Topic: Victorian? engraved bowl with lion head prunts

[Leni]

I recently acquired this little bowl (height 2.5 inches or 6.5cm, diameter 3.5 inches or 9cm) which is engraved with ferns and insects, and has a polished out pontil mark.  It also has 'snail' feet which are topped with a lions head prunt. 

Has anyone any idea who could have made it, and the possible date?  I am assuming it to be Victorian because of the popularity of fern and insect engraving at that time. 

I have searched the board for information about lion head prunts, but mainly find references to Italian glass, and I'm fairly sure this bowl isn't!  Have lion prunts been attributed to any particular glass house?  I believe Stuart made some items with plain 'snail' feet, but I realise that others probably did as well.   

Any help would be much appreciated.  Thank you.

[chopin-liszt]

Stevens and Willimas used a lion head prunt on their Caerleon range in 1929. There's an illustration on p.196 of Lesley Jackson's 20th Century Factory Glass.
This has stuck with me, because I once thought I'd found a bit (it wasn't). The pics of the prunt are not that clear, and it doesn't say there the prunt is a lion's head - I think I found that out from another (now forgotten) source.

It would however, fit with the fabulous engraving you have there, wouldn't it?

[Leni]

Thanks, Sue     Searching for 'lion prunts' and 'Stevens & Williams' on t'internet has led me to the Black Country History pages, where I see that both S&W and Richardson are known to have put lion head prunts on things!    

Ah well!      

[chopin-liszt]

Can you see if the shape of the head is the same as the one illustrated in Jackson?
I can't really, but it might be my lack of useful eyesight. I have searched and searched for images on the net, of Caerleon with the lion head prunts - but they are all devoid of anything leonine or prunty.

As far as I can make out, your lions heads are not incompatible with the ones in LJ.
I haven't yet trawled Hajdamach.... I get lost trying to use the index for what I'm looking for, despite trying to make notes myself to add to the index to make it more useful every time I do use it .

[flying free]

http://www.lyonandturnbull.com/asp/fullCatalogue.asp?salelot=355+++++++23+&refno=++153959
Are these the same 'range' or design at all?
No identification unfortunately.
m

[flying free]

http://www.whitefriars.com/bb_orig/viewtopic.php?p=38071&highlight=&sid=51064278ebccfc62df2450f2d8d9f2db#38071
And here is a discussion about a jug with the snail shell feet and lion prunts on Whitefriars.com - I'm not sure how this compares to yours but there are some designs on there at the beginning of the thread.
m

[Leni]

Gosh, thanks - and well done - m!    Not 100% sure about the ones in the Whitefriars link, but the prunts on the items in the Lyon & Turnbull sale definitely look quite similar.  Pity there was no ID on that site.   I'm beginning to think that very many glass houses used lion head prunts!  And there was me thinking it might be possible to get a definite ID this time 

Anyway, many thanks M, and everyone who's posted  

[flying free]

you're welcome    the shape of your bowl does remind me of a Stuart bowl I have to be honest. But I don't recall seeing that they did things with lion prunts.
I'll have a further trawl and post if I see anything else.
m

[Lustrousstone]

Possibly the trouble with prunts, as with crimps, is that they require a mould or a tool and the manufacturers may have sold them off the shelf

[Leni]

Possibly the trouble with prunts, as with crimps, is that they require a mould or a tool and the manufacturers may have sold them off the shelf

Yes, that's true, Christine.  I once had a discussion with Melvyn Gulliver about whether or not it might be possible to identify one Stourbridge glasshouse's piece from another by the crimps and tool marks, and he pointed out to me that it was very likely that the same blacksmith made the tools for several glasshouses!  Well, me for not thinking of that!