Topic: Mystery Maltese Glass - Mdina/Michael Harris?

[glassobsessed]

I would love to take a closer look at that inside out vase - possibly my favourite shape from Mdina. The National Glass Collectors Fair is held in the National Motorcycle Museum fairly close to the NEC just outside Birmingham (on 13th November).

That fish that I linked to is made with two different blues, the central bubble is in a lighter blue than the dipped cobalt wings. This inside out does not look to be from 'that' cobalt pot to my eye, it looks like a different tone of blue.

Goyjus, just out of curiosity, can you see whether there is a layer of clear glass over the top of the blue and the yellow ochre section (known as cased) - it looks like that from your photo of the base.

John

[Lustrousstone]

You could ask one of the junior Harris's via their websites and then bring it to the National as well.

[goyjus]

John - yes it is cased. I think you're right inasmuch as the blue is different from the one in the link you posted. My piece is kind of an inky, midnight blue. Hope my description isn't misleading.

Christine - I've forwarded pictures via the Isle of Wight glass site. Many thanks.

Will let you know if I get a response.

[goyjus]

Hello. Just thought I'd share with you some information I received on the piece from Ron Wheeler.

As far as the colour is concerned, he says the blue was created using manganese and the golden brown using silver chloride. The blue glass melt indicates early Mdina production which he puts at around 1969/70 - although this is not definitive.

On the handwriting, he says neither he nor Elizabeth Harris readily recognise it as that of Michael Harris, however he does go on to say it is similar to the style of handwriting he used whilst at the RCA. This is probably stating the obvious but he says the piece would have been made by Michael Harris, probably as a thank you from the family to a friend.

I've paraphrased here but think I've covered the salient points. Hope this is of interest!

[chopin-liszt]

So Ron doesn't think it's cobalt blue.
I've taken some pics of various early blues and some cobalt - but I've not downloaded or sorted them yet.
The biggest mystery to me is how on earth did such a fabulous present end up in the secondary market???
It seems to me to be highly disrespectful.....  :grrr:

[goyjus]

Thanks Sue. I'd be interested in seeing those when you get a chance.

I thought exactly the same as you with regards to such a personal gift being sold on. I can only assume this wasn't the down to the original recipient.

My mother bought the piece at Malvern Flea Market over 20 years ago and I was with her at the time. I'm fairly sure that she was told by the dealers that they knew the original recipient but have no clue as to who this may have been. It certainly has an appreciative home now!

[chopin-liszt]

To "our" knowledge (that's me, Suzy, John, Christine and a good few other Harrisophiles) we have not seen a piece like this before - that doesn't mean there isn't another out there, there might be, but it's certainly a truly fabulous and very early piece by Michael Harris - I'm glad it's being appreciated properly now.
(but I could appreciate it more here, with me, I could!  :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: )

[Greg.]

Thanks for the update.

Interesting that the hand writing wasn't readily recognised as that of Michael Harris whilst at Mdina and more reminiscent of his time at the RCA.

As mentioned strange how personal items such as these enter the general market, especially being purchased over twenty years ago, the piece would have been no more than 20 years old. There was an early globe posted by another GMB member in the link below, which was thought to have originated from a friend of the Harris family.

http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,40501.msg224164.html#msg224164


Still a little intrigued by the colour.

[goyjus]

Sue - thanks for this. Bonus to know it's a rare piece. This makes up for my considerable disappointment at my mother having sold for a song another Harris piece of hers I had my eye on. A real beauty with applied flower heads. Somebody had a bargain at Malvern Flea over the summer. My loss was their gain!

Greg - cheers for the link. What still intrigues with regards to the colour?

[Greg.]

This was always going to be an unusual and desirable piece, you just don't see items like this cropping up hardly at all.  :mrgreen:


Difficult to gauge the precise tone of the blue, always difficult to ascertain from photographs, opposed to actually holding the item in the hand. Would be interested to compare the colour of this piece with the pics of other early blues that Sue has taken. I presume the final tone/shade of blue achieved would have subtle variations from one piece to another, due to factors in the production process.

By the way, still looking forward to see a few pictures in another thread of the FISH!, would be good to see a picture of the whole piece apart from just the signature, just out of interest!

 :sun: