb's Dennis Hall Works!, now on loan to the Science Museum,.
It was commissioned for the Glass Gallery set up in the 1960's by The Glass manufacturer's Federation in  Portland Place, ( noe British Glass in Sheffield) with coloured windows designed by  David Queensberry (another great name of British design, sadly overlooked!).

Anyway, hopefully "Peter Dreiser MBE, Engraver Extrodinaire" - together with the Guild of Glass Engravers support, will be an exhibition for Spring 2008 to look forward to, in a large hi tech state of the art setting,
( actually some refurbished  air conditioned prestige offices  I iam commandeering for the purpose before reletting them!) So no " Black Hole of Calcutta" for those members of the Glass Circle who visited in June! ( A Training room planned for 20 with 32 visitors, and no air con on a very warm day...Sorry!)

A tribute to this gentle talented giant who I believe to be the finest copper wheel engraver of the 20th century and who died last autumn, is badly overdue!  S.

Frank:
Can I suggest that you complement your exhibitions with a permanent set of web pages, illustrating everything in the exhibition with good sized images... you could start it towards the end of the exhibition perhaps?
 :)

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