Topic: Chances and not Chances?

[keith]

First two are the Hellenic pattern(6 by 4.5 ins) but haven't seen this shape,the other tray(4.5 by4.5ins) I can't see in the book,looks very 50's,any ideas please,Keith.

[Lustrousstone]

Perhaps Joseph Joseph. I think the look might be retro rather than genuine. Is the design printed on the top or the bottom?

The Hellenic are small boat dishes

[keith]

Thanks Christine,the base is a matt green and the design is on the top,Keith

[Ming]

Hi Keith,

The square tray is Chance 1959-60 as mention in the new book"20th century British Glass" by Charles Hajdamach page 207. This is what it said in the book (Harlequin set of cocktail dishes with overlapping outlines of decanters and glasses.) Set consists of four colours.

By the way Keith you got this from a 2nd hand shop in Blackheath right. I know because l bought most of them but left 2 Hellenic small boats and a cocktail dish behind. I normally don't want more than two of each type. So l left them for you. Am l kind or what?

[Lustrousstone]

Personally I'm not convinced by Charles' attribution. Also his has gold trim. Chance generally printed bottom side as well. If the cocktail dish is Chance, I'm surprised David has never mentioned them, a new design, to me. I'll point this thread out to him.

There are errors in Charles' book, for example, he places Ed Igelhart in Cumbria when the man (an American) has lived and worked in Scotland, a place he apparently considers to be the centre of the universe, since 1972! This information is available on Ed's website

[David E]

Thanks Christine.

The first pages I flipped to when I first purchased Charles' book was the Chance section, of course (I supplied one photo and did some proof-reading). The little cocktail trays immediately sprang out of the page as "not a Chance" to me. I have never seen these advertised, or reviewed, as being by Chance, although I have seen similar items before. However, I will contact Charles and see if he can spread any light on this.

The one point to always remember is that several companies were producing very similar (almost indistinguishable) items to Chance products and errors inevitably creep in. Chance tended to keep its production limited to the stock patterns and items, although customised trays to customer's specifications were known before 1960 - these tended to be existing patterns, like Swirl, with the customer's logo astutely positioned. These trays do not appear to be in this category.

At a guess, if they are not by Chance then it could be Webb's Crystal Glass (1951-64) or even a Continental maker.

[keith]

Thanks to all for the replies,Chances or not it looks good with my others,
  Ming,very kind,what are you doing in my neck of the woods,I wondered where all the decent stuff was going now I know!

[Ming]

David
I think this small tray is Chance. The reason is the lady at the 2nd hand shop knows l collect Chance glass. She brought out a shoe box of Chance glass which she said was from a ex-Chance worker. Among them 3 off decanter& glass trays,4 off Hellenic small boats, 5 type of vintage cars(earlier version white glass with car printed on top), 1 blue Grenco advertising tray. They are all Chance in David's book except the decanter & glass tray and all from late 50s. Therefore the decanter tray being Chance is very likely.

[David E]

Ming, you would be surprised at how much "Chance" glass, "positively identified", emanates from ex-Chance worker's homes. The trouble is, not all of it is by Chance... this bases the assumption that every bit of glass coming from a former Chance worker's home was made by the company.

The point is, I based the findings in my book on evidence from vintage trade magazines and reliable first-hand sources, like Tony Cartwright, and not relying too heavily on word of mouth - see Appendix 1, where I list all my findings and the earliest date each pattern was recorded. The latest pieces of Chance glass are also now approaching 30 years old, so spoken evidence really is unreliable, particularly third-party evidence (e.g. "my mom said so"). Also consider that the 'Illusions' range (1971, p54) was promoted through these magazines, but I have only ever seen one actual example and I own it.

It is possible this tray is by Chance, but I have never found any evidence to support this. However, I have directed Tony to this thread to see if he can recall it.

[keith]

Ming;
David;
   The lady in the 2nd hand shop told me that Chances did glass jewellery,is that right 'cos it's news to me,Keith.