Topic: Stevens and Williams Caerleon?

[flying free]

thanks Frank - that's interesting re the pattern number relating to shape as Stevens and Williams did use the same shapes for a variety of decors at least in some examples I know of.

Actually it might help if I quote the whole sentence from Charles Hajdamach 20th Century British Glass:
In 20th Century British Glass it says
''Caerleon' first appears in the Stevens and Williams pattern books on 1 January 1929 at pattern number 58564 where it is described as: 'Flint base'/'Caerleon'/'Orange Blue and Yellow splashes pulled Streaky and Iridised'. Variations such as blue were introduced early in 1930 but after then no new Caerleon patterns appear in the pattern books and the emphasis moved to the stylish cut designs on black and green cased glass echoeing the geometric Art Deco fashions'.

Actually rereading the way that sentence is written I read that as three different decors - ' Flint base' and 'Caerleon' and 'Orange Blue and Yellow Splashes pulled Streaky and Iridised'.  Does anyone else? Otherwise why wouldn't 'Caerleon' have been written first, if Flint base and the colour decor had been a description of Caerleon?
If they are different decors, maybe Christine's belongs to the 'Orange Blue and Yellow Splashes pulled Streaky and Iridised' ? rather than 'Caerleon'?
m

[Lustrousstone]

You're over analysing - it's a pattern book description. It's describing a flint base vase with Caerleon decor in the Orange Blue and Yellow splashes pulled Streaky and Iridised variant, i.e., starting from the beginning point and working out

[flying free]

ok 
so it seems though that Stevens and Williams did describe their decors in their pattern books.  Therefore back to square one which is British Glass says it first appeared in the pattern books in 1929 but The Crystal Years says it was made in 1919.
There's quite a difference in time span between the two. 
m

[Frank]

According to description books, 1927-30 so the other book is wrong.

[flying free]

According to Charles Hajdamach 20th Century British Glass page 109, after a description of Caerleon range which 'they described as 'flint base', 'orange blue and yellow splashes pulled streaky and iridised' (Plate 215)' he says

'Many variations followed including a 'blue and brown rock effect on light amethyst bubbly' glass and 'blue Caerleon with an applied snake'.

Mine looks like those he pictures on page 110 but there isn't a single hint of orange and yellow splashes    Also mine is full of bubbles but yet 'bubbles' doesn't appear in that description.

I've spent all afternoon trying to photograph mine to get that level of iridescence and surface texture from it and I can't. 


I do think yours is a Stevens and Williams Caerleon vase but I wonder if it is one of the other variations ?  Or whether yours is the range as described above and mine is one of the other variations?
Also I wonder if these were free blown rather than mould blown, and that some of them are kind of one-off shapes?

[glassobsessed]

This is the blue Caerleon (and with snake and no shortage of bubbles): http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,51557.0.html

John

[Lustrousstone]

Nigel says there is quite a wide range of Caerleon colours, including red frit. Our vases are all Caerleon but without direct access to all the original docs we cannot know the details of exactly what colours and when.

[flying free]

Brilliant thanks Christine - would love to see the red frit one, I bet that's pretty as well.
From searching on here I thought the Stevens and Williams catalogues were available/out there.  I got the impression they were on loan to someone - I thought Dyl Hier had them?  Were they bought or on loan does anyone know?
m

[Frank]

I have a couple, Rakow have more. Broadfield House must too.