Topic: Stuart Crystal by John Luxton or Ludwig Kny or who?

[Ochadamu]

I have come into possession of a fine Stuart Crystal (Stuart England mark) vase possibly by John Luxton.  I have included two photographs.  I would be grateful of comments.  Thanks

[Paul S.]

hi - welcome to the GMB.

John Luxton was with Stuart for something like three and a half decades, and the impression I get is that it's his earlier work that is more inclined to show these 'outlined eyes and leaves' type of decoration -  which is what I think I'm seeing on your vase.           Unfortunately, your pix don't blow up sufficiently to see detail clearly  -  so would be good idea if you can re-do....... there is some guidance on the Board intro page for help with pix.

At a quick glance I can't see your design in either Nigel Benson & Jeanette Hayhurst or Charles Hajdamach, but that's not remotely conclusive and if you can post some better quality pix then that may well help.

Your mark of Stuart England had a long lifespan, and does include the 1950 - 1960 period when John Luxton was designing this type of decoration.

[Ochadamu]

Thank you Paul,  I have attempted to improve the photographs but I have to limit individual sizes to 125kb.  Is there some way I can post larger photos?  Please let me know how you get on with these.

[Paul S.]

yes, much better thanks, and although I'm not able to find this specific pattern in my books, it does have the characteristic outlined leaves/eyes that were typical of John Luxton's work from the period I mentioned.      Did someone suggest to you that this may be his design?

The rim shape of your vase is unusual - as you might imagine most vases are circular to the top - I have found what I believe to be a very similar if not identical vase shape in Nigel Benson & Jeanette Hayhurst's booklet, which they date to the 1960's, and with a height of 8"  -  does this match the height of your example?

[Ochadamu]

Thanks again Paul.  Yes, it just over 8 inches tall.  I have a two Luxton bowls and a Luxton vase.  One vase and bowl are later, but I have a circa 70's period bowl.  I also have a large Ludwig Kny bowl and glass tray.  the glass tray is signed but the bowl is not.  I don't have the books you mentioned, but my friend Philip M does.  He suggested it this vase may be by John Luxton because of the similarity of the style of cutting to some other of his work.  But Philip could not find an example in his sources either.

[Paul S.]

must say that I'm tempted to agree with your friend that there is a possibility your vase may be one of Luxton's designs  -  I won't go further than saying it's a possibility, but certainly I think that is the case.

Although Luxton retired around 1985, apparently Stuart managed to persuade him to return some time in the mid 1990's with a view to promoting the re-working of some of his 1960's designs - but this vase shape would not have been one of them  - it owes too much to mid C20 shapes I'm convinced.

As you are no doubt aware, this elliptical leaf/eye shape with the outlining seems to have been  Lu Kny invention, and is seen on many of his 1930's designs, especially vases.          If you look at page 237 of Miller's "20th Century Glass', you can see pieces with these 'leaves' in an almost pyramidal arrangement - rather like the patterning on yours.

You look to have some good pieces  -  there was a time when such things appeared in charity shops for £0.50 but alas no more, and good Luxton examples seem now to be scarce.

[Paul S.]

sorry to say but think we're both guilty of going a little awry on this one.
Whilst John Luxton did to some extent make use of this outlined leaf cut shape, his creations are far more purely geometric than the 1930's designs from Lu Kny, where there is a definite attempt at art deco stylized floral representation.         According to the books, this eye-shaped cut mitre in the form of a leaf with distinctive v-outline, looks to be an original design attributable to Kny from that period  -  and does match the cutting pattern on your vase.                   
It's well known that some popular designs from Stuart were continued for many decades - certainly this 'graduated pairs of leaves' theme appears on several pieces in Andy McConnell's/Miller's book I've already mentioned.             Could be wrong, but this doesn't change my suggested date of your vase of c. late 1950's to early 1960's  -  just that it has been given an earlier Kny design.
It's very worth while getting the Charles Hajdamach and Benson & Hayhurst books (if you can find the latter), and the Miller's is a very good general book, although not remotely comprehensive on Stuart - but then what is.

So, I feel sufficiently confident to say that John Luxton's name should be removed from this heading and replaced with Ludvig (Lu) Kny  -  but it's another matter as to whether the Mods will agree with me
............and moved to British.

[Ochadamu]

I am enjoying this first posting on the forum.  It is great to correspondent with another glass enthusiast - and someone who clearly takes a keen interest enough to accrue knowledge about it.  I have a copy of Millers 20th Century Glass, but it must be different to the one you mention earlier.  Page 237 in my copy is in the index.  I will see what other books are available for purchase.

What I hear you saying is that the vase design could be attributed to Lu Kny but executed by a later employee in the 50s/60s.  Still inconclusive though.  This post has only attracted comment from you Paul.  Perhaps there is too little a pool of knowledge and source material out there for others to feel confident to comment more precisely - unless someone has gone this way before and has a piece of glass with this design.  Your comments, and the time you have spent researching this are very much appreciated.  Kind regards, Nigel (not Benson!)

[Paul S.]

Hi Nigel  -  good to know that you're keen on cut glass from the Stuart factory  -  on this forum there appears to be little interest in this particular area at the moment.      Mr. Benson is the real expert on such matters  -  although sadly he looks in rarely these days.
Fashion is nothing if not fickle - and clear cut glass from the middle third of the C20 seems to excite few people at the moment - but as you will know, some of the Kny, Luxton, Hammond, Irene Stevens, Farquarson, Murray etc. cut glass is outstanding, although prohibitively expensive, unless you're lucky enough to find something in a charity shop.

In truth I don't know to what extent, if any, that Kny did any actual cutting  -  he may have been a designer pure and simple - but yes, what I'm saying is that this elongated outlined leaf was his speciality, and no doubt was a design that Stuart cutters continued to produce for some time after his departure.     The overall design, where these leaves were incorporated with straight lines was a 'thirties' thing - some time before John Luxton started with Stuart, but was continued by the factory into the 1950's and probably just into the 1960's when art deco as a style ceased to be popular.
So, in my opinion yours is a 1930's design, probably based on a Kny creation, but cut 20 to 30 years later.

Of course, deco style is again popular, and remains one of the most distinctive styles in art - perhaps even more so than art nouveau.      Deco epitomises modernism more than anything else - it has everything  -  simplicity, eroticism, clean lines, and yet remains very artistic.

What is most distinctive with your vase is the rim shape  -  so many vases are given a plain circular rim, whereas yours is lifted out of the ordinary.

The Miller's I mentioned is the Andy McConnell edited publication from 2006  -  problem is that Miller's have knocked out so many it can be confusing to be sure of which book we're speaking.     The ISBN No. is 13 978-1-845330-99-6.

[Ochadamu]

Hi.  Slightly confused.  I am new to the forum and I received a message that this topic has been moved to another board by Anne.  I don't know what this means.  I would like to change the heading and replace John Luxton with Ludwig Kny.  Can someone explain to me what it means for the topic to be switched to another board and if I can alter the heading?  Thanks