Topic: Phoenix bowl

[chopin-liszt]

 

I'm posting to say I fairly regularly meet a chap, (I'm afraid I don't know his name - but we always chat when we bump into each other around the local charity shops) who used to work at Phoenix Glassworks.

I was wondering if there are any questions anybody would like me to ask him?

One interesting and obscure snippet of info. he has given me was on the matter of friggers.
A worker had spent a lot of time, making a huge and fabulous model of the ship, "The Bismark", it was put in the annealing oven to cool.

It simply vanished from the oven. Nobody knows who nicked it, or where it ended up, or even if it finished annealing properly.

So, if anybody ever comes across a huge, glass model of "The Bismark", it originated at Phoenix Glassworks. And it's stolen.

[David E]

A good source for Phoenix is:
http://www.localhistory.scit.wlv.ac.uk/BCMC/phoenix/phoenix01.htm

... to which I have contributed a few of my findings. I reckon your friend would enjoy visiting this, Sue!

As for the ship, I reckon this is probably sitting innocently in some former Phoenix worker's home - the company closed its doors c.1967, so its probably been 'inherited' by someone.

[chopin-liszt]

.... or it might have exploded, not being fully annealed!

I'll get a copy of that link printed out and stick it in my handbag for the next time I meet him, thanks David!

He's quite a character.

[David E]

He's quite a character.

I imagine he had/has a broad Black Country accent?

[chopin-liszt]

 

He's got some sort of accent, it's a very pleasant one. Always cheery and chatty, always interested in stuff. He paints for a hobby, and is always on the lookout for nice picture frames.

( we're going to get sent for a nice cappuchino soon!)

I just thought I'd mention him, as he has "inside" info and loves talking about his time there - I think it was happy. Last time I saw him, he mentiond that the glass was NEVER coloured at the Bilston works, that would have been done at the other works. (brain awol atm, sorry, can't remember the name)

[David E]

The firms factory was based in Bilston, but I think he means the colouring was enameled? I wasn't aware Phoenix did coloured glass. Can't get onto that web site ATM...

[chopin-liszt]

Yup, enammelling. There's really bright yellow enammleling on some of the cookware.
The name of the other place began with a B too.......

[David E]

Yup, enammelling. There's really bright yellow enammleling on some of the cookware.
The name of the other place began with a B too.......

There is some very vivid colours and my mother still has two bowls with a bright turquoise colour. I'll plonk a link on that thread to link them together (mods: worth gluing the two together?)

Other place: a small village called Birmingham, perhaps? :24:

Would be nice to see Sue's friend comment on any Phoenix glass findings.

[chopin-liszt]

No, not B'ham, David,  .
I know that's not a small village.
The place where the enammeling was put on began with a B, and it wasn't too far away from Bilston, but my working brain cells are far away atm. I'll make a note of it when I next see him.

Having actual questions to put to him, brings stuff that was just daily run-of-the-mill stuff to the forefront of his memory - and makes him realise it *is* stuff worth knowing and talking about, which was why I asked for any specific questions here!

[Adam]

From the technical point of view, to me the most interesting thing about Phoenix was their use of full electric melting.  This is mentioned only casually deep inside one of the links.  It is by far the most elegant way of melting glass in a continuous tank furnace and is (or was) widely used in Scandinavia where hydro electricity is relatively cheap.  I never understood the economics of using it in the UK and I am reasonably sure that Phoenix were the only firm in this country to do so.

The normal ways of heating tanks by gas or oil have been likened to boiling water by playing a blowlamp on the surface!  Electric melting is done by passing a current through the glass itself.  On initial start-up of the furnace oil or gas is used to melt the glass until it is hot enough to conduct electricity. 

Adam D.