Topic: Amber tumbler diamond pattern - ID = Powell / Whitefriars Woodchester

[Littleblackhen]

Another of my boot sale finds is this amber tumbler, which has been incredibly hard to photograph, so I hope I have managed to convey a clear picture of it.  It looks as though it has been blown into a mould and then milled around the bottom by hand.  The pontil has been snapped off and is quite sharp.

I get a feeling of age from it, but I am not quite sure why.

Can anyone tell me anything about it?

[nigel benson]

Hi,

This is Powell (otherwise referred to as Whitefriars) and is part of a series of wares developed by Harry Powell based loosely on glass shards found at the dig of a Huguenot glasshouse site from the 17th century, near Stroud in Gloscestershire. The series is known as Woodchester  and is named after this site. Amber is I'm afraid the commonest, but a nice piece for all that and a good find at a bootfair

This beaker vase is pat no. 1181 and although originally designed in about 1918 these were still in production in the 1930's and appered in the 1938 catalogue. I have seen this vase in amber, old amber, sea-green and sky blue.

Nigel

[Frank]

And the 'milled' bit is an applied band, often called a rigaree band.

[Patrick]

Hi, Here is a link to a recent auction............ Lot 135   http://www.hollowaysauctioneers.co.uk/Catalogues/AF300908/page5.htm

I think the hammer price will show in a day or two.

Regards,
          Patrick.   Ps. As Nigel said Sky Blue is the most desirable! but to find any colour is great. (Yours possibly 60.00)

[Littleblackhen]

Wow that is exciting   Thank you to you all for the id and information.

I did wonder if it was very old, but if they copied an older pattern that would explain the older feel to it. 

Thanks for the link to the auction, that is the exact one.

I think my 25p investment in this was well spent

[Littleblackhen]

I am now drooling over the glass in that auction - wish I had known about it before it was on!  Isn't lot 140 both Whitefriars too?  It isn't marked as such.  Sorry to wander off topic

[nigel benson]

Hello again,

No, NOT copied - see above.

based loosely on glass shards

In other words, the shards inspired the designs that Harry Powell supposed the vases to look like. Maybe I'm being a bit of a stickler, but I don't think that it's good to read in what's not there. That way misconceptions lie

Somewhere in the depths of my mind I recall having conversations about the term rigaree. I was told quite conclusively that this milled band should not be referred to as a rigaree, since firstly, it was an American term (how true that is I do not know), and secondly this style of banding is simply a milled band and not a loose worked trail applied to part of the body of an item, eg. around the neck.

MOD: This may be worth splitting off as a seperate discussion - should anyone out there like to make comment.

Nigel

[Patrick]

I think the hammer price will show in a day or two.

Hi,        Hammer price was 80.00 pounds.    Cheap as chips for the TWO !!!!!

Regards, Patrick.