Topic: Caithness or not ??

[Kazmichelle]

I picked this up at a local antiques fair some time ago , it is signed C ll G ( Caithness glass) but doesn't look like any Caithness I've ever seen . It appears quite iridescent when lit.
7" high .
Would love to know if it is Caithness , when it was made and any information .
Thanks 

[Kazmichelle]

I'm not very skilled at attaching photos yet so here are one's that should have appeared above.

[chopin-liszt]

 
The CIIC looks right, the shape looks right.
The surface texture looks a bit like the Alchemy range, although that has motifs on it.
I would not rule Caithness out, not at all.

[Kazmichelle]

I see what you mean about the alchemy range but the vases in that range all seem to have ground rims , this has a smooth lipped finish and the alchemy range like you say have motifs . 

[chopin-liszt]

Yes, but your piece is a second. They sometimes did odd things with seconds.
I've found pwts in the past that are not supposed to be etched, but as seconds, somebody got to try a bit of etching out on them before they got sold, (properly marked with CIIG.)

I just felt the surface finish and the texture of the enamels of the glass is similar enough to Alchemy for that to help confirm a real Caithness origin. I don't think your piece is Alchemy as such. Something went wonky with it. I would suspect it might be from a similar time frame.

It is very often hard to find the flaws in seconds.

[Paul S.]

I'd agree with Sue's suggestion of Alchemy - but that's only cos I have the book   which says  .........   "Forms inspired by Classical examples and comprised three vases and two sizes of bowl" ............    "iridescence created using flame torch on sensitive powdered enamels.
This range seems to have had a short lived production period .........  launched in Summer 2002, and made until 2003   -    developed from a 'mood board' covering period fashions and trends.         What a mood board is I've no idea.
Some of the pieces were designed by Helen McDonald, but regret no idea if Karen's shape from this designer.

Mark Hill says ....   "it was expensive, but popular", and looking at some of the (2011) quoted prices on the price list which came with Mark's book - some of the limited run pieces are very pricey.

Ref. 'Caithness Glass  Loch, Heather & Peat'  -  Mark Hill  -   2011.

[Kazmichelle]

This is only my second post but I think that everyone is very helpful.
Look forward to hearing from more people, wish I joined the forum a couple of years ago, when I started buying glass.
I have bought a few books and wondered if anyone can recommend any good reference books fir glass in general.
Thanks
Karen

[Paul S.]

if your interest is fairly general Karen then you'll need a mortgage   -  tell us where your interest is mostly and we'll recommend some titles for you  -  and you might tell us which volumes you already have.

[Kazmichelle]

I started by buying bits of Whitefriars and Scandinavian items but but it's now developed into me buying anything that catches my eye.
I've got Whitefriars - Leslie Jackson
The History of Glass - Dan Klein
Numerous,  Miller's guides and other general collectibles books.

[Paul S.]

Both of Charles Hajdamach's offerings should probably be at the top of anyone's list...............   'British Glass 1800 - 1914' is one, and the other is his  '20th Century Glass'  ........   think they're both Antique Collectors Club volumes, and both very heavy and difficult to read in the bath.
As you'd expect from a top flight author, the text is superb and probably better than any comparably related volume.

for a general dip into (mostly) modern Scandi Glass then the two Schiffer plublications form Pina & Vigier are worthwhile  ...........  'Fire & Sea' and the other is 'Smoke & Ice'.

If you don't have them, Miller's '20th Century Glass' by Andy McConnell is very good for general modern glass from a variety of sources, and Judith Millers' own input via Dorling Kindersley - '20th-CENTURY GLASS which, although it has the same title provides a very different take on makers and types of glass.
the Millers books tend to be good on pix and short on text - but since we need ids based on comparisons, then pix are equally as important as text.

In addition to her W/Fs volume, Leslie Jackson did '20th Century Factory Glass' - good on both pix and text  -  covers mostly European, Scandi and some States.

Two pocket sized offerings are  ................   'glass fact file a-z' from Ivo Haanstra  -  a dictionary format measuring 7.75" x 4", which suppose would go into some pockets, but not actually tried.
Of identical size is another very reliable quickie guide from Mark West - 'GLASS Antiques Checklist' - good but small pix and covers essential points and questions for most popular areas of glass that we're likely to see  -  if not always able to buy.          Obviously, the text is reduced in volume but what there is does make for a very useful booklet.

Am sure others will be able to suggest more titles.            There is one thing worse than not having enough books             ........................   which is having too many  .........   you can spend hours trawling for some snippet that you know is there but can't remember where it is in the ninety odd books you have.

Best of luck.