Topic: British point engraver - ID = Patrick McMahon

[albglass]

I just love this point engraved vase.  The engraver used the front of the vase to create a hillside with a couple standing among trees.  The front inside of the vase is engraved with more tree leaves to give the trees more depth, and the back (which unfortunately didn't come out in the photo) has engraved mountains. The blank parts of the vase are used to give the illusion of a lake with the mountains in the background.  I'd love to know who engraved this vase, but I can't read the signature.  I've looked at the names of various point engravers mentioned in Whistler's book "Point Engraving on Glass" but none match, and I suspect this piece was done after the publication of that book in 1992.  Also, the examples in his book are more intricate.  Does anyone recognize the engraver's name on this piece?  Thanks!

[flying free]

It's lovely.  But how do you know it's British if you don't know who engraved it?
Have you seen this link?
http://www.gge.org.uk/memberdirectory/viewall
m

[keith]

Looks like 'Richardson' to me,

[albglass]

Mike, that's a great link and I didn't have it.  Thanks!  I can't be 100% sure it is British, but it was bought from a seller in England and the great preponderance of modern point engravers are British.  There aren't many point engravers outside England and the few I am aware of have specific subjects they engrave and this isn't one of them.  Signatures can be the devil to decipher!

[flying free]

You're welcome but I'm not a man
m

[albglass]

Oops, sorry.    I checked for Richardson in the members list for the glass engravers guild, but didn't get a hit.  But that just could mean the engraver is not a member in the guild, or the name is not Richardson.  I am hoping someone has another example of this engraver's work and will recognize the signature, because it doesn't look like something a raw amateur would have produced.

[flying free]

  no worriIes
I also checked Richardson and nothing
I thought it might be P something?  so I checked all those beginning with P and still nothing.
There is a P Nilsson which is what I'd thought originally but the work doesn't look anything like this.
It might be worth sending a pic to the guild of glass engravers and seeing if they might be able to help you?
m

[Anne]

I think this could be the late Patrick McMahon - it's not as readable as his usual signature, but they do vary a wee bit. http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,42981.msg239431.html#msg239431

He did 3D-effect engraving like you are describing, and trees and mountains are regular themes.  That vase shape is one he regularly used too.

[albglass]

Yes, I am positive now that the signature is Patrick's.  Comparing mine with another of his signatures on the message board, there is the same big loop P at the beginning, and where the letters dip or are round or go up, they all match.  I normally try to contact the artist, but see that will not be possible.  Tragic news indeed.