Topic: Mdina Glass Look-a-like? Can't identify the signature

[julesglass]

Hello,

I have this small vase (8.5cm high) that looks like it is Mdina tiger glass by Michael Harris but has a signature that is not Mdina. I can't work out what it is. If anyone knows or has any thoughts, I'd be very grateful.

[chopin-liszt]

 
Hello and welcome!
This is Mdina, the pattern is, I believe, called Marble. It is even Mdina that is written on the base, i agree, it's hard to make out, you learn to recognise it.
The big U at the beginning is an M, the upstroke of the d appears to be missing, the rest is... squiggled.   

Marble is a later style of execution of Tiger, which was Eric Dobson's design, produced shortly after Michael Harris left, not Michael Harris'.
The major difference between Tiger and Marble are the shades of the yellow and brown that appear and the more shallow flatness of the colours. In Tiger the colours are stronger and more deeply set, but in Marble, they are flatter, all much nearer the surface, and the yellow is creamier-coloured with dark brown speckles. The browns in Tiger are redder.
Here is an image of a large Marble globe. (it's the one in the book)
followed by images of two Tiger pieces.

[julesglass]

Thanks so much Sue. The signature had me stumped! Thanks also for identifying the marble pattern. I bought it as I loved the colours, shape and weight and it's great to now know the background and source.

best wishes Jules

[Lustrousstone]

I'm not sure I'm totally convinced that it's Mdina Sue, by the sig or the colours
http://lustrousstone.co.uk/cpg/displayimage.php?pid=1317

[Greg.]

Could this possibly be by Valletta Glass?


http://vallettaglass.com/shop/natura-collection/handmade-glass-vases-natura-collection/graceful-vase-natura

[chopin-liszt]

 
When did Valetta start reproducing this design? (This is all later than my interest in Maltese glass, and all the later stuff did come from Dobson's original design.)
I'm still sure the OP's piece is Mdina, Marble. It's a regular globe vase shape.
It's the way it's back lit that makes it look a bit different.
I'm familiar with the script on the base, it is later and would be consistent with Marble.

How are the Valetta bits marked? I'd go along with that, before I'd go along with Tiger.

[Greg.]

Hi Sue, Not sure when Valletta started producing this design, I was also surprised to come across it. There's also some variance in the design looking across the different shapes.

There's a Valletta signature in the following link, although like the later Mdina scripts they also appear to vary, which doesn't make things easy!


http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/291886521345

[glassobsessed]

I thought the sig more Valetta than Mdina.

For more Valetta with this pattern:  http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,60229.0.html

John

[chopin-liszt]

It's really hard to tell. The beginning does resemble Mdina, but the squiggle at the end could be "tta".
It's later than Dobson's Mdina Tiger; of that, I'm (fairly!) sure.

[Lustrousstone]

It's also not a globe; it's flattened sideways