Topic: Glass shoe, not Sowerby pattern 1927 – Greener & Co.?

[agincourt17]

The Sowerby pattern 1927 shoe has a bow at the front from which hang two ribbon-like extensions. The bow sits right at the top edge of the shoe front.

For a while now, I have been accumulating photos of a glass shoe pattern that was similar to Sowerby pattern 1927, but not identical. The bow sits well below the top edge of the shoe front, the ribbon-like extensions are shorter, and one side of the shoe front has a vertical row of 4 hemispherical ‘buttons. In addition, the sides of the shoe are textured with stippling, whereas the sides of the Sowerby 1927 shoe are plain.

So far I have photos of the shoe pattern in three colours: clear flint glass, blue opalescent glass, and an orange-brown marbled glass. None of the shoes bears any identifying marks.

(Permission for the re-use of the images of the orange-brown marbled shoe on the GMB granted by Kevin Collins).

The clear flint glass shoe could, of course, have come from just about any manufacturer.

The blue opalescent glass shoe immediately brings to mind two major British manufacturers – Davidson, and Greener & Co.

A couple of months ago I showed a rare orange-brown marbled glass basket with handle by Greener & Co., RD 121985 registered on 23 March 1889:
http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,57916.msg328407.html#msg328407
and the orange-brown tones of the basket are not dissimilar to that of the marbled glass shoe. However, I know of no Davidson pieces made from a similar orange-brown marbled glass.

I think that there is strong evidence, therefore, that this glass shoe with a lowered bow, buttons on one side of the front, and stippled sides is likely to have been made by Greener & Co. in the late 1880s. Does anyone have photos to show of a similar shoe in other colours, please? If so, are there any identifying markings?

Plagiarism of glass designs was rife at the time, competition was fierce, decorative glass shoes were fashionable, and there are enough differences between the Sowerby 1927 shoe (an unregistered design) and the ‘Greener & Co.’ shoe to avoid overt claims of design copying – but which came first, the Sowerby 1927 shoe or the ‘Greener & Co.’ version?

Fred.

[agincourt17]

For the sake of completeness, here are a couple of photos of the shoe in clear flint glass.

(Permission for the re-use of these images on the GMB granted by c.a.evans202).

Fred.

[mhgcgolfclub]

Hi Fred

The Sowerby shoe came first I think.

The opalescent blue shoe and others are not English but made in Sweden.

The shoe is shown twice in catalogs from 1910 and 1932 in Pris- Courant ofver Glasvaror glassware catalog from the FIRMA R. O. BARAUER & Co Transjo Sweden from the book Shoes of Glass 2 by Libby Yalom.

Roy

[agincourt17]

Thank you for your informative reply, Roy.

I'm surprised that the shoes were produced at such a late date.

Just shows how a little knowledge can lead me completely up the wrong track (or perhaps that should be 'leave me wrong-footed'?).

I've seen Libby Yalom's book referred to several time recently but am desperately trying to resist the urge to add yet another tome to my already overstocked library.

Fred.

[thewingedsphinx]

The shoe of the rusty colour above is a Greener and Co colour as I have a picture of a jug with reg rd95935 16/3/88.

So there is evidence that the shoe is Greener.

Also I have just compared the pearline blue shoe with Greeners registered boot Rd 103978 also 1888 as my father has both. The underside of the heel and part of the sole are the same. I’ll show a picture later.
Greener was also making blue pearline in 1888.
I wonder if the manufacturer mentioned in the book of shoes was making other items in blue pearline ? I’ll grab a copy of that book.

[thewingedsphinx]

Picture courtesy of J. Measell.
The rare rustic colour of the shoes is also found on the jug which is Greener and co rd95935 16/3/88, perhaps the shoe shape originated from Greener.