Topic: Vaseline bowl - ID needed

[David555]

This is a lovely little Vaseline bowl / fancy with gadrooned sides – it goes bright yellow when held up against electric light, but has fantastic blue opalescence that I love – almost white ‘Pearline’ at top (tiny chip under rim, perfect otherwise) but not bad for £9.00 – 6cm high exactly – anyone help with a maker



Thanks

Adam

[mrvaselineglass]

David
This is a shape I have seen frequently from England.  I bought one over at Camden Passage in 2004.  Mine is the same shape, only it has a repeating pattern of leaves or fat branches radiating from the base.  I have no clue, but could name off the usual suspects.  Mine is also exactly 6cm tall.


http://www.vaselineglass.org/poseypot.jpg

Mr. Vaseline Glass

[Bernard C]

Adam & Dave — See also Heacock & Gamble Book 9 – Cranberry Opalescent p62 top left for a similar view on this general shape dating from 1987, nearly two decades ago.

Yellow opalescent round vase in SPANISH LACE.   This is definitely English ...

We now know that this illustrated example is actually Walsh Opaline Brocade.

I hope to find patterns that are obviously Walsh for other reasons, and record them.   Unfortunately at an early stage of my interest in Walsh I had through my hands a similarly shaped vase with a bold floral pattern in what I now know is Walsh mother-of-pearl.   At the time I was only too glad to sell it as "probably Stourbridge".    Someone got a bargain!   Of course, now that I am actively looking for examples, they have all disappeared.

Bernard C.  

[David555]

Hi

I can see the similarity in shape, rim, and as you say size.


Bernard that is fascinating, would you put my little vase in the 'Stourbridge' category or is it Walsh.

I would love to own a Walsh fan vase, when they come up at auction the end price is just too rich for me :roll:  

Adam

[Bernard C]

... would you put my little vase in the 'Stourbridge' category or is it Walsh. ...

Adam, it's not me who defines the terminology.   If everyone else describes these fancies as "Stourbridge", then "Stourbridge" in this context must include London, Birmingham, and everywhere else that made them.

As for identifying Walsh fancies, I can't often do it from photographs.  I can perhaps identify between five and ten per cent of Walsh fancies in the flesh.    Over the last week I have bought just two, a 1920s Vesta Venetian vase that shouted "Hello Bernard" from 250 yards, and a rather more coy 1880s Crushed Strawberry rose bowl that forced me to get the book out.

Bernard C.  

[David555]

Hi Bernard

I know .... but I had to ask - it's just so much your field of expertise.

You make quite a good point about the Stourbridge terminology, I get what you mean - glass and glass research being your profession must and should make you guarded against attributions, especially as you say from a photo.

If you can only identify around 10% of Walsh fancies in the flesh - what chance have I.

I stick with it being a lovely little piece that cost a few pounds.

I would however like to be your shadow for a week Bernard; those were two fantastic buys you made.

J Walsh Walsh Ltd are a company that have always fascinated me, I am doing a bit more research in that area - I am not to far from 'The Mitchell Library' in Glasgow (one of the biggest reference libraries in the Europe). Are there any books apart from the one you mentioned I should look at? - they have a large glass section including old factory catalogues and glass fair/exhibition booklets.

No great hurry, I go down there and 'search the archives' maybe twice a week.

You know my first love was Victorian and art nouveau glass and ceramics; I grew into later eras through selling on eBay. I am only now starting to collect the older pieces again as I no longer need to think "Oh I better buy that Willow W/F coffin vase (lovely as it is) rather than that the older piece as I can't ID it easily and the W/F is a sure seller"

LOL


Thanks as always

[Bernard C]

... I would however like to be your shadow for a week Bernard ...

Adam — I can assure you that you would not enjoy it at all.   You would be bored out of your mind.   I am the most indecisive buyer ever.   Janet just walks away and leaves me to it.

... 'The Mitchell Library' in Glasgow ... have a large glass section including old factory catalogues and glass fair/exhibition booklets. ...

We would all be grateful for a list of what they have in their collection, together with details of how to access it.   Primary sources like these are rare and can sometimes provide the key to attributing a whole range of glass.   Often such a key is not at all obvious, but to the right person with the right experience it is.

Oh, and thanks for your kind comments about my two recent Walsh purchases.    I wish more felt the same about this beautiful glass.

... "rose bowl" — American collector terminology for a fully cupped frilly-rimmed bowl.

... "Walsh mother-of-pearl" — a very specific style of iridised cased glass made by Walsh, quite distinct from the American collector terminology for air trap, "mother-of-pearl", often abbreviated to "MOP", which is a genericisation of one American glassworks' original trade name for air trap.

Apologies for using these terms without explanation.

Bernard C.  

[mrvaselineglass]

For what it is worth....
I was just flipping through a book called THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF OPALESCENT GLASS, 5th Edition, by Edwards and Carwile, and saw the same basic shape as your little vase (and mine), only it had each side dimpled a bit (one large shallow dimple, making it sort of a 'rounded cube' - 4 dimples total).  They named it DIMPLE and called it a spill for holding matches.  Not saying they are right or wrong, just telling you what was described in their book.  There are some glaring errors in the book in other places.  Oh, and they gave a value of $185US for it.
Dave
aka Mr. Vaseline Glass

[David555]

Thanks

A match holder is something I never thought of. I have top hats and small bowls and know they are match holders as they have dimples at the base or tracks around the top rim.

'A spill for holding matches' I will look into this


Adam