Topic: possible Maltese free form bowl/platter.

[Paul S.]

although in view of its lack of depth not entirely sure it qualifies as a bowl  -  14.5"  x  10.75" something like 370  x  270 mm
very heavy, very thick and finished crudely in places -  plus those blackish specks really are hordes of cinders or floor sweepings (or do they come from the blowing iron or pontil rod?)                      The base is ground/polished flat/smooth, and there are thin swirls of what might be silver chloride in the centre of the bluey green, although not easy to see  -  could just be a sort of yellow colour.

Almost made me think of W/Fs Studio range as it looked a bit peacocky, but from a guessing point of view am leaning more towards thinking the colourway could point to Maltese possibly, and perhaps in view of the lack of finesse perhaps an experimental piece?            At least the flat base would fit with Maltese.

anyone have thoughts to share, and thanks for looking.

[chopin-liszt]

I'm not sure that floor sweepings are consistent with the better quality of the clear glass surround of this charger, (which is what I would call it) if Mdina. They're more common in earlier stuff, when the clear glass was of inferior quality too. And the centre part in a clear surround would be a late design anyway.
I'm mystifed too and I can see why you think Maltese.

[Paul S.]

hi Sue

I'd forgotten where it was that Christine said these black bits came from - it may well not have been the floor
- perhaps the end of one of the rods or even the marver.            There are also a few of the more commonly seen white stones  -  plus many small bubbles.         Overall very much a 'second' I'd say.

It really is very woeful in terms of quality - done perhaps very hurriedly  -  but just that my thoughts were that this greenish blue colour reminded me of some of the Mdina colours, with just a hint of yellow ochre in that very thin swirl.

I know nothing about Maltese, so have no idea whether they produced this shape even.

[chopin-liszt]

I knew what you meant by floor sweepings, it's a commonly used phrase in my family. Dad wouldn't eat bread with floor sweepings in it, we won't eat bread without them.

Loads of frit was common early on. They were not able to import good quality cullet, it was often a greeny sort of colour - not good, as well as full of frit.

Perhaps they hadn't yet got theselves into the habit of sweeping the marver clean every time they passed it.
I've seen makers do that. It's automatic, just as twirling a rod becomes automatic when in a maker's hand. They don't know how NOT to do it.

But the fritty bits are not in the clear section of your piece, just the coloured bit.

[Lustrousstone]

I'm sure the fritty bits are meant to be there.