Topic: Mdina 12" Bark vase, Interesting label

[Andy]

Its been a funny old week, i was meant to have been under the Surgeons scalpel yesterday,
having an ankle operation, but the Doctor has done his back in , so all prepared, stocked up,
ready to take it easy for a month  or 2, and now uh, seem to have time on my hands , good news,
went to an auction that i would have missed yesterday, and got this super 12" Bark Mdina bottle c 1970
I dont think they come up for sale very often, (dont mind saying, paid £75, quite happy with that)

Heres some photos, the label is quite interesting    (any info on it, welcome)
Its a big lump, must have filled someones suitcase !
Cheers
Andy
 
ps a good tip, needed a good clean inside and out, i covered the label with a waterproof elastoplast
pps just noticed a blue one on ebay, first ive seen for ages!

[malwodyn]

Lucky You!!  And is that a Crizzle stone beside it?

[Andy]

Yes,
the crizzle stone loves to have its photo taken for size comparisons and just showing off :thup:
Cheers
Andy

[glassobsessed]

Nice find. :mrgreen:

[Greg.]

Hi Andy,
Nice bottle, I have several of these in a variety of sizes.  Haven't seen the label on yours before, however, your bottle seems to be a good color, this particular coloration usual dictates earlier production. These more subtle colors are usually more early than some of the stronger more vibrant colors that are around. Also well worth the price you paid. Hope you enjoy the glass, all the best, Greg

[Anne]

Label looks like a retailer label perhaps?

[Andy]

Thanks all,
I presume it was the retail outlet they used in the capital, Valetta.
Coincidentally, ive just noticed Mdina glass was at Ta ' Qali in Malta and doing a bit of
googling, i realise in 1993 , i was at the small countries olympic games with my sister who worked for Mars,
a sponsor of these games, and went to the National stadium in Ta qali, a stones throw from Mdina glass,
but at that time, i was not aware of their existence !
Small world
Andy
 

[glassobsessed]

ps a good tip, needed a good clean inside and out, i covered the label with a waterproof elastoplast

Sounds like a good idea but only if none of the sticky part touched the label. This or using selotape could be a no-no for paper labels, especially if left on for long periods of time. As well as the glue damaging the label if removed the glue is usually acidic and will turn paper brown or worse. You can get acid free tape but it is still a potentially risky process as it may not be reversible.

Apologies for ranting on and on.

John

[Andy]

John,
youre right, it was a large piece , nothing sticky touching the label, and i tried to avoid getting the
base wet anyway. I wouldnt have immersed it in water!
Andy

[MarkHill]

Nice piece. I haven't seen one in this colourway before. The typical blue/green is much more common in this shape, but as they were a studio glass company there's (probably) no end to variations. Yes, the label is indeed for a retailer. Mdina Glass supplied a small number of retailers/gift shops on Malta, most being in Valletta. I need to check my notes, but there was one company, Malta Industries, set up by an English guy called Strickland who distributed and sold quite a bit of their stock. They're likely to have had labels made as they were large enough. I've also been told that the Boffo brothers produced small animals and other whimsical pieces for sale at a shop in Valletta.
There appear to have been three moulds used for these textured vases, each of which were made by 'gathering on the post', ie; using a gather that becomes the neck/rim as a core piece, over which the glass that becomes the body is gathered. The three moulds comprise; the one used for this shape, the one used for the smaller vases with a cylindrical open collar neck (the width and depth of the body is smaller), and finally a larger rectangular form that seems to be much rarer than the previous two. An example is for sale on eBay now (item 250522020567) and can also be seen on p40 of my book.
Best,
Mark