Topic: Milk Glass Doilie Plaque I.d Request

[Paul S.]

hello Otis.......  I'll certainly have a look at the Archive records on my next visit, and provide some pix if these are available, although as I've already mentioned, I can't imagine that this will help in any way to indicate a manufacturing date for your piece.           This situation is a common occurence with pressed glass - but you're right to believe that crisp and clear impressions of marks would normally indicate an earlier rather than later pressing.

[Otis Orlando]

Thank you, in anticipation and appreciate your help.

It is of concern though, when difficulty arises when trying to date a piece, especially with no markings, irrespective of ones with markings.  I think it is solely down to the judgement of glass specialist that can determine a date, but this too, can be inconclusive.

[Otis Orlando]

During my search I came accross this site that maybe of some help to present and new GMB members:

http://1st-glass.1st-things.com/lozengetranslator.html

 

[Paul S.]

believe some GMB members use this site too Otis when decyphering the lozenges - and thanks for the link           Some of the U.K. published books also give these details, so reading a lozenge for most of us this side of the pond is not a problem - although your link is probably of more value your side.                   Unfortunately, knowing all of these details still won't provide a date as to when any given piece was pressed  -  other than, as we discussed, very clear relief details are more likely to have been produced near to the Rd. date  -  whilst those that are indistinct are probably not
I might try and have a word with Raymond Slack and get his opinion on this issue.

[Lustrousstone]

Otis is in the UK...

[Paul S.]

my sincere apologies Otis, so sorry, obviously having a senior moment.                  thanks Christine.

[Otis Orlando]

No problem Paul and Christine is correct.    I've just been looking up information regarding Henry Greener and your previous post in 2009, regarding pressed glass and ref. to one of Raymond Slack's books.   Another book that I will need to add to my collection.


1.      http://www.inchicore-pressedglass-museum.org/Greener1.htm

2.      http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php?topic=28639.0

[agincourt17]

Otis, Raymond Slack's "English Pressed Glass 1830-1900" (ISDBN 0712618716) is currently available via www.amazon.co.uk from £40 (sounds a lot, but it cost £30 when it was published in 1987!). If you are prepared to wait, you may get a copy via eBay for less (I think the last copy sold for about £25).

Another essential reference book is, of course, Jenny Thompson's " The Identification of English Pressed Glass 1848-1908", self-published in 1989 (ISBN 0951549103). Currently available via Amazon for around £25, but there have been a few recently on ebay for less than £10.
There is also a Supplement to Jenny Thompson's book, published in 1993 (ISBN 0951549111), currently £5.20 on Amazon (and usually about the same the same on eBay when listed).

Sheilagh Murray's "The Peacock and the Lions- The Story of Pressed Glass in the North East of England", Oriel Press, 1982 (ISBN 0853621977) concentrates on the output of the Davidson, Sowerby and Greener glass works but is now looking rather dated (with hardly a reference to registered design numbers). Currently avalable via Amazon from around £12. It does, However have some useful photographs (including a colour photo of the turquoise 'grape and vine' plate as a frontispiece - no mention of date or lozenge, just the lion & star trademark), and, interestingly, a mononchrome photo (plate 65) of the large circular plate with looped edging and floral decoration (shown by Roy in reply #5 of this thread) noted as having a lion and star trademark - so obviously Greener - but, again, no mention of a lozenge or date .

[Paul S.]

Slack's book being offered at £40 sounds excessively cheap - think I paid twice that.
Is this another instance of piracy/plagiarism - does it say the book is printed 'on demand'?
If not, and it's a genuine offer of a secondhand copy of the original print run, then it seems a bargain and should be snapped up.             It is currently probably the best of the books on pressed glass.

[agincourt17]

Slack (none print-on-demand) - 10 copies from £40 currently on Amazon:
Fine in fine dustjacket from gardenhutbooks - £40.00;
VG in VG dustjacket from RA Yardley (Books) - £57.00;
Good copy in like dustjacket from Bookbarn Internation - £57.59;
and onwards and upwards to £223.25 !! (though, after 25 years in the second-hand book trade, I wouldn't mind predicting that they still have that copy in 2025 at that price).

I actually bought my last copy of Slack for re-sale from eBay in January for £25.00 and sold it on eBay the following week for £45.00, which I think is probably about the going rate. Certainly, I think anything above £60 retail is excessively expensive.