Topic: STUART CRYSTAL JOHN LUXTON

[POOLED70]

Hi I'm a new member and have recently been converted to collecting glass, mainly 20th Century British and Scandinavian. I am looking for some help, I recently purchased a Stuart bowl in one of John Luxtons designs and It would be good if someone could help me with dating it as either an original 50's/60's or one of the reissued range. The bowl is marked to the base with 'Stuart' in olde worlde font. Any help would be very much appreciated.

[nigel benson]

Hello,

Welcome to the board. Please, if at all possible, could you post an image, then anything that we suggest to you will be far more informed.

If this is not possible, can you describe the mark in more detail, for instance, whether or not there is a swirled tail at the end of the word "Stuart". Also, please describe the pattern that is cut on the bowl and what shape it is.

There may be a photo of the mark in the boards archive on marks and labels BTW.

Cheers, Nigel

[POOLED70]

Hi Nigel

Thanks for your reply, here are a couple of pictures that may help. The bowl stands at approx 7" high.

Dave

[nigel benson]

Hello,

This is part of the range of glassware introduced by Stuarts in the mid/late 1990's and, as you say designed by John Luxton. John was brought out of retirement to design and oversee the introduction of the ranges produced at this time. As far as I'm aware they are no longer produced, (from the time Waterfords closed the Stuart factory). I imagine that the 'Luxton Collection' was discontiued in favour of promoting more (Jasper)'Conran Collection' designs, since his is a household/designer name, and John's was not. Such is the modern world. Great design from a long lived and highly accomplished designer, discontinued

I recall talking to John, who showed me the one original 1960's design, in one of the Stuart Design Books, that the whole range that your bowl comes from was based upon.

Nigel

[Ming]

Thank Nigel for the information on the Stuart Vase. I have one of this as well. I always thought this was produced in the 60s according to the book(20th c Glass). I did not know they reintroduced again in the 90s. How can we tell wheither ours was a 90s and not 60s? The marking on the base does not help as it suggested that it was made after 1950. The only difference l could think of is the height as the book said 20.5cm(8in) where ours only 7in high.

Ming

[Lustrousstone]

This is part of the range of glassware introduced by Stuarts in the mid/late 1990's and, as you say designed by John Luxton

I recall talking to John, who showed me the one original 1960's design, in one of the Stuart Design Books, that the whole range that your bowl comes from was based upon.

Nigel has given you the answer Ming; he talked to John Luxton. The designs are different. If your bowl is like Dave's then it is 1990s. 20th C is either wrong or does not show your bowl

[POOLED70]

Thanks for the info Nigel, I guessed it was probably from the 90's but just wanted confirmation. I only gave £4 for it which I think was a bargain for a cracking piece of glass.

Dave

[nigel benson]

Hmmm,

Shhhh, I'm about to tell stories

I spent the whole of one afternoon at the Cambridge Glass Fair, when I was supposed to be selling, with Andy McConnell going through a proof copy of his book for Miller's, "20th Century Glass".

Despite his making notes about this, and many other points about British glass, I bought a copy of the book only to find it was still wrong :huh: Once something goes into print there ain't nothing you can do about it. And that is when problems arise and books quote books, etc, etc........

These things happen, but it's impossible to know if all you've done is buy the book(s) to learn.

To repeat, differently, there was one image of this pattern on an item in the Stuart Design Book. The new range was based on that image and your bowl is from that new range. This is what is not explained in the 20th Century book.

£4.00, eh?  :mrgreen:

Nigel

[POOLED70]

Thanks Nigel, I've learnt from years of collecting ceramics never to take the reference books to literal, particularly on price!