Topic: Like web bronze . Richardson's Brain glass?

[david31162]

I thought these were Webb bronze at first. Then compared the colour to the bronze vases i have.. these are lighter, more yellow-green or olive.
The one that has had lots of base removed (is it a repair/grind down or was it done originally?)has two mixed colours in it a brownish red is mixed in. In Manley's Dec Victorian glass, both 'Brain' glass and Bronze are shown on the same page. Do you think these are candidaes for either category or do you have other suggestions?
Any thoughts welcome.
David
One is 7cm the other 5.5cm
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v210/david-dj/?action=view&current=IMG_2887.jpg
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v210/david-dj/?action=view&current=IMG_2888.jpg
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v210/david-dj/?action=view&current=IMG_2879.jpg
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v210/david-dj/?action=view&current=IMG_2885.jpg

[Mike M]

Wow they are wondefull!

I always wondered how many people made them -I'm certain brain vases were made by quite a few bohemian makers as well as british (Manley, although an excelent book, had a just a slight tendency to assume things were british)

I have a brain vase on my selling site (Kralik page) at the moment - it is very different to these and its underneath colour is a greeny blue -nothing like your yellow green olive -and I'm pretty certain that's kralik

so apart from widening the possible list  -I'm not much help

sorry

Mike

[david31162]

Thanks Mike, I wondered about other countries too but I was swayed by the picures in Manley's book. I thought that Kralik  would be better finished, Webb too (my other ones are) I've never seen a Richardson piece. I suppose with a really uneven finish (which continues on the base too) it would need some severe grinding down.
What do you think about the one that has had had loads taken off?  Would it have been a 'repair ' to disguise a chip or done in manufacture to flatten a particularly  uneven base finish?
I know what you mean about that finish, looks like some violent chemical reaction, totally random. Would they have been dipped in something?
Thanks again..I'm off took look for your piece and other Kralik exampes now.
David

[Lustrousstone]

I know nothing about these lovely vases, but I would say the grinding was original. Maybe a different grinder or maybe to remove a bad chip that happened at the first attempt, or maybe just to get a decently wide base

[Mike M]

Hi

I think Christine is probably right -the grinding maybe original.

I agree yours doesn't quite look Kralik quality but there were dozens of bohmian imitators all capable of some stunning iridised effects-many we'll probably never know the name of.

These things must have been interesting/hard to make. We know other methods to get similar effects included 'exploading oats' and a variety of dangerous salts added when the item was either in the furnace or cooling. I wouldn't have like to be working were they were made -not too good on life expectancy.

cheers

Mike

[david31162]

Thanks for your thoughts about the base Christine and Mike.
I think mine look so much like the one on here.. Could easily be a match.  http://www.david-issitt.1hwy.com/catalog.html
But they certainly don't have the same base finish or body colour of Webb bronze. Does anyone else think Richardson could be possible?
Or is this just one of those we'll never know?
 I've looked everywhere for 'Bohemian' glass can't find anything yet..perhaps i'm using the wrong terms to describe it. Can anyone direct me to other similar types of glass or the correct terms to describe the finish? Mike-Could you please point me to your site that you mentioned in the first post.
Oh, and Ive seen an excellent description of how they were made from this extract from G&S Thistlewood's book http://www.geocities.com/carni_glass_uk_2000/WebbBronze.html

Thanks again David
David

[Glasshound]

David,

The "brain" effect on your vase looks like it was produced by a mold. Richardson / Webb "brain" glass looks more "natural" like it was created by rolling it over a rough surface...

just my two cents! 

/Blair

[Glasshound]

f.y.i. i have one of these listed on ebay if you're interested in some close-up pics....

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&item=160337507209

/Blair

[david31162]

Thank you glasshound. Great vase, and clearly different to mine with that typical neat base and dark green body. Mine are sitting right next to a couple of  Webb bronze vases right now (not brain ware) and they are clearly different . Don't think mine are molded though....but ill go and examine the again.
Thanks
 David

[Lustrousstone]

David looking at yours again, you seem to have taken them both from the same angle because the pattern is the same, therefore they would appear to be moulded