Topic: Thomas Webb amber glass vase ? help please.

[keith]

  I was there last year, looks like I might need new glasses ! also had this for a while,heavy, no marks with broken pontil mark, possible 'relation' ?

[brucebanner]

Looks like it, what is the size of that one ?, first i thought these were salts, then the bigger ones sugar bowls but they all have the same feel in weight and thickness, none have spoon wear and two have some water staining which makes me think there for flowers, and when there bunched up they all look like they would serve the same purpose to a varying degree. none  of mine have broken pontils the tallest has a shear mark of sorts  and a friend thought it to be by Stevens and Williams or Thomas Webb, he is very good with his patterns he called it diamond optic.

[keith]

4.5 inches tall and 5 inches at its widest, loads of wear to the base.

[keith]

Going back to the earlier comments on Brierley crystal while searching through the Royal Brierley/ S&W's archives I came across photographs of a number of Constance Spry vases, bowls and candlesticks and wondered why, if they were separate companies they were there, the photo had S&W written on the back 

[brucebanner]

Here is another similar one i found today in blue, linked to a picture of 5 i put on this post since packed away, nice lead crystal ring. 5 3/4 inches in height 4 1/4 across the rim and 3 3/4 inches across the base.

One of the workers in a charity shop said they used to throw coins into the glass mix to produce blue, not sure if there is any truth to it though.

[keith]

Nice colour, reminds me of some Stuart pieces, not sure about the coin tossing story 

[Lustrousstone]

I think it's a case of Chinese whispers; some of the more valuable colourants such as gold were weighed in pennyweights http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pennyweight

[brucebanner]

I met this lady today in the same charity shop and she said her husband who worked for Royal Brierley used to make all kinds of things with the left over lead crystal glass and they would mix copper coins in to make blue as well as other metals iron etc sell them as friggers,

She also said  they had a kiln in the there garden shed as with most glass blowers to make extra pieces to sell on their days off.