Topic: Mdina bowl - ID = Mtarfa

[Littleblackhen]

I have this lovely bowl which was sold to me as a signed Mdina piece.  It does have a signature on, but it seems very crudely done and not the usual signature I have seen before, so I wondered if anyone could identify it as correct or not?

I love the bowl anyway, but the signature just doesn't seem quite right.

I have done the best photos I can, so I hope you can see

[scimiman]

Hammer & Chizel job.

[Littleblackhen]

I have managed to zoom in on the signature a bit.  I hope this helps.  If it is a forged signature, then why?  The bowl is a nice one anyway  :huh:

[Lustrousstone]

I'm not convinced it actually says Mdina

[scimiman]

I'm with you on that I cant see it being Mdina certainly not from the sig on the base

[Littleblackhen]

So if it isn't mdina, any ideas what it might be?  I tried turning the signature upside down and it looks like tu design that way up, is there any such maker?

[Pinkspoons]

Mtarfa, possibly?

Edit: Very similar labelled Mtarfa bowl on this shop site - HERE

[Littleblackhen]

Thank you Nic, the style is quite similar as you say, and I was already thinking that the colour and pattern were nearer to mtarfa than anything else, so that may be the answer.


There is a signature on a Mtarfa piece here http://bootyliciousbargains.co.uk/maltese.aspx  which doesn't really look much like it, but it says a squiggle is usual for maltese glass.

[Littleblackhen]

There is another Mtarfa signature on this vase on ebay.  I can't really see a resemblance in the signatures, even though the style and colour etc are looking quite like Mtarfa. :huh: 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Mtarfa-Organic-Pink-White-Glass-Vase-Signed_W0QQitemZ120305778832QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item120305778832&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2%7C65%3A1%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318

[Lustrousstone]

That looks like the signature found on older pieces