Topic: Ash trays, clip trays - Alloa Glass Works, South Wales Glass Co

[Frank]

Any thoughts on makers or other examples of these? LINK

[Bernard C]

Frank — I always thought that these were loose barrel caps, quickly opened for recycling slops, and supplied free as advertising to customers of bottle / barware glass works.   They come in a variety of sizes.   I've never worked out the reason for the broken off pontil scar.

I have three of these in two sizes, advertising two glass works, which have been painted to prettify them.   Yuk.   I need to get some paintstripper.   I will dig them out and report back.

They look as though they were all made by one glass works, using one mould for each size with a replaceable inscription section.   The lettering is quite variable, probably engraved into the moulds.

Bernard C. 

[Bernard C]

1. d. 3½", 89mm, fitting d. 2⁹/16", 65mm, serifed lettering:-

THE ALLOA GLASS WORK C^O L^TD ALLOA

There is an extra large gap after "WORK", and a faint irregularity, so the mould may have been originally inscribed:-

THE ALLOA GLASS WORKS C^O L^TD ALLOA

2. d. 3½", 89mm, fitting d. 2⁹/16", 65mm, serifed lettering:-

CANNINGTON SHAW & C^O L^TD

S^T HELENS

3. d. 4½", 114mm, fitting d. 3½", 88mm, serifed lettering:-

CANNINGTON SHAW & CO

ST HELENS

Bernard C. 

[Frank]

Neat, yes I assume they were made at one works, have to get them measured more accurately. Could you send me some pics of your Alloa example to add that record please.

[Bernard C]

Frank — Note that both of yours are two line inscriptions, like my Cannington Shaw examples.   My Alloa example is a one line inscription, with the town name the opposite way around to yours.    It would be more logical for your Alloa example picture to be orientated with the town name at the bottom, whereas my one line example should be orientated with the gap between ALLOA and THE at the bottom.

I think Cannington Shaw was one of the glassworks that became United Glass.

Bernard C. 

[Bernard C]

Frank — You wouldn't want a photograph of my Alloa example at present — it's painted orange with the lettering badly picked out in black, ignoring the serifs.   It's only rival, in my experience, was the Deco light in the lounge at Rowley Avenue, Stafford, which had been painted so many times (including the nine shades) that it came as something of a surprise to discover underneath a beautiful top quality chromed brass light with delicate pink shades.

Bernard C. 

[Frank]

 

When I was dealing in lighting I used to love getting painted lamps as they invariably had the original finish intact underneath, wheeas those that had been through the trade were use usually polished back to the brass. Although I once got to clear out a convent store room with dozens lamps from the 1880s to 1930s complete with original shades and light-bulbs etc - that started me on my light bulb study.