Topic: John Northwood I and his etching machines - better sources?

[kerstinfroberg]

When searching the web for J Northwood of Stourbridge and his etching machines I have found some very short descriptions without any further refs to sources (that I can see).
For instance, the V&A have a couple of lines (see for instance http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O41261/finger-bowl-stourbridge-glass-co/, the part about Materials and making), also a booklet from Corning glass museum (page 18 of the pdf on British cameo glass, https://d3seu6qyu1a8jw.cloudfront.net/sites/default/files/collections/DA/DAD1DEEE-4B86-491B-B804-69C7B1F46B40.pdf)

I would like to find out more about his machines, but my google-fu deserts me - can anyone help? The reason is that our local museum (http://bergdala-glastekniska-museum.se/eng-index.html ) is trying to get together a history of acid etching. (Esp we would want to have a good source, possibly reading it ourselves - does anybody know if the book "John Northwood, his contribution to the Stourbridge flint glass industry, 1850-1902 " is worth its price, when we are not at all interested in his other,though  no doubt remarkable, accomplishments on glass decoration?

I have taken a brief look through the patents listed at http://www.glass-study.com/, but could not find anything (1860 - 1875). However, looking at patents of one's own country is difficult enough - I know nothing about the British patent system (also: he might not have applied for a patent...) 

thanks in advance,
Kerstin in Sweden

[chopin-liszt]

I do not know how libraries work in Sweden, but in the uk, you can order a book from a library and they will find a copy in another library if they do not have one themselves, then transport it to your local one for you to borrow.
It even used to be that the library would buy the book so you could borrow it, but I suspect that may no longer apply.
This may be a way around you wanting to see what is in "John Northwood, his contribution to the Stourbridge flint glass industry, 1850-1902".

I will be passing my local library next week, I can ask them if they access to it. I have never seen it in there, but the ladies who work there are lovely and helpful.

[kerstinfroberg]

... the problem is that it seems there is no copy at all, in any Swe library... (and considering how many odd requests my library have handled, I trust them)

I was hoping somebody on this list had at least seen a copy - it is a bit expensive to buy unseen.

Kerstin

[chopin-liszt]

I will find out next week if there is a copy over here.
If there is, I can borrow it and get the info. to you privately, somehow. 

[flying free]

is there anything in Charles Hajdamach's British Glass 1800-1914?
I've not time to check mine at the mo but will do next week hopefully.

Otherwise it might be worth contacting Mr Hajdamach to see if he has any further information he could share?

m

[kerstinfroberg]

Yes, there are a couple of pages in Hajdamach - including a couple of pictures of his machines. Just from these pictures, I can't understand how they work (especisally the template machine has us baffled - apparently a person traces he pattern, so what does the machine do?)

I have also been in contact with the Science museum, but that is a lengthy process... and has (so far) not resulted in anything concrete.

... which is why I was wondering about the Northwood book, maybe he describes the machines in it?  - so, Sue, I look forward to your potential finds! I am not averse to buy expensive books, but what if it mainly deals with his famous carvings?

- maybe I should also say: as etching, as far as we have found, was never used for "art" pieces here in Sweden (Ann Wärff experimented some, but that is all we have found). So our interest is mainly in the "machine" area: when, who, where were the machines developped? Which came first: the pantograph or the guilloché machine? How many manufacturers were there, by the end of the 1800s, and where?
and so on...

Kerstin

[chopin-liszt]

I went to the library today and asked the girl to check for a copy on their records.
There is not a copy available from any public library in the uk.

Do you have access to a university library? It might be in an academic library store.
I know I managed to get an inter-library loan of a rare old book when I was at uni. It did take a few weeks to arrive and I did have to pay a fee, but it wasn't much.
(It was worth it.

She did tell me to come back next week, when Joan's in. Joan might have "ways and means" of finding things out.
Joan is "Super-Library-Woman". 

[flying free]

I found this in the Science Museum online collection in London

https://collection.sciencemuseum.org.uk/objects/co446371/original-machine-for-etching-glass-with-geometrical-designs-with-base-plus-three-etched-wine-glasses-showing-the-type-of-design-made-by-the-machine

The title on the Science Museum page says:
'Original machine for etching glass with geometrical designs, with base, plus three etched wine glasses, showing the type of design made by the machine
MADE: 1865-1875 in Stourbridge
MAKER: Stevens and Williams Limited '

I hope it helps.  They should be able to give you more information if you contact them.

m

[kerstinfroberg]

Thank you all - I have to admit I had forgot about my question here...

However: last week I found a copy of the book at an antiquarist(?) in London: as I could handle the book I found it full of interesting facts I bought it. (Did you know he invented the glory hole, for instance?)

After many e-mails and letters to the Science Museum over the last 2 years I have (today!) got a response. The email just promises that "we will look into it", but who knows - maybe it is my lucky day?

[flying free]

Page 277 of this link dates to 1841 and deals with acid etching and glass cylinders?
I am not entirely sure if this is linked to what you are searching for but it might be interesting?

It's from the Journal of the Franklyn Institute 1841 and is about Rice Harris of Birmingham (Rice Harris were glassmakers)

click here

If you read down through it, it talks about cylinders coated with glass and with the ability to be acid etched.  It might not be totally relevant to your needs but Rice Harris were glassmakers so thought it might be interesting.