Topic: Unusual Mdina facet cut inside out vase

[chopin-liszt]

 

Is the one in the middle at the back not a cut-ice, rather then a Fish? I've got a tall sort of wee one....

Nice inside out, but oh dear, those amethyst Fish are getting just so-ooo common, aren't they!!!!!!  :thup:

[glassobsessed]

To tell the truth Andy, the purple fish vase was very pricey but how often will that opportunity arise? Just about payed off my overdraft as well.....

Suzy, the more time you can spend looking the better and secondly, take time to talk to people, make connections and down the line nice bits of glass sometimes pop up.

I have always called it a cut ice fish vase Sue, it's a fish vase with two facets cut on the front.... There is a similar one (not as 'nice' as mine  ) on page 33 of Mark Hill's Mdina book. This one is signed too, http://glassgallery.yobunny.org.uk/displayimage.php?pos=-11789

I had not seen any of the early purple Mdina pieces in the flesh (should that be 'metal'?) before, maybe they are shiny and new to me but they sure look superb on display.

John

[chopin-liszt]

 

Wearing my pedant's hat here, it's a Lollipop with facets cut into it - though they're not always cut - sometimes they're just flattened on the marver.

Fish vases are the ones with the extra "shoulders" on, only.

And as for seeing glass in reality, I refer to it being "in vitro", 'cos in research labs where I used to work, an experiment was referred to as "in vivo" (in life) or as "in vitro" literally, in glass. (test tube).

[glassobsessed]

Sorry Sue, not sure what you mean about extra shoulders in relation to the two shapes.

John

[chopin-liszt]

The big "wing-like" casings on either side of it, mostly with a cross-over strap - are essential for it to be a Fish vase. It's a feature which came about when the glass centre part was dipped, then turned to catch the resulting trail - your button rimmed Fish is unusual in not having this cross-over strap bit.

[glassobsessed]

Hi Sue, still don't know why you would call that centre vase a lollipop and not a fish vase. It is larger than the lollipops I have seen and much thinner too (8½ x 7½ x 1½, H/W/D), made in the fashion of the fish vases with a flattened disc like centre and substantial 'glass wings'. In Mark Hill's Mdina book, page 33 bottom right and on page 27 top you can see similar vases described as fish vases.

Can't say that I mind what it is called but it is important to know what other people mean and also to be understood when using terminology.

John

[glassobsessed]

Sorry, dimensions stated above are in inches.

John

[chopin-liszt]

On p, 27, the amethyst vase is a Fish, the other is a Lollipop - describing the other on p. 33 as a cut-ice "Fish" is a mistake. Lollipops have a single thick casing, all over, Fish have the casing in two parts.
Lollipops come in all sizes - I've got one, believed to be by Olivia Said, it's 14.25 inches tall. Not a Michael Harris design in it, though the clear part is crizzled.

[glassobsessed]

Interesting, cheers Sue. The fish/lollipop vase has a pattern of concentric circles on the back like other lollipops I have seen, I think they form as the hot glass cools (thermal shock?). So not all lollipops have an hour glass (or figure of eight) shaped central cavity.

Have you given Mark Hill any 'stick' for perpetuating the fish/lollipop mistake in print?

John

[chopin-liszt]

 :spls:
There's every possibility! Typos happen.
And absolutely, the figure of 8/hourglass centre design is not the only Lollipop. See later on in the book how many different designs are used in the IoWSG Lollipop shape!

The concentric circles happen not so much in cooling, but as the round shape alters when it is flattened on the marver.