Topic: Thomas Webb Large Cameo Vases - one unfinished

[bristolblueglass]

I've recently had the pleasure of photographing a pair of Thomas Webb Cameo vases. The blue one is 52.5cm and the other is 52.7 cm. I did not notice it at first as I was mostly in awe of their presence. It was only when the owner of the Bristol Blue Glass factory I work for, pointed out to me that one of them, the Aqua cased in Ruby and White vase is unfinished. It would seem that mostly all of the flowers are finished where only a few of the leaves are done. Also most of the unfinished work is at the top.

Does this give an insight into the carvers work flow? Do they start at the bottom? Are there different carvers for different parts of the artwork ie some artists only do the leaves while others specialise in flowers?

Maybe the work was abandoned after discovering a flaw of some kind? Maybe this was the carvers last piece?

Hi-Res Images
http://www.bristolblueglass.com/images/museum/thomes-webb/01.jpg
http://www.bristolblueglass.com/images/museum/thomes-webb/02.jpg
http://www.bristolblueglass.com/images/museum/thomes-webb/03.jpg
http://www.bristolblueglass.com/images/museum/thomes-webb/04.jpg

Ben

[oldglassman]

HI ,
     Would this pair be the same pair that were recently sold at auction ?

cheers ,
             Peter.

[bristolblueglass]

Yes. They were picked up from Bonhams in London on Friday. Though when the auction was, I have no idea.

Did you see them or do you know any thing else about them. I will be posting these on our museum website as soon as I have the description from their owner.

[oldglassman]

HI ,
       yes i did see them , really beautiful vases, Webbs cameo is another departure from my normal collecting field of 17th and 18thc glass and am lucky enough to have around 10 examples, nothing like these of course ,
  for accuracy the unfinished 1 is 52.5cm and the other is 52.7 cm,

I may be able to find out a little of there history for you , I was told by an Australian friend that they had been consigned for sale from Australia,and that the owners who he knows thought they had provenance to Woodhall though nothing of this was mentioned in the auction catalogue , so it may or may not be accurate, I can if you wish try to find out a little more, it may be prudent for matters of privacy for you to contact me via email ,

cheers ,
          Peter.

[bristolblueglass]

Hi Peter,

Thank you for the accurate sizes. That is a very kind offer from you to find out any more about them for us. I am sure that any information would be of great value for the owner and our museum website. I might remember the owner mentioning something about Australia though I cannot be sure?

I am not very well versed in antique glass or auctions for that matter. I have been a glass blower for the last 20 years, but since being assigned the task of photographing an entire museum and creating a website for it I am starting to recognise some makers. Thomas Webb, so far interests me most of all. We may start trying to make our own Cameo in the next few years. We are currently working on a Graal exhibition for this year, so maybe next year we can do Cameo. I certainly hope we do!

Thanks again Peter

Ben

[oldglassman]

HI ,
          I will see what I can find out and probably contact you at the museum with any info , meanwhile if you need any images of glass from the 17th and 18th century for the museums website let me know.

Cheers ,
              Peter.

[scimiman]

They both look as though they have unfinished leaves on. Take a look at the small Ivy shaped leaves on the yellow vase which dont appear to have any texture carving on them.
Mike www.abfabglass.co.uk

[Lustrousstone]

Are they signed? The shapes don't match anything in the sketch books shown in Grover and Grover

[bristolblueglass]

HI ,
          I will see what I can find out and probably contact you at the museum with any info , meanwhile if you need any images of glass from the 17th and 18th century for the museums website let me know.

Cheers ,
              Peter.

Thanks again Peter. I shall put it to the owner of the Museum though I feel he may like to show only pieces that can bee seen at the actual museum in Bristol. Though thinking about it we are getting a lot of traffic from Google for people just interested in the images and accompanying text. Maybe there is scope for a category for glass that is not featured in the museum? Its certainly something to think about.

[bristolblueglass]

They both look as though they have unfinished leaves on. Take a look at the small Ivy shaped leaves on the yellow vase which dont appear to have any texture carving on them.
Mike www.abfabglass.co.uk

Thanks Mike. Indeed you are right. I wonder what the story is behind these pieces!?