Topic: Whitefriars Glass Bison Slab...Canadian Commission?

[BONYTONY]

Hi.
I have a 115x120mm(41/2"x 4 1/4") "Artic Blue" slab impressed bison at the back.....Whitefriars by all accounts.......am I correct in assuming it was made for the Canadian market, hence the bison? I seem to recall a few years ago reading about a Canadian commission with respect to this rare slab, but can't find any reference to date. Any info would be very welcome . Many thanks. Tony.

[BONYTONY]

....here are some more pics...
Cheers!
Tony.

[BONYTONY]

Thanks

[Lustrousstone]

A search of the board reveals no conclusion about these. (You can post four pictures per reply)

[BONYTONY]

Thanks for your reply which is greatly appreciated. What I'm hoping for is some background information as to the story behind the Bison seen on the slab which I seem to recall has a Canadian reference. I wish I could remember where I heard more about these tiles apart from the fact that online they appear to be quoted as rare Whitefriars slabs and that mine, by implication, may be considered the 5th known example that's just come to light...bought a few days ago... hopefully someone will have something else to add..T.

[essi]

Hello tony, not sure if this helps much but there is a company called bison in the UK.
They seem to specialize in pre cast concrete which might tie in with the architectural slabs.
Hope this is of some use.
Tim

[BONYTONY]

Hi Tim. Many thanks. Good suggestion. Clearly there are obvious differences to the Bison Contrete present day charging bison logo and this glass bison, however I've just emailed Bison Contrete with the question whether or not the bison in the slab matches any known logo they used c.1960's. Naturally if I hear anything back from them I can post it back here.
Tony

[BONYTONY]

Hi 
I emailed Bison Concrete this morning...thanks Tim... and heard back from a very helpful surveyor who can confirm that the Bison logo in the slab is the same one used by Bison Concrete in the 1960's. Bison Concrete now use a running Bison with outstretched tail and he pointed out the Whitefriars glass slab bison faces the other direction. I have suggested that a positive impression on the back would produce a negative when viewed from the front which might explain the difference in the direction the bison faces. I have also suggested the slab is actually an ashtray.... not unlike those large ones one we used to see in pubs;a simply depression in the middle so the tile curves down from the edges forming a slight well. Hopefully you can see this in the pic here. One can imagine they were produced in a limited edition for Bison by Whitefriars to grace their executive offices or canteen... or maybe as gifts and certainly between 1959-1970 when Arctic Blue was in use. 1960's would seem right. Once again many thanks Tim & Christine.
 Tony

[Lustrousstone]

Do we have proof they were made by Whitefriars though?

[essi]

Nice piece of work tony, maybe Chriss , Wolfie, emmi or patrick  could confirm the manufacturer.
Tim.