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Author Topic: Malta Decorative Glass footed swan, fish, penguin with labels !! & others !  (Read 20095 times)

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Offline glassobsessed

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    • Mdina
    • South Wales
Three more examples here (click to the right for the other two), use the zoom function to take a closer look - quite distinctive pattening: https://picasaweb.google.com/Johnmj100/MiscellaneousGlass#5669337825503634626

John

Offline chriscooper

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Came across a photo today of a Boffo elephant the label is different from the ones I have seen so far instead of   M         the label reads   G                                     
                                        D   G                            C   L
Instead of Malta Decorative Glass  it reads  Malta Craft Glass

Chris

               

Offline Baked_Beans

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Here is a MDG footed whale . The tail of the whale has been finished in a similar way to the amber cased (black and white) whale . The entirely- out-of -scale , wave-foot has six (equally spaced ) toes and has been made from a mould. There may be other MDG fish / dolphins etc.. using the same foot. So it's something to look out for. The diameter of the base is exactly 3 inches and the diameter of the ring mark is exactly 1 inch.

I also have an interesting MDG dog bought from a lady who lives in Malta which has a label so I shall post that here too when I can get some more time.  Cheers, Mike
Mike

Offline Baked_Beans

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Here is a green Malta Decorative Glass dog, of dubious quality, with label and marked with number 4000 . It's 5.5 inches tall and has a hollow blown body and a solid head.  Murano dogs have been made in a similar way. I don't think it is Chinese in origin as it is the same green as the labeled boat ashtray (see below). Also it has the earlier label. I also found a blue, clear cased dog which is very similar and might also be MDG but it doesn't have a label. One distinguishing feature  is that both dogs have nostrils ! I also have another blue one almost identical to this but that has black on white eyes similar to the green hound . The blue dog is 4.5 inches to the top of it's head.

Going back to the Chinese origin of Malta Decorative Glass, could it be that Malta Decorative Glass exported to China or Hong Kong ? Just a thought ?
Mike

Offline Baked_Beans

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Here are some more pics of the Maltese boat ashtray and dog. The first boat has a label but was damaged so I found another with no label but with amber and blue colours as well as green.
Mike

Offline Baked_Beans

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Lastly a MDG rabbit and baby elephant. The rabbit is 7.5 cm in length and the elephant 3 1/4 inches tall to the top of it's trunk.

That's my collection exhausted  :D
Mike

Offline chopin-liszt

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It is a most unusual and quite extensive collection of beasts, Mike.
They may not be of the best quality modelling, but they are from a very short-lived studio with an interesting history. There cannot be that many of them around, finding all of these has been quite a dedicated pursuit!
Cheers, Sue M. (she/her)

Earth without art is just eh.

Offline Baked_Beans

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Thanks Sue,

It has taken a few years of looking but it's always exciting (for me at least) to find something different, especially with a label . I hope this collection can give a few pointers for those that are interested in this company. Still trying to work out the system of pattern numbering that was used , if the dog is number 4000 then there are 3999 other patterns  ::) .....Not !! The first number might perhaps represent year four, but this is just a wild guess ! (I don't know how long 'short lived' was in terms of years.)
I think it was Christine who found a shell with a label , which could have been Chinese , but I think it could have been made by Malta Decorative Glass and exported to Hong Kong perhaps. The same with the blue and white fish in this thread , thought to be Chinese , but they certainly used the same colours at MDG. Anyway , this is only my personal theory and is probably totally wrong ! It's worth considering though as a possibility, I think. Cheers, Mike.   
Mike

Offline Baked_Beans

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p.s. Just noticed that the fish is 7022 , so did the company last for seven years ? If not , back to the drawing board  ::) And what about Malta Craft Glass (as Chris mentioned above) , how does that fit into the equation  ?  It's such a shame that this information isn't available somewhere ! Ta ,Mike.
Mike

Offline rosieposie

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Oh Mike,  I think we might have fought for that ellie!  I have three of his brothers and wanted the mottled one for the set!  Mine have Malta Craft Glass on the base and are certainly Boffo pieces. 
I love the rabbit as well... haven't seen one of those yet! :)
You certainly have a lovely collection of Mdina Animals and birds.... I am impressed. :)
Rosie.

When all's said and done, there's nothing left to say or do.  Roger McGough.

 

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