Topic: Where was the glass blown?
1) Something must have been made in Paris. Varnish speaks here about Mellish being in Paris. Varnish is at pains to say that Mellish was responsible for the purchasing of glass items, that he, Varnish, was the commercial man and that he and Mr Thomson knew nothing about glass. So as I say, something must have been made in Paris else why would Mellish have been there with Varnish? He wouldn't have been selling the glass as that was part of Mr Varnish's 'commercial' bit about bringing in the money. So he must have been needed to negotiate the buying.
From the Court case 12 may 1852
Edward Varnish being examined and talking about Mellish:
'...it was not my department to attend to the taking of the stock, but I examined the accounts from week to week of money paid, and when the stock was taken I examined it twice, and it strictly agreed—I have no reason now to doubt that it was fairly conducted—I have no doubt that he conducted himself honestly and fairly in our employment in the transactions at Paris and elsewhere—he was constantly employed for us, from the morning till late at night frequently—in the evening he would go down to Messrs. Powell's glass works, and be there perhaps half the night,
getting things made under his own inspection—they were things which he had designed, made
drawings of, and carried out—that was perhaps three or four times a week—he was also obliged to
examine every article which had been made under his direction by the outdoor workmen, and see that it was properly made and determine the price to be properly charged for it—he was constantly
occupied in the business—his employment was quite general—he had the sole management—Mr.
Thomson and myself had no control; we left it entirely to him—I had no knowledge of the trade
myself, nor had Mr. Thomson—I simply brought in capital, and was not bound to he there at all, but I
used to attend to the counting house department—Mellish saw the persons with whom we had to deal with respect to articles wanted to purchase—he was the only person that could answer—his time was quite occupied, I think a great deal more than the eight hours which he had engaged to devote to it—he had to superintend between thirty and forty workmen on the premises—he also, to our knowledge, carried on his business in Great Port-land-street during the time he was so employed by us—we objected to it, and wished him to get rid of it as soon as he could'
2) I also noted elsewhere that Thomson and Varnish both mention Mellish being in York, Thomson says it was something to do with some glass he sent and mentions a banquet iirc. The York visit is thus probably explained by the fact that Mellish was taking up the goblets to be displayed by Soyer at the York Banquet.
But in addition to this Varnish also says they went to Stourbridge.
3) To balance this, it is also noted that Varnish and Thomson both mention Mellish having to go to Powell's in the evening to supervise their requirements there. I should also bring in here the patent description I've listed in the post two previous to this. There are many items described in that patent list that they say the process would be suitable for, some straight single wall, others double-wall where necessary.
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Topic: E.Varnish mercury glass with embossed seal, circa 1849 (Read 85348 times)
