Topic: Webb Corbett tankard,

[keith]

Posted this a while ago,no luck,picked it up today and there it was,on the base ,is it possible to date it from this mark,couldn't get a picture so excuse my scribble

[keith]

.....and the answer is 1930-47,I think

[keith]

The 'T' might be for Tutbury but didn't that come on a later mark?.....I'm talking to myself again,must stop doing this

[keith]

...or 1947-52,Irene Stevens maybe???

[johnphilip]

The T is for Tutbury . the other letter that i cant remember was for their other place . dooooh .

[user9318]

The other letter is S for Stourbridge and I have also seen a star that was used for both factories

[Anne]

That's an interesting shape, Keith. Not one I've seen before. Those Webb Corbett marks can be very hard to see - I found one on something that I'd looked at several times without spotting it, then one day with the light at a different angle...   

[keith]

Very hard,I've had the piece a while now,you can only see the mark at certain angles,as you say an unusual design,been trying to find more info' on Irene Stevens but apart from 20th Century British Glass I'm not having much luck

[Anne]

Found a few snippets around, Keith, you might have them anyhow, but I'll add them for reference.

Angus-Butterworth in British Table & Ornamental Glass only refers to her as a "gifted designer" (page 46).

http://www.jdl.co.nz/webbandcorbett.html says she joined Webb Corbett in 1946 and left in 1957 to go to the Glass Department at Stourbridge College.

http://gorgeousglass.org.uk/webb-corbett/ says she remained a glass consultant to Webb Corbett until 1963.

http://gorgeousglass.org.uk/the-role-of-women/ says she trained at the Royal College of Art.

http://www.20thcentury-glass.org.uk/id62.html Some examples of her designs here.

http://www.glassencyclopedia.com/Webbcorbettglass.html has a reference to a Webb Corbett catalogue at Broadfield House, worth checking out?

http://www.thefreelibrary.com/A+cut+above+the+rest%3B+INTERIORS+Jo+Ind+looks+at+the+Black+Country%27s...-a062379647 has  more about the ranges she worked on.

http://www.prescott-walker.com/Robert_Prescott-Walker.com/Articles/Entries/1991/4/17_The_Designer_in_the_Glass_Industry,_1930-1960..html another snippet about what she did at Stourbridge College.

http://vads.ac.uk/diad/bres/pub/COID/215/45.jpg and finally... a pic of the lady herself! 

[keith]

Thanks Anne,have seen some of those,she was quite a lady,pioneer for her time,first woman to hold the post of chief designer in the 40',50' and 60's,the picture in 20th century glass,page 274,shows how difficult it must have been for a woman in this or any other industry.