Topic: ' Ndina ' signature for Mdina .... two examples.....

[Baked_Beans]

Here is my Mdina earthtones paperweight from the same period of time with a thin signature to the base.

The photo doesn't really do justice to the marble effect created by the addition of silver nitrate to red glass but you can see some red streaks.

This paperweight being made with a solid clear core which was then rolled on some sort of powder to produce the creamy white . Then a long, stretched- out  trail of clear glass with added red glass (very thinly stretched ! )  treated with silver nitrate was trailed around to form the wormy pattern . Finally being cased in clear glass.

So it was something like the Mdina knot (shown here) that was trailed onto the treated core of the weight.

It's thanks to this discussion that has enabled me to get a better understanding of earthtones  at both MDG and Mdina 

[chopin-liszt]

You've got it!
I suspect that it is a silver salt that is used to create the bubbly/creamy yellow, not enamels.
I do not know whether the enamels used were solid or powdered.

Trails of coloured glass treated with a silver salt, draped over the object in question, is a very common feature of loads of early Mdina.

The ice-cut multicoloured lollipops, the cubes, the "seaweed" pieces, the stripey bottles... 

[Baked_Beans]

Whoopy ...got there in the end ! 

Incidentally , there are no red streaks in the Mdina knot (above, not signed)....perhaps silver nitrate wasn't used at some point in time due to it's poisonous nature (along with silver chloride).

Ta very much, Mike

[chopin-liszt]

I'm sure I can see reddish bits in the knot - remember, it was red glass that was turned into brown, not the other way around - it doesn't seem logical now, but it made some sense in the '70s.
(A time when "sense" went out the window... and brown sneaked in while it was open.)

[Baked_Beans]

Thanks Sue, (very funny  )

I'm glad you can see some red....I'm a bit colour blind 

I loved the '70's , that's why I'm so nostalgic about this glass...brown 'n' all ...along with TRex of course !

[chopin-liszt]

I saw T.Rex, live at the Glasgow Apollo. I was all of 12 years old. My friends and I got a write-up in the Musical Express.
"It took all of three seconds for the teenagers, with stars all over their cherubic faces, to dissolve into spasms of ecstacy.".
My friend had interviewed the reporters sitting behind us. When she realised what they were doing, she decided to turn the tables on them.

[Baked_Beans]

What a great story...and you had stars ..very glam !

You were so lucky to have been able to see them live !!

'20th Century Boy' was my first record I ever bought 

[chopin-liszt]

I've been lucky enough to have seen some pretty amazing concerts in my time.

[Baked_Beans]

I had no idea you were/are a rock chick  !

I've been taking a very long hard look at my three Mdina Earthtones pieces (four if you include the knot) and comparing the same effects seen on the white ostrich egg (see above link, unknown maker ) which has powdered glass enamel worked onto the white surface  . There is lots to suggest that the red glass enamel was in powdered form at Mdina and probably also at  MDG , so I think you were entirely correct in saying it was a different sort of red glass .

 I think in some cases the silver nitrate powder was mixed very well (in the correct proportions) with the red enamel powder , which gives a uniform brown look and on other occasions the red enamel powder and the silver nitrate powder were deliberately left unmixed but combed through to give the marbled/ brown onyx look.

These are only my observations of course , and I could well be wrong....take it all with a pinch of salt or silver nitrate powder ! 

Cheers, Mike.

[chopin-liszt]

Your observations and thoughts coincide with my observations and thoughts.

I do love the stuff which is all red and brown streaky mixed - it's just like the proper old-fashioned "stained glass".
I suppose my big passion in life, apart from glass, would be music. Not remotely restricted to rock. I'm currently exploring contemporary classical. I had to give up dancing when I got sober - I fall over.

We've gone a bit off-topic. I will stop.