Topic: End of week test

[langhaugh]

Keith:

Your good taste (10 year old, single malt is only superseded by 12 year old etc) forces me to come to your help. I think that Anita was dredging her memory (she's seen it before) in a gallant attempt to help you anyhow.

The decanter is from later in the 19th Century by Jenkinson's Glass, which became Edinburgh and Leith Filnt Glass, and then Edinburgh Crystal. I'm not sure of the exact date. It was made at a time when the company brought over a glassblower, or more, from Murano to help them diversify. The experiment eventually petered out. The piece belonged to my uncle who was a glass cutter for Edinburgh and Leith before emigrating to Canada post WWII. He was given it through his father who, along with his grandfather, had worked for the same company. My uncle had said that he had an aunt who had a cupboardful of similar pieces, including reticello, but she didn't like it as much as cut crystal so she threw it all out.

My aunt, one of the sharpest people I know, was told in the 1930's, that the white came from seagull feathers melted in glass. She was taken in enough to repeat the story to me a few years ago. I laughed so quickly that I had to tell her about "feathering."

It's a piece that I think eventually should go back to a public collection in Scotland. Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks for trying, Keith. Hope you like the story, and, yes, I'd be happy to buy you a single malt of your choice should we ever meet.

David

[Bernard C]

...   It's a piece that I think eventually should go back to a public collection in Scotland.   Anyone have any ideas?   ...

David — Fine, if you can find an enthusiastic glass curator with the space to display it.   Unfortunately that could prove difficult.   I'm also opposed to donations.   People don't value gifts, and museum officials are no different to the great majority in this respect.   The most prominent items on display in any museum are those which have been purchased at the prevailing market price, especially when that has necessitated a fund-raising exercise.

Much better to concentrate on getting your decanter with its history (including names, dates, and anything else that is relevant) into books and websites, so that researchers can become familiar with it and not miss important connections.

Meanwhile I can't help wondering how much so-called "Nailsea" glass was made by Jenkinson's.

Bernard C. 

[TxSilver]

Bernard, my first guess when I saw David's decanter was Nailsea. It looks very much like some of the vases that I see attributed to them.

I apologize for redirecting the quiz back from North America. I am so bad.  You can't tell me anything! But glad that David had a chance to tell the history of the piece before the weekend was over.

[Cathy B]

David, what  brilliant story. Thanks for telling it!  :clap:

[keith]

David:
So my original guess of Italy wasn't to far out,very interesting story,beautiful piece and if I'm ever in Canada I'll look forward to that drink,Keith.

[langhaugh]

Thanks to everyone for the kind comments. I thought I would end this with an interesting little piece. My uncle brought his cutting wheel to Canada and worked for a while repairing crystal and cutting anything he could get his hands on. He managed to get blank thistle whisky glasses from Edinburgh crystal and cut me and a couple of other nieces and nephews a set, each with its individual pattern. He would even collect empty jam jars to work on, and these were displayed all through his basement. .

About the glass in the attached photograph (sorry that the colour is so wrong, btw): He must have picked up some Scandinavian or Polish glasses and created and cut a design on them. He did this quite late in his life so the pattern isn't nearly as precise as his early work. I can imagine some future collector scratching his or her head trying to figure out an attribution for these.

David

[bOBA]

A very interesting thread, featuring Scottish-Italian glass! Not seen every day. Hopefully we will have more family glass stories coming onto GMB....... I have a couple of pieces I am planning to post before Christmas involving unusual-interesting pieces of glass from assorted relatives! I am sure there are other members with unique family glass stories! Fascinating stuff.

I hope the engraved jam jars ended up being appreciated somewhere!

bOBA

[Frank]

Would of course be delighted to host images and full details of all of the above on Scotland's Glass.

The most complete history of Scottish Glass is coming soon (Just in time for Xmas, it not an academic study, though the quality of research behind it very much is. And it is CHEAP.) http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,28898.0.html and I have just completed a guide booklet to current Scottish glass makers that will go out with the book and be available throughout 2010.

[Frank]

As to a home Aberdeen, Edinburgh or Kelvingrove would be interested.

[langhaugh]

Thanks, Frank. David E has been in touch about the same book and I'm going to take some better pictures for him. I'll send you copies, too.

David