Topic: Chance Glass Spiderweb - Unusual hand painted jar

[Charlotte Breeze]

I am an avid Chance Glass collector and I was pleased to find this unusual jar recently. I don't know if they were made like this or if finished by someone else at a later date.  The handle is quite unusual too.  Any comments welcome 

[David E]

Hello Charlotte and a belated welcome to the GMB.

It is indeed a very unusual Spiderweb jar and while I have an example in red, the enamelling is rather damaged (cold-painted, which explains a lot). I originally thought it could have been homemade, but this second one seems to suggest otherwise (unless it was a cottage industry by someone). I cannot confirm if jars having this design were produced by Chance, but they produced so many other oddly decorated glassware about this time, I wouldn't be surprised.

I was hoping to catalogue as many of the patterns that appear on Spiderweb (and other Chance pressed glass), so would welcome a high-resolution image of it.

Added: Yes, there are many different knobs as well, with some quite bizarre shapes. I hope to include a few examples in Chance Additions.

[keith]

Welcome,from another Chance collector,here's another variation,

[Charlotte Breeze]

How exciting! That one has a lovely handle too, similar but different.  Here are a couple of close up pics (sorry about the quality my skills in that area are sadly lacking!) A whole new collecting area to worry about! My husband will be pleased LOL

David I will certainly try to get you a better photo. I'll try to take one in daylight this weekend. Can't wait to see the new book!

Thanks for the responses it often feels like I am the only person in the world with a clue what Chance Glass is.

[keith]

Just a thought, as David said the painting may have been done outside of the factory but that finial looks a bit like a lotus leaf and the Oriental design may have been asked for to match it,possible?? ,it's late so I'll shut up,

[David E]

I can't be sure where all these knobs/knops/finials and metalware derived from. It may have been Chance or one of its distributors "tarting up" the glassware. However, no adverts or records have appeared so far that attribute these fittings to Chance, so I can't be certain about this. What I can say is that there are many different variations to this theme - both the decoration of the glassware (the vast majority almost certainly done by Chance) and the fittings (yet to be confirmed).

[flying free]

I think I had (or maybe still have somewhere) a fitting like the one on Keith's jar, on what I thought 'might' be a post war Nazeing for Elwell (maybe...maybe not) little trinket box. 
I'll try and dig it out tomorrow.
m

[Stuart71]

Hi Charlotte, that's a nice looking jar, I saw one similar but in red once but didn't buy it which I regret, I'm always doing that! I have quite a few of the jars myself with lots of different lids but none as unusual as that one. I don't have any of the painted ones either, mine are all with the crinkles except for one with star transfers. I just need somewhere to put them all! In terms of collecting Chance, you are certainly not alone, Stuart.

[David E]

Definitely not alone, Stuart, and the photos I've seen of your own Chance pressed glass still raise my eyebrows! 

I would like to take this opportunity to clear up any misunderstanding from my statement:

It may have been Chance or one of its distributors "tarting up" the glassware. However, no adverts or records have appeared so far that attribute these fittings to Chance, so I can't be certain about this.

There is no doubt that the metalware seen adorning Chance items were NOT manufactured by Chance, and was definitely sourced by various makers, as mentioned in my book, p.28 (e.g. James Clarke & Sons). What I was trying to demonstrate in this topic was whether Chance itself actually sold items with the metal fittings.

I personally believe that it was one, or more, of its distributors although there is some debate about those fittings which are crimped onto the foot of the jugs and basins. I think those metal feet can only have been fitted whilst the glass is hot and malleable, which indicates that some fittings were probably fitted at the factory. See image, where the foot of the jug is also slightly deformed and the metal fitting is extremely tight on the glass foot.

Any ideas how, after the jug was pressed, the metal foot was added? I may include these thoughts in Chance Additions.