Topic: Victorian Marbled Glass Vase for ID Most Likely Sowerby ID = Sowerby Reg. 321373

[mhgcgolfclub]

Help please to confirm ID of this marbled glass vase. I think its most likely Sowerby, but cannot find this shape.
I think it can only be Sowerby or possibly Davidson although Sowerby do seem to put the lozenge in places where it cannot be read.

Date lozenge inside base which I cannot read looks like year letter D for 1878.

Height just over 4"

Thanks Roy

[Paul S.]

looks to be Sowerby Reg. 321373 dated 14th May 1878  -  there were a dozen Nos. allocated to Sowerby on that date, all covered by Parcel 9  -   I'll try and post the Kew picture of the factory drawing either later this evening or in the morning.

Presumably we've not had this Sowerby design on the Board previously.              Interesting piece and possibly scarce  -  did it come from this morning's outing   I was there but looking at other things.

You might shove a piece of Blue Tack on the end of a stick and see if you can pull off the lozenge details.     Working clockwise from the top, details should read  ............   14 - D - E - 9

[mhgcgolfclub]

Thanks Paul

It was from this morning's outing. It cost a bit more than I liked but if it helps fill in any gaps in Fred's gallery and that I also thought it may be quite scarce then it more than worth it.

To me it looked right for Sowerby but cannot see any Sowerby trade mark.

I did think about using a bit of Blue Tack but cannot find any. Carol just looked at the date lozenge and read 14 D E and only needed help with the 9.

Thanks again Roy

[Paul S.]

copy attached of Sowerby's original factory drawing for 321373  -  could be wrong, but think the text reads Tribod vase - let me know if anyone has a better idea.            The twelve Nos. on that date are 321368 - 79, and I'm sure we've had one or two others from this group before, but if not and they they're of interest, do shout.
There's another vase from this group with a tri-form shape, so presumably a design that was seen as fashionable maybe.

[agincourt17]

Thank you, Roy, for showing this,  and Paul, for your prompt identification and the Kew drawing.

Cottle ("Sowerby - Gateshead Glass", page 101) correlates Sowerby RD 321373 of 14 May 1878 with Sowerby pattern 1302 (shown on page 6 of pattern book IX, 1882).  The attached photo of Sowerby pattern 1302 from pattern book IX confirms the correlation.

Certainly an uncommon piece, the like of which I haven't seen before.

Fred.

[Paul S.]

this one deleted  -  all transferred to next post.               why??   I haven't a clue what went wrong.

[Paul S.]

thanks for the extra information Fred                As you saw from my comments about the Registrations from that particular date, there were twelve in total  -  would you like to see any of the others, or have we now completed the entire batch from that day?  -  assuming I can find them.
I was looking again at the various physical attributes of this design, and ruminating on the fact that both drawings indicate that the three uprights are pointed at both ends.
No problem with the tops, but you'd imagine the lower tips on which this vase would stand might come to grief and lose their sharpness, or at the least suffer from contact damage.
It's difficult to see from Roy's pix, but am I seeing squared off bottoms to those uprights on his piece, or is it just the photo angle that hides the ends do we think?

[agincourt17]

I agree that Roy's pix don't appear to show the pointed tip to the bottom of each upright, but presumably Roy would be able to confirm whether that is simply an optical illusion or a reality.

As you say, Paul, this Sowerby design registration group for 14 May 1878 - Parcel 9 covers RDs 321368 to 321379 inclusive. Assuming that Cottle's correlations between RDs and pattern numbers are correct, the only reference photos that I have of actual examples of pieces from this group are now for :
RD 321369; pattern 1397 sugar box
RD 321371; pattern 1304 basket
RD 321373; pattern 1302 tripod vase
RD 321374; pattern 1301 two-handled basket
RD 321376; pattern 1307 trefoil vase
and, thanks to you, the single confirmatory Kew design representation drawing I now have is for RD 321373.

That leaves 11 RDs from the parcel group for which I don't have the Kew drawings, I'm afraid, Paul, so sight of any or all of them would be much appreciated in the goodness of time.

It seems like a terrific imposition, but If you do manage to post any, then a separate thread covering the whole RD 321268-321379 group may be the most appropriate way (and almost certainly the easiest way to find the info again when searched for), plus the fact that  matching additional reference photos can be added to the tread as a permanent record on the GMB.

Fred.

[mhgcgolfclub]

Thanks Paul and Fred for all the extra information on this group.

I glad I bought the piece as I knew it would be uncommon but not sure if any pictures existed online or in your gallery.
If you look at my first pictures you can see a slight shadow which does mean the feet are pretty good but not perfect. One of the feet does have a very slight chip but on the whole quite sharp and pointed with very little loss.

Regards Roy

[Paul S.]

no problem Fred  -  terrific impositions we can do promptly  -  it's the miracles that take five minutes longer.                     I'll knock up a separate thread completely, next week some time - for these twelve Registrations.   Having opened my mouth can now only hope I have them all  -will make a trip to Kew probably in two to three week's time if I'm missing any.

thanks Roy  -  I guess your piece has led a charmed life.             Although as is so often the ponderable question with these C19 pressed designs - makes you wonder for how long some of the moulds were used  -  but I don't think we are ever going to know.