Glass Discussion & Research. NO IDENTIFICATION REQUESTS here please. > Malta Glass
Mtarfa glass
Anonymous:
I've seen many birds on eBay like this, Terry, but always assumed they were Chinese - but the one you show does exhibit a lot of class with what looks like silver inclusions in the base. Very nice.
As for them thriving, before replying to Anne's original message I did look for Paul Said's company address (his brother Joseph owns Mdina, BTW) and was unable to find it. The web site's not that spectacular but it does show a few nice pieces - let's hope he hasn't gone belly-up! :(
[I need my regular fix of weird vases]
But much of Mtarfa's glass always seems to exhibit very narrow necks with an exaggerated lip and I've always considered the quality to be higher than later Mdina (some of which is rather dire IMHO and do look like poor attempts at freeform Murano or Flygsfors).
Regards,
David
David E:
Hi all,
I wonder whether I should have kept my trap shut as I'll probably have more competition for my squiggly neck vases now :cry: REMEMBER: I SAW THEM FIRST! :wink:
The later Mdina glass (or what I've always perceived to be 'later') is very thick, clumsy glass with a rather uneven surface and the clear glass often exhibits a greenish tinge: normally the sign of glass with impurities (iron oxide, I think). Their freeform glass is also quite small in size in comparison to Murano and Flygsfors.
As I couldn't find the Mtarfa web site this is why I thought they might have gone belly-up - hopefully not, but it is eluding me at present. There are several mentions of Mtarfa under Google, but none having a link to the site!
I'll keep trying.
David
David E:
Just when you thought it was safe to go back into the water...
http://sites.maltanet.net/websites/misstourism/mtarfa.htm
Not the site I was looking for, but it's a start. Might end up giving them a ring if I have no more success.
David
David E:
Blimey, look at this!
http://www.mepa.org.mt/asps/EC_systemkey_search.asp?systemkey=3446
Hmm, perhaps they have closed down :?: :!: :evil:
Anyway, another site showing a few photos:
http://www.starwebmalta.com/pages-mtarfa.asp
Keep lookin'
David
Anne:
This little vase isn't like that - I don't know when it dates from, but it's extremely smooth and well-made, quite heavy for its size. I'm very taken with it. And here is the picture link so you can all see what I'm rabbiting on about...
http://yobunny.org.uk/gallery1/displayimage.php?pos=-88
http://yobunny.org.uk/gallery1/displayimage.php?pos=-90
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