Topic: Cranberry Vase, late 19th. cent

[bristolblueglass]

Hi, Does anyone have any ideas to the origins of this piece?

This stunning vase, with applied clear rim, handles, and rustic feet, has been skilfully wheel engraved with a butterfly amid foliage on one side, and a sprig of fern on the reverse, then hand-gilded with gold leaf. This type of intaglio-engraving is typically French, but many English glass-houses employed French decorators, particularly as a result of the Franco-Prussian war, when many came to this country.

Thanks

Ben

[KevinH]

I may be completely wrong, but my first thought was that the decoration might be Jules Barbe while at Thomas Webb. That butterfly is very distinctive and I am sure I have seen it before somewhere. But where, I can't recall.

[Ivo]

Check out Sevres while you're at it.

[Andy]

Baccarat perhaps??

[francis]

Thanks for the suggestions so far. the suggestion of Jules Barbe is interesting - we have three or four pieces of his work in the Bristol Blue Glass Museum, but this piece, although it has the distinctive butterfly which was something of a trademark with him, is not quite in his usual style. Also, Thomas Webb tended to create a slightly more subtle pallette of glass colours. This appears a little 'brash' for them. Also, the design is rather 'ferny' for Barbe,  but we do have a dish decorated by him from a little later, which has very similar roses, and is certainly by Thomas Webb.

Thanks to everyone who has helped so far.

[Lustrousstone]

I'm not sure I'd describe the Webb palette as subtle! Cranberry was fashionable, so I doubt Webb left themselves out.