Topic: Is this a Ronald Stennett Willson Vase?

[seanduxbury]

Hi All.  Hope someone can help me ID this small vase.  I found it recently with the remnants of a paper label on the base which I am 99% certain reads KING'S LYNN CRYSTAL HAND MADE ENGLAND.  Unfortunately even with my best magnifying glass I cannot find a signature anywhere and the only references I can find to identifying RSW work through a label talks about KING'S LYNN GLASS not CRYSTAL.  Also the examples of paper labels I have found look nothing like the label on this vase

It measures 16 cms tall and is 5 cms at the rim and 5.5 cms at the base and weighs 140 gms.

It is (in my opinion) attractive with swirls of amber that sweep down from the rim to the base,  At the rim these are quite elongated but as they get to the base them are much more compact and almost give the glass a textured appearance (almost 'scale-like).  There is a blemish at the top where one of the amber stretched 'scales' appears to have not taken and has left an opaque frosted area.  I'm assuming this is a blemish that has happened at the time of manufacturing rather than later damage

Any help would be much appreciated

[Paul S.]

As you say, none of the standard production colours or shapes come anywhere near this, but.........

Susan Tobin uses the expression............"on Crystal produced during the early King's Lynn years......" - which assume means the late '60's  -  so the word crystal is not necessarily inappropriate.

I can't find mention of a label that matches this one exactly, but elements of the wording agree with other labels which were curved and oval in shape, and we've no reason to think this is a forgery - 'England is in the correct position to match similar labels.

This blotch-like effect with the colouring does come near to some of RSW's early experimental pieces - although obviously with one off's there aren't going to be real matches with other pieces.

What is the wear, if any, on this vase?   If the base is very unmarked I'd be a little curious.

Sorry this is not conclusive, but you could be in with a chance  -  let's see what the others think

[seanduxbury]

I have to say there's very little sign of wear on the base.  I've attached an image - hopefully it might help. 

[Paul S.]

not conclusive as I'm always being told

there is a clear-cased bowl  -  the extreme left in CH's 'C20 Glass' - page 337 - the lower picture, that shows a colourway of similar deep tortoise shell effect as the base of this piece - and produced in 1970.

In McConnell's/Miller's 'C20 Glass' - page 233 - there are dip-moulded and colour splashed vases, again from 1970 that, whilst completely different shapes have a similar tortoise shell spattered/streaked colourways.

Get the impression that much of this early stuff was either of limited production runs or one offs, so difficult to assess your vase.

the bases of RSW pieces varied  -  some have nicely finished bottoms, others don't have a very professional look, so a bit inconclusive really.

I had hoped a collector of RSW might look in.

[seanduxbury]

Found this on ebay - it looks like one of the Wedgwood birds designed by RSW - look at the label

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GLASS-PAPERWEIGHT-BIRD-RONALD-STENNET-WILSON-KINGS-LYNN-GLASS-/371136798438?

Also part of the Caithness group in King's Lynn trades under King's Lynn Crystal but I cannot find any of their labels.

Maybe 'barking up the wrong tree'?

[Paul S.]

my opinion is that you're o.k. with this one - the shape of the label - the colour and the slightly spatter effect within the glass... and date wise I'd suggest between 1967 and possibly 1970.         However, this still remains just my opinion  -  I'm a general collector only, don't specialize in anything.

There seems to be a percentage of early RSW material that doesn't surface, or only rarely, plus the usual one offs that occur with some of these makers - have a look in CH.
In his book 'Modern Glass' (1975), RSW was keen to show some of what was then quite novel and experimental colours and shapes that were coming from Scandinavia and Britain, and this general tendency to some shade of ochre/brown is not uncommon in many pieces from that period.       Certainly King's Lynn used this colour, so it's not a case that it was unheard of from this factory.

Get the feeling that early King's Lynn glass is less collected than might be expected, not sure why, although there seems no end of folk who collect the animals.

Susan Tobin, in her book, comments on the fact that there were many different labels, in shape and colour, certainly there were oval shaped ones with wording similar to yours, so as we've said don't think the label is a problem, unless it's married to the wrong piece of glass of course.

[seanduxbury]

I've just had a reply to an email I sent to Caithness Glass in King's Lynn - very interesting

Thank you for your email and photo attachments.

I have shown the pictures to our glassmaker, who has been making glass in King’s Lynn for over 40 years.

He thinks you have a slightly unusual piece, because we have only used the name “King’s Lynn Crystal” as a brand for the last eight years, since we became an independent business.

The plot thickens!

The way the colour has been added, on the surface, is not how we do it for stock product. We roll the colour into the molten glass.

So, what the glassmaker thinks you have found is a “frigger”. This was a piece of practice glass that was allowed to be made to help develop the glassmakers skills and this was allowed to be taken home, but not for resale.

The vase was probably made in the late 60’s, when the business was called King’s Lynn Glass, prior to it becoming Wedgewood in 1970.

But of course one or two of the glassmakers made “slightly” more than they should and one of them must have had some labels made to make it look as though it was proper stock.

Certainly an interesting find, to be enjoyed for its background rather than any great monitory value.

I hope the above is of help.

Kind regards,

Mark Sander
Managing Director