Topic: Strange Jobling 11800 Celery Vase

[Mosquito]

This just arrived today - apologies for the poor photos, but I don't have access to my lights & backround, etc. at the moment.

It appears to be Jobling's 11800 Celery Vase (the pattern is an exact match to one of the marked vases in my collection and appears to be from the same mould), however, it's quite an unusual example & I've not seen another like it. The rim has been slightly flanged - not unusual in itself as I've owned other flanged versions in the past. What is odd is that firstly it isn't Uranium glass. I have about 20 other pieces of Jobling art glass in green and all others glow under blacklight. This one is a very similar colour, just maybe a little darker and very slightly bluer. I guess it's probably post-war production? Or were the moulds transferred elsewhere after Jobling closed their flint lines?

Secondly, the base is very unusual. There is a large moulded indentation in the centre of the underside. Obviously a different base-plate was used in the mould, but I'm not sure why... My first thought was it was designed so it could be broken through to give a hole for mounting on a base or as a lamp, etc. Certainly the indentation is quite deep.

The vase is also unmarked, most others I've handled have had either the Reg. No. or 'Regn. Applied For' marks to the base, but there's no mark whatsoever on this one. It's certainly an interesting piece & I'd welcome any input/ suggestions, especially as to the purpose of the base modification...

Thanks,

Steven

[Mosquito]

Here's a photo of the ususal style of base for this vase for comparison:

[Nemmie]

I always thought that Sowerby continued producing some Jobling pieces which is why there are bird and panels made by both glass works. I am sure someone will correct me if I am wrong.

[Mosquito]

Hi Nemmie,

It was Glen who found that Sowerby produced the Jobling Bird & Panel vase. As far as I'm aware the celery vase doesn't appear in Sowerby pattern books, though it might be possible they also issued it. There's also a gap in my knowledge of Jobling's flint glass production in the post-war years. I think it was about 1960/ 61 that all flint production was stopped in favour of Pyrex, so it could be that Jobling continued to make this pattern in the 50s, but I'm just not sure.

The vase does bear some similarities with this example I owned a while back: http://glassgallery.yobunny.org.uk/displayimage.php?pos=-6115 again flanged, unmarked and in a slightly un-Joblingy colour - though it did have the usual style base....

Steven

[ChrisandVikki]

I have the same vase with no indent and with an etched internal surface. Did anyone discover any more about the flared celery vase?

[Mosquito]

It’s now been confirmed that Sowerby acquired the mould and were producing this pattern c.1960, often with a flanged (flared) rim and sometimes with a sand-blasted interior. I believe this non uranium green example is most likely Sowerby production. However, none of the other Sowerby produced examples that I’ve seen have this base indent, so not sure why this one has. I still wonder if it was intended to be drilled through for the attachment of a metal base or light fitting.

This Sowerby leaflet shown on Mike Tonkin’s site shows the vase, along with Sowerby’s version of the smaller Bird and Panel vase: http://victorianpressedglass.com/pdf/sowerby/sowerby_leaflet.pdf

[ChrisandVikki]

Thank you - the link is definitive.

If the moulds were acquired, that surely means that the flared mould was originally a Jobling production piece?? Certainly the flared version has much poorer definition than the straight sided versions I have,  so is it a mould made by Sowerby or a 'worn' Jobling mould?

I am also interested in the sand-blasted finish. I have a number of pieces of the same design, some are blasted, some not. Was this possibly a way of disguising blemishes in some of the production run? I much prefer the pieces that are left clear.

[Lustrousstone]

Flaring of vases etc. was done manually, post pressing, so not need for a special mould. Frosting was just a fashion thing at the time.

[Mosquito]

Definitely a Jobling mould and presumably sold to Sowerby when Jobling were discontinuing their regular flint glass production to focus solely on Pyrex. As Christine said, the flaring would be done after the piece was released from the mould. Reheating the glass to shape it can also be why the definition is poorer as the pattern will be somewhat melted during the process.

There are also differences in definition between Jobling versions. At least two (and probably more) distinct moulds were in use for this pattern at The Wear Glassworks, and the definition can vary depending on the degree of fire polishing that was applied to the rim.

Jobling used both sand blasting and acid frosting on their glass in the thirties. The Jobling versions of this pattern that I’ve seen with a frosted or satin surface usually have just the exterior satinised (using acid)  though some may be satinised or frosted all over. The Sowerby versions tend to have the sand blasting only to the interior surface.