Topic: Unusual Mdina facet cut inside out vase

[glassobsessed]

Yes Sue, I have the affliction/blessing of collecting mania (and said book), especially the first few years of production at Mdina. I thought I had it bad, but FOUR chinese bowls?  :mrgreen: I have only been collecting for two years or so, I found a cut ice fish vase at a boot sale which sort of started me off with a bang. There are some photos of it at the end of this thread .

John.

[chopin-liszt]

 

Got 4 of them too - and a tall slim one - but only one signed.
All 4 of the Chinese bowls are completely different, so are completely justified!
Got the bug in 2000, seemed to be able to spot it, it just spoke to me, so I was able to pick up a fair bit of unusual early stuff before most folk knew what it was. Had to stop buying when my "spending money" ran out, and I can't afford it now anyway.
But there are still a fair few fantastic early pieces out there - it's just a matter of being able to spot them. Folk seem to be obsessed with Fish vases, and Fish vases alone. :spls:

I want Zig-Zag vase. The only one I've seen belongs to Elizabeth Harris - it's the one in the book.

[Weebeeglass]

Helo you two,
Well I think you have it all covered and certainly don't need my input from what you have written.

Sadly I have never owned one of these blue of faceted ones as  they don't appear aften - if at all so far from my sources!

You can safely say that they were just in Michaels period though and the obvious clue is the concave ground and polished out pontil scar. This was really only employed from the Italian/Whitefriars influence of the Boffo's. But when Ettore died of lukemia in 1970 and Vincente eventually lost interest they went over to flat polished bases entirely although I cannot say for certain exactly which year. '72/'73 or maybe even a bit later at a guess.
You- Sue- may know better than I as you have your great collection from which to draw clues. Mine only comes from experience of those pieces I have handled plus information gleaned from the horses  mouth all those years ago. Memory of the finer points of details like that can fade somewhat after 3 decades or more!

One small point, I am just wondering where this Chinese 'KEY' description came from. They were always known as just Chinese bowls and that is all my archive lists refer to them as. I was never aware of them as anything else but perhaps you know something I don't. I'm intrigued!.

Advise by direct email as I don't have time to log in to the GMB as often as I should so that is the best way to get hold of me.

Anyway great to see all your input. Keep it up.
Very best
Ron

[chopin-liszt]

 :spls:

To be perfectly honest, I don't know where there word Key came from Ron!

There's a fair possibility it's just a description my brother and I used to describe the strapped shape on the side of this bowl before we knew what it was called, so that we knew what we were talking about, given we live at different ends of the country and don't see each other very often - just a have weekly blether on the phone.

I'll write to you soon - and try and get a better image of the faceted one for you.

[glassobsessed]

I am glad that glass speaks to someone else, I don't feel half so crazy now.
I guess that the fish vase has become the most iconic Michael Harris design and also the easiest for people to recognise. They can be quite nice too.
There is so much in Mark Hill's book I would like to get my hands on. Money is definitely an issue but so is opportunity, no doubt more of the former would help with the latter!

Dreaming of limitless shelves........
John.

[Lustrousstone]

You would be very jealous of Sue's collection John - I've seen it. Mine only fills half a small shelf ATM, but I keep wishing I hadn't sold the early side stripe 

[glassobsessed]

I already am Christine, just from the clues.

John.

[chopin-liszt]

 

Just to make you green - my favourite, favourite, favourite Fish vase - it's tiny - only 3.25 inches tall.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b227/chopin-liszt/preciousbabyfish1.jpg

I was chatting to a stallholder at a fair - my hand went out on it's own and picked this up - I hadn't even noticed I'd noticed it. :spls: I took it to Tim and Elizabeth who were there, to show them - Tim said it was by his Dad, from 1968.
I cuddle it.

[Frank]

Not a Mdina fan, but THAT IS GLASS (all in this thread)

Sue sort out your photograqphy and I'll sort oot ma spelling. See you in Edinburgh.

[jonchellycain]

hi there
had to have me 2 pence worth, im an anything Michael Harris fan, and have a small collection of mdina,IOW, kerry glass and Brierley studio. i just have to say to sue that little fish vase is gorgeous and i want it, i want it, i want it!!!!!. Ive had a few of the lolliepop vases and have what i call the mallet fish vase ?? its not in Marks book but is a later one dated 1979 (had to buy it as its the same year i was born). Plus a few other bits which i like. Unfortunitly i too sold pieces that i now wish i'd kept hold of..
I too find glass speaks to me but i would imagine most of us on here also have that problem...the worst thing is i do find myself talking back sometimes..i dont half get some funny looks at the car boots  :24:
i desperatly want a crizzle stone but doubt i will pick one up for 50p at a car boot, although i'll never stop trying
all the best
michelle