Topic: A very puzzling piece - what is its function?

[Glen]

Does anyone have any ideas what this item could be? It's iridised and appears to be on UV reactive glass. Its function has baffled everyone I've asked so far.

You can read about it here:
http://www.geocities.com/carni_glass_uk_2000/PuzzlePiece.html

And pics are here too:

[Frank]

They are table decorations, multiples would be used to border the center of the table with posies of flowers. I came across very similar in a catalogue or trade journal recently. Have a look through the 1935 gazette in the study, I have a hunch they are in a feature on Paris... will try and find it later if not there.

[Ivo]

I agree, I regularly come across these - though most in clear. I was under the impression it was 1950s but 30s would be ok too. For a possible maker I suggest Portieux who was into table ornaments in a big way. There must be others as well, of course....

[Bernard C]

Glen — See Gulliver p.162 for a 3er posy trough in satin uncoloured.   Thomas Webb Rd. No. 269926 of January 27, 1896 is of a centrepiece/epergne of two metal-mounted vertical flutes linked by a 5er like yours.

I've only ever seen 3ers and 5ers.  Has anyone ever seen any other numbers?

Bernard C. 

[mrvaselineglass]

I have seen a UV reactive custard 3-hole vase like this, and it was acid marked Czechoslovakia on the underside of one of them.  I always figured it was a little posey vase.

[Glen]

Gosh - thank you all so much, Frank, Ivo, Bernard and Dave. Stunning information. The owners of the item will be overjoyed to know what they have. I'm really very grateful to you all.

THANK YOU.

Glen

[Frank]

Here is a couple of the Portieux "Chemin de Table" - I only have a few items digitised from that catalogue so far.

end piece straight


Images courtesy the Glass-Study.

The PGGTR ones are ceramic. I agree with Ivo that yours are likely to be later than 1930's.

[Lustrousstone]

There's a sketch of a 5-er in Hajdamach p. 435 dated 1893, apparently they came in straight and curved

[aa]

It looks blown and sealed up on the punty, then ground and polished laterally.

[Bernard C]

There's a sketch of a 5-er in Hajdamach p. 435 dated 1893, apparently they came in straight and curved

Brilliant, Christine.   I knew I had seen another somewhere in the books, but had failed to find it, despite going through Hajdamach.   So Webb's version of this was already well-established before being utilised in their 1896 centrepiece/epergne.

It also explains the 1893 date in Mervyn's caption.

I wonder why Webb did not register the design in 1893.  Plagiarised from elsewhere, perhaps?

It looks blown and sealed up on the punty ...

Adam — thanks for that, as I had not thought about how it was made, and, in retrospect, your explanation is obvious.   It's a powerful technique, isn't it?

I've seen it used at Formia to create a cylinder which then picked up coloured rods, and then these were marvered in and the whole cylinder twisted to produce a threaded effect.    What was interesting was the amount of waste, as the desired pattern only retained its integrity in the main part of the cylinder, so the ends had to be reduced and removed with pucellas.   Have I got that right?

I also saw the same technique used by an elderly glassmaker elsewhere on Murano after I had shown him an example of Walsh Vesta Venetian (see here for an example).   He produced the same effect by using a ribbed dip mould, twisting the cylinder to create the threaded effect, and then using the dip mould again.

Note that Gulliver appears to confuse machine threading and this ribbed dip-mould and twist technique in places — my only, and very minor, criticism of this amazing and essential reference work.

Bernard C.