Topic: mat su no ke? Or something else?

[josordoni]

Ages ago I promised pictures of my pink glass selection, but they sort of got stuck under a heap of other things and have only just seen the light of day again.

Here is the first - is this what is called Mat Su No Ke?  Or is that specific to Stevens and Williams? 

The ewer is just over 200 mm 8 ins tall.  Amber glass leaves and handle, clear glass foot. Colour is a brighter pink (like the top) all the way down. The inside is FILTHY and so is affecting the colour towards the bottom of the bowl.

Main picture below - gallery of other pictures here

[Bernard C]

Lynne — Not Mat-Su-No-Ke, see Gulliver and Hajdamach.

I don't think your opal / white flowers with ruby streaks are attributable on their own.   The crimped pattern on the petals may help, but then there's always the possibility that they all bought their crimping tongs from the same salesman.

That base to the handle looks interesting from a sideways view.

I've a not too dissimilar rim and spout on a jug that might be Thomas Webb.

Sorry I can't be more help.

Bernard C. 

[josordoni]

Bernard, what is it that makes mat su no ke, as against simply applied flowers? 

And no apologies please, as so often attribution is by deletion, rather than by immediate recognition, isn't it!!

It's a cracking handle, little flattened thorns alogn the side, with a sort of thorny cluster at the bottom - maybe the glassmaker was feeling creative that day...

[KevinH]

Lynne,

This may not be of much help at all, but see this pic of one of a pair of herrinbone pattern vases I have. The style of handle is broadly similar although yours is rather more basic in its use of added decoration. I have not found the maker of my vases beyond the usual offering of "Stourbridge", as given for an identical single vase with single handle, that was displayed at the V & A some years ago.

Of course, the "rustic handle" style was no doubt used by lots of makers in Britain, contintental Europe and maybe also America. But I think your vase may well be English.

Regarding "Mat-Su-No-Ke", my understanding is that it was first registered as a design concept by Stevens & Williams but was later a technique used by many makers. However, perhaps true "Mat-Su-No-Ke" applies only to decoration using flower patterns that were pressed as a single item, as opposed to the flower being formed from separte pressed elements.

[heartofglass]

Hi Lynne,
Matsu-no-ke (spirit of the pine tree) was a design conceived by Stevens & Williams. It was patented by them in 1884. The flowers are typically small & overlapping, & joined to rustic branches. They have a look of cherry blossom about them & were inspired by Japanese art which became very fashionable in England & Europe in the later 19th century. The originally Matsu-no-ke pieces were very elaborate, usually very fancy baskets, rose-bowls, vases. The flowers were usually clear, not coloured, & applied to coloured cased glass items. I sadly do not have any true Matsu-no-ke items in my collection, but I have a lot of pieces with applied flowers! There are so many types of applied decorations featuring flowers & also fruit, on Victorian art glass.
There are some Matsu-no-ke examples illustrated in Gulliver, & these are all noted as being marked with a registration  number.
Many other companies made vases & the like with applied flowers, in England & Europe. Without a marking or documented pattern, it is hard to identify these items.
Anyway, it's a lovely piece, great colour, too! I like it!
A denture cleaning tablet is good for shifting the crud at the bottom of old vases, by the way. Just put some water in the vase & pop the tablet in. Leave it overnight if possible & you will find that the dirt is loosened up considerably.

[Bernard C]

More thoughts, Lynne.

If you haven't access to Gulliver or Hajdamach, the S&W registration drawing for Mat-Su-No-Ke is on p21 of the Thompson Supplement, and it is reasonably realistic.  Newby #213 is a magnificent illustrated example of Mat-Su-No-Ke, but take care with Newby, as there is no explanation given for attributing #214, with an applied flower more like those on your ewer, Lynne, to S&W.

Bernard C. 

[josordoni]

Thank you each.  this is all fascinating.  I found some Stevens and Williams in Hajdamach, and I see what you mean about all one colour.  The colour of mine matches the amber it would seem but the opaque flowers put a firm X in that box.  And as you say, all true Mat Su No Ke seem to have registration numbers, and I can't find any marks on this at all, so another X.

Marinka, I do still have some Kralik about, and I compared it to that, and it is quite different, so I have also put an X in that box.  All the Czech flowers I have seen so far have not had those little crimp marks, but have been more naturalistically formed. 

Kev , interesting about the handle.  It certainly looks similar to yours doesn't it? 

[josordoni]

Bernard, page 305 of Hajdamach, the flowers look almost identical - but as he says, if it wasn't for the signature, this could have been attributed to any number of makers both sides of the pond. So it may have to just stay Victorian - maker unknown.....

[josordoni]

Now, I've just found this:

http://home.earthlink.net/~verredart1/glass/Harrach.html

half way down, there is a custard glass rose bowl, seemingly with the same crimping marks on the petals of the flowers?

I guess there is a possibility this could be Harrach, rather then English as we have so far suspected from the handle?

[heartofglass]

This is one of my favourite websites, Lynne.
I often drool over all the gorgeous glass pictured on it. I think the attributions are pretty accurate on this site, there are only a few dodgy ones (not on this particular page you have linked to- they are blue satin items with applied cherries which are lovely, but actually a couple of 70s Murano repros i.d as being Stourbridge & Victorian).
Harrach did a lot of glass with applied flowers that is virtually indistinguishable from English glass of the same period & style.
The flowers were made with a specialised crimping tool, I think Northwood patented one quite early on (for the Matsu-no-ke) but no doubt other glassmakers came up with their own versions of it.
I don't know if you have the book "Collectible Bohemian Glass 1880-1940" by Robert & Deborah Truitt, but it's a very good reference for this type of glass & features plenty of examples of glass with applied flowers that have always been previously attributed to English makers.
It certainly opened my eyes with regards to the fact that not everything with applied flowers is by S&W!