Is the silver-collared one marked as Walsh?
Unlikely, Christine, as I've yet to see an example of a Walsh mark on a piece that was sold to the metalbashers for mounting. However, the body/bottle part is a perfect match to the all glass decanter shown in Reynolds at fig.119, but which has a flat-topped stopper engraved with the same zigzag design. I had one through my hands about five or six years ago.
The design was named
Luxor, and we now know that the all glass version was pattern A3422 (Reynolds' caption relates to later additions to the suite), described as a "Whisky Bottle". Walsh described
Luxor as "Glassware in Egyptian Design", so I think it safe to describe it as Walsh's response to the enormous publicity following the 1922 discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb. JOK's hallmark date is spot on for this. JOK's observation that it is a Deco design is interesting as elements of the Tutankhamun discovery and of Pharonic Egypt in general found their way into mainstream Deco design. I've yet to see either Walsh material on or examples of matching
Luxor Whisky Glasses.
... I know there aren't any designer records before about 1933, but since Farquharson joined the company in 1924 is it possible that this is one of his first designs? ...
Unlikely. You first see Farquharson's influence emerging in the gradual updating of old suites to new shapes and styles around patterns A5100–A5200, much later. There are some earlier Walsh records — in the Pottery Gazette, for example.
I hope that's useful.
Bernard C.
Topic: Walsh decanter 1923/24 (Read 3165 times)
