Topic: Anne’s GTS Mystery Set 22 – ID = Western Glass Works

[agincourt17]

A trinket set (a tray, a pair of short candlesticks, and a lidded pot) in blue pressed glass to match the short candlestick shown as Anne’s Mystery Set 22 at

http://www.glasstrinketsets.com/Gallery/thumbnails.php?album=25

Also, from two different sources, a similar lidded pot in peachy pink glass, plus a pair of tall candlesticks (also in peachy pink glass) that must surely be in the same pattern.

Comments, suggestions, or ID, please?

(Permission for the re-use of the image of the blue set on GMB granted by bobbys-bargains-2009, the first pink set by shaunandgromitresideshere, and the second pink set by Jean Whitehouse).

[LinzC]

Think I found it! 

Partial advert from Western Glass Works Limited (cropped the top off, it was for fruit sets and cruet sets).  Advert from the 1952 Pottery Gazette directory, where they are listed as a manufacturer.

[Anne]

Lindsey, thank you, that's brilliant!  I've not seen this advert before although Western Glass has been mentioned previously on the board.  In fact one of our earliest questions was about Western Glass (dated August 2005!)

Armed with your advert I'm hunting for more information about this company. This is what I've found so far...

According to their website they are currently trading as Western House and are now clearly importers rather than manufacturers, which is also borne out by other media stories relating to various employees. 

WESTERN HOUSE LIMITED   Company number 00474735   Incorporated on 7 November 1949
Nature of business (SIC) 46150 - Agents involved in the sale of furniture, household goods, hardware and ironmongery
Previous company names
WESTERN GLASS INTERNATIONAL LIMITED 16 Feb 1983 - 11 May 1990
WESTERN GLASS WORKS LIMITED 07 Nov 1949 - 16 Feb 1983

[Source:  Companies House database]

This one states that Western Glass Works was "based in Dockhead, just south of Tower Bridge in London. Then in 1974 ...  the business moved to Basingstoke ...”  whilst this one says that in the early 1970s that Tim Heppner was the Managing Director of Western Glass.

Interestingly, they are not mentioned in David C Watts' website on Glassmaking in London, nor are they listed in the 1951 Directory for the British Glass Industry on Grace's Guide.

CMOG have some catalogue material relating to Western Glass, which includes hotel, bar and soda fountain ware.

Still hunting!

Incidentally, ref their listing in PG 1963 as quoted by Frank in the earlier topic linked to above, 41-43 Dockhead is an interesting building, built in 1905 and recently refurbished, it can still be seen in all its glory. Described as a warehouse conversion it now rejoices in the name of The Italian Building. I found a couple of photos of it when Heppner's were in situ.

[Anne]

New page on GTS for this set https://www.glasstrinketsets.com/cms3/english/western-glass-works/set-1

[Jayne]

Think I found it! 

Partial advert from Western Glass Works Limited (cropped the top off, it was for fruit sets and cruet sets).  Advert from the 1952 Pottery Gazette directory, where they are listed as a manufacturer.

That is an absolute gem of a find LinzH, well done.

[Jayne]

Another thread on the Western Glass Works Set, for merging:

https://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,72026.0.html

And a thread showing what could be the set atomiser shown in the 1952 advert.

https://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,48379.0.html