Topic: Davidson and Brockwitz pattern curiosity ???

[Anne]

Whilst sorting out photos for GlassGallery I found a shot of my Davidson biscuit jar from the 1904 suite which carries an embossed Red Design no. 413701:
http://glassgallery.yobunny.org.uk/displayimage.php?pos=-12238

which dinged a bell that I'd seen the same piece in a Brockwitz catalogue pattern 8337 on Pamela's Glas-Musterbuch site here: LINK (Brockwitz 1926 catalogue Tafel 076).

Has anyone any suggestions as to why Brockwitz would have a Davidson pattern/item in their catalogue please?

[ChrisStewart]

Hi Anne,

in researching our next book - Davidson Glass an indentifcation guide, I have come accross numerous examples where Davidson patterns are either identical or very nearly identical patterns made by other glass companies. So much so I will be devoting a whole chapter to it.

With the passing of time it is impossible to say whether the pattern was copied or the moulds changed hands. In this instance the patterns look identical so it could be that Brockwitz bought the mould from Davidson.

Having said that, Davidson were still making a square dish in this pattern up to the 1930s.


Regards

Chris

[Glen]

The Brockwitz version is actually known in a rare marigold Carnival example. You can imagine the excitement when it turned up a few years ago and the owner initially thought that it was a Davidson piece (Davidson are not thought to have made Carnival).

I don't personally feel that any moulds changed hands. I reckon it was just plagiarism in this case. There are so very many examples of it (plagiarism, that is). There is one particular pattern that I have shown was made in Portugal, America, Finland and Sweden!

Glen

[Anne]

Thank you both for the info. I suppose the best way to differentiate would be by the RD no if the design was plagiarised... if sold on then the moulds would presumably still carry that number?

Glen, is there a photo of the Brockwitz carnival one online please? I'd love to see that. I love this biscuit jar in clear - in carnival I can imagine it'd be spectacular.  :mrgreen:

[Glen]

Glen, is there a photo of the Brockwitz carnival one online please? I'd love to see that. I love this biscuit jar in clear - in carnival I can imagine it'd be spectacular.  :mrgreen:

I'm afraid not, Anne. It doesn't belong to me (I wish...) so I can't just go and "snap" it. I might have a pic somewhere of the piece in a display - I'll get back to you if I do. It is missing the lid, if memory serves me right.

[Anne]

Thanks Glen,  :kissy: here's hoping!   :thup:

[Glen]

Here are some images that show the Brockwitz Carnival Glass biscuit barrel (the piece is not mine; the photos are mine). It is tucked behind a couple of other pieces, but I think you can see it well enough in the selection I show below.



Glen

[Lustrousstone]

I've just read Raymond Slack's book English Pressed Glass 1830-1900 travelling to Devon and back. He points out that the designs were only registered for glass and not for the moulds and that it was not unknown for moulds to be sold abroad for use abroad. That may be what happened here. In addition, the period of design protection was very short, certainly less than 22 years...

[Glen]

There's no doubt that some moulds were sold, but there was certainly plenty of simple copying too. Brockwitz had a major mould shop and it's unlikely (not impossible) that they would have bought other moulds in; but who knows?! Brockwitz certainly sold moulds, a good example would be Rosen (Rose Garden) ones to Eda Glasbruk.

What is interesting about this particular piece is that it appears to be a stand alone item, rather than one of a whole range in a specific pattern. But that's not especially unusual for Brockwitz, as there are other individual "stand alones" as well.

G

[Anne]

Glen thank you! That's wonderful to see - what a beauty! I can imagine my Mother falling in love with that.

Christine, wouldn't the design protection cover the mould as well though when registered? I don't think I have a copy of Slack as yet... shall have to go find one.