Topic: Small Beaked Vase = Whitefriars

[Pinkspoons]

I bought this last week from a very enthusiastic lady in a rural Yorkshire collector's shop - any clues as to who made it?

Just under 20cm high, smokey pale blue colour, polished pontil. Hardly any wear to the base.



These pop up occasionally on eBay as Whitefriars... ...but then what doesn't these days?  :lol: I had a quick look through the catalogues and it doesn't correspond with their beaked vase pattern - just to double-check.

I thought possibly Scandi when I bought it - but not Holmegaard (their beaked vases are a lot tubbier around the bottom and the blue is the wrong shade).

[vidrioguapo]

Well I'd say it is Whitefriars.  Pat. 9556 in Arctic Blue.  I have a whole gaggle of these including Arctic Blue.  They were hand blown so sizes vary and range from about 7.5 inches to 8inches with varying girths.  It's what I really like about them , the difference in sizes...each one is individual.  Sometimes the beaky bits are very even, in height, sometimes one is more elongated.  So I would say YES it is W/F/ (hope I don't get egg on my face!!!!!) Emmi

[Max]

LOL!  I was just typing that it might be arctic blue, and I noticed that Emmi had just replied...beaten to it!   :lol:

[Pinkspoons]

I'm not sure - in the WF catalogue photo the vase shape is quite organic and flowing, whereas this one has a blockier feel towards the bottom of the vase.

Although, as you say, they were hand blown, which could account for shape irregularities. The colour is very much like arctic blue, though (working from memory, anyway).

[chopin-liszt]

:D:D

There's a post wayyyyy back, where somebody in the know - (it might have been Patrick Hogan or Adam D.) describes watching these being swung around in the air in order to form their shape. :shock: :shock: :shock: This may account for inconsistency in dimensions. :lol:
:idea: It's somewhere between me registering and you registering, Nic. :!:

Do you remember it, Max?

[lucyw]

Nic,
 hi, I thought the blockier shape of the base looks more like some Per Lutken pieces I have seen. Maybe another avenue to investigate?
Lou*

[Pinkspoons]

I don't think that Holmegaard is responsible for my vase - HG rarely used polished pontils except on tableware, and the blue isn't a Holmegaard blue - it's too smokey.

Lutken beak vases for HG look like this:

AUCTION Mod: Dead link


Thanks for the suggestion, though. 

[Pinkspoons]

Ooh, very nice.

But they all still seem to have quite curvy organic lines.

[lucyw]

Hi again,
 I have seen different designs by Per very much in the style of yours. That base just doesn't look right for WF. I know every piece is hand blown and subject to varients, but yours seems too different to me.
I don't want to rock the boat, just stating an opinion.
Lou*

[Pinkspoons]

It's okay, Lou - I wasn't on the offensive; I'm not 100% this vase is WF, but it does fit that stable more than it does Holmegaard in terms of colour, shape (kind of), and finish to the base. Most Lutken vases are flat-polished, and Holmegaard's aqua blue is pretty consistant throughout the years (except for a few varying shades with some HG pressed glass I own, but the glass is brighter, rather than smokier).

But I'd be glad to be wrong - I collect Holmegaard far more obsessively than I do Whitefriars.  :lol:

Example of colours - Holmegaard Aqua on the right, beaked vase on the left. Don't have any Whitefriars in Arctic Blue to compare it to - I did have a duck, but I sold it.