Topic: Large Solid Heavy Blue bowl,similar to Sowerby pieces, lost Id

[kittykittykitty]

Hi, I have 2 of these bowls, this is the larger one. Am unable to provide measurements sorry as its still packed. Afew yrs ago I did Id this but have now lost the info. I think it was approx. 1930's, have searched & searched but nothing. Hoping the photo provides enough to help with Id.
With a guess it would be bigger than 30cm across from tip to tip of curved over edge detail.
TIA for any help

[Paul S.]

almost certainly Sowerby - it matches with the number of fingers, and those two small side by side diamonds lower down the bowl section, were a Sowerby decorative feature on many of their 'fingered' bowl shaped pieces.
This design seems to have started out in the early 1930's with some variation in shape, and were called Table Centres, with frogs and plinths -although as salad bowls they don't appear until some time in the 1940's  -  and again you could have a plinth.            The pattern No. for the salad bowl was 2505  -  fingers could point either up or down.

Need to see this piece side on to get an idea of the depth and see if it matches the shapes in the CD catalogue - the size of which is quoted as 9".                 It was offered in blue, and if you look in Miller's /McConnell '20th Century Glass' - page 65 you'll see the sort of blue and an example of the 'Table Centre' range offered by the factory.         Your particular shape is not shown, unfortunately, and your pic. seems to show a much paler blue than was usual for Sowerby 
 

[kittykittykitty]

Hi Paul, many thanks for your reply.
As I said I cant take anymore photo's as this & most of my pieces are still packed from our move. I also have that book & will look here for it or at our other house where some packed things still are.

I know the pieces with the pointed up fingers ( think one is "iris") & the Sowerby blue & yes my pieces are quite a different colour altogether. For some reason I have it in my head it was not Sowerby that I Id it as afew yrs back but I may not remember  properly.

My bowls have no wear what so ever to show a frog has ever been used, not even a minor scratch mark & with a plinth it would have made it a HUGE display piece. I will search out your suggestions many thanks...cheers kat

[Paul S.]

slightly crossed wires kitty               Assuming it's the 2505 salad bowl, then there won't be a flower frog  -  a plinth was available - but not a frog  -  there'd never be enough room for the salad if you put a frog in as well                    As far as I know, the frogs were supplied with the 'Table Centre' designs only.

But the colour has me worried  -  it doesn't look remotely like a Sowerby blue  -  maybe the mould was bought by another manufacturer?

[Anne]

Is it a pale ice blue? I have a Sowerby butterfly candlestick in a pale ice blue which isn't like the other blue Sowerby set I have.

[kittykittykitty]

Cheers Paul, think we are on the same page now.
Have not had tie to search yet, hopefully today.

Anne, many thanks for your reply. The blue is alittle like ice blue, quite soft & nice.
cheers

[kittykittykitty]

I have stumbled across this base picture in my files.
While the blue is soft it is a lot bluer than this photo shows.