Topic: Help needed please from a Mdina collector......

[glassobsessed]

Photos showing the detail of the coloured streaks please.

John

[chopin-liszt]

We would still have to ascertain that there was ever a bubble mould used.
From my experience of collecting Mdina, this fat duck and Christine's weight are the ONLY things I've encountered which have been tentatively id'd as suspected Mdina, which look as if a bubble mould was involved.
That alone makes me highly suspicious that there was no such mould used there.

The little jug John showed is definitely one of the Boffo bits made at Mdina.  :thup:
The bark texture and fabby colours from Mdina and the wfs handle and spout make a lovely marriage.

And    sorry for misattributing the photography John. ('twas Suzy sent me the pic)

Like John, I think I'd need to get my mitts on fatty to check the colours. But the use of the bubble mould says not Mdina to me.

[Patrick]

Hi Sue,
 I will get my camera out ASAP and do some close ups of 'Fatty' ...................

My thought are that as Mdina glass relies on the colours for decorative effect there was never any need for the use of controlled bubbles.  However if Boffo did do training there he may well have shown how the mould was used (as in the crude 'Fatty' duck.)

All best wishes,
                         Patrick

[Patrick]

Hi,
 Done the pics and have also included an image from Trudy Elkins who has a vase/bottle that has previously been identified as Mdina. This has colours very similar to my better made WF shape duck.......... comments please.

 Slowly things are becoming clearer ( maybe )

Regards,
              Patrick.

[Lustrousstone]

IMHO opinion that bottle looks like Malta Decorative Glass not Mdina.

[Patrick]

IMHO opinion that bottle looks like Malta Decorative Glass not Mdina.

Hi,
 Well I am not going to argue about that because I don't know...............  and I am quite happy for the ducks to be Malta Decorative Glass.

Await further comments 

Regards,
           Patrick.

[chopin-liszt]

Trudy's vase is either MDG or Mdina. Given these are colours used in both places, and it's a Mdina and MDG shape, quite frankly, it's impossible to tell - unless there's a label or a prunt mark indicating MDG; or "Mdina" written on the base. MDG has a Maltese cross prunt mark which is different to the Mdina one.

It's really hard to be sure about colours when they're altered by photography and pc screens - fatty still looks completely wrong (as well as rather seriously overstuffed - duck "foie gras" anybody??).

The turquoise shade in it looks too green, there's not red in conjunction with the browns, and the streakiness just doesn't look "right". The silver chloride looks "trapped" in the pinpricky bits - it doesn't spread out - the bubble and silver salt combination in the duck are nothing like those in Christine's weight.

Sorry, Patrick. I'm still completely unconvinced.  It's really not a well-made thing, and it's very ugly. (IMNSHO)

[whitefriars 007]

Hello Sue, Christine and Patrick

The vase has no marks on the base at all. The fishing-net pattern edges all have a turquoise surround. Looking down at the top of the vase the colours have turquoise, yellow, browns etc within the glass. Lovely vase who ever made it. Hopefully we will establish who made your ducks one day Patrick. Always learning.

Best wishes

Trudy 

[chopin-liszt]

Hiya Trudy! :hug:
Your "turquoise surround" is blueing from the silver metal.
 
This is a particularly lovely design in the colours - one I suspect originates with Vicente Boffo, as I have definitely Mdina pieces and definitely MDG pieces in this "net" pattern of Earthtones. It's very distinctive. Shapes between both places are much the same. I was definitely collecting these bits, before I discovered anything about MDG - simply on the grounds of their appeal.
However, I do fret that the flanges on these bits are not always too well made, they're often chunky and lopsided - given it was the Boffos who taught makers at Mdina to do neat, wide, thin ones! :spls: :spls: :spls:

What do you think about the overstuffed duck?

[glassobsessed]

I would lean towards MDG for the vase, especially if it is chunky and wobbly round the edges. I appreciate the same can be said of some Mdina production but they seem to have accepted more at Malta Decorative Glass.

I would lean away from production at Mdina for the two ducks, the red and white one for me is a no no, the other is more of I think not. Not that I can offer any alternatives. :cry:

John