Topic: Dating Mdina - early seahorse 1973

[flying free]

I've had a lovely reply from Mdina to confirm that Mr Said did make this seahorse in the picture that started this thread.  They said they could not confirm whether or not it was from the chess set, but thought it was unlikely.  I take it from that comment added to other information on this thread, that a chess set definitely does exist. 
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[Patrick]

Hi,
 Did he confirm the date as 1973 ?
 As you have a contact there now perhaps you could ask them when Boffo left . 

All best wishes,
                   Patrick.

[flying free]

Patrick it definitely is dated 1973, it is very clearly marked.  So unless they have been putting the wrong years on things, I have no reason to believe it wasn't made in 1973 by Mr Said   I presume the email meant Joseph Said.
I will ask in my thank you note and see if they come back to me again.
m

[Patrick]

Hi,
I am 100% with you on the date................. 
 I am just wondering how proficient Said was at glass-making in 1973 as I still think it was made by Boffo.

Best wishes,
                    Patrick.

[Lustrousstone]

It's interesting but it certainly doesn't look very proficient for Boffo; its base very lop-sided just for a start.

[flying free]

Well I don't know too much about Mdina, but I thought Boffo left in 1973 and Eric Dobson was in charge then, but I thought Eric Dobson didn't make glass - so someone had to be making the glass and I just presumed it was Joseph Said    and as I say, Mdina have confirmed that Mr Said made this particular horse.

I agree with you the head of the horse and its mane looks very like the horse you picture you posted by Boffo and very unlike the Mdina seahorses I am familiar with, however to be honest that is not conclusive evidence is it?  

It maybe that the early seahorses looked like my one because Said developed this idea from tutelage from Boffo, and gradually he developed them to become more the piece they are today?
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[Lustrousstone]

This one http://lustrousstone.co.uk/cpg/displayimage.php?pid=580 has a bigger head and mane but a similar body shape and a stock label.

[glassobsessed]

Josef Said was a taken on as a trainee in 1968, so by 1973 he had been working with glass for five or so years.

John

[Patrick]

Hi,
 I had not realized that..................   So he may have made the seahorse.
Although I think it takes many years to go from Bit gatherer , to footmaker and then servitor .  Still think it looks very Boffo and could have been made by him before he left in 1973.

Regards,
                Patrick.

[flying free]

Thanks for that Christine  . I can see the similarity in the body shape, but the angle of the head, the neck and the mane are different to mine.  I have yet to see another seahorse with the shape of mine and the closest shape so far is a horse made by Boffo, balanced by the fact that I have now been told that Mr Said has confirmed he made my seahorse.  I'm interested in the decor in the base of your seahorse.  It looks as though it has regularly spaced vertical bubbles all around the base?  and has a crizzle effect?
m