Topic: Fish dish

[thewingedsphinx]

I'd be very grateful if anyone could identify this fish sauce dish. It has no markings, it's not Heppell, I'm sorting through surplus items of a pressed glass collection, please see attached photo.
Thanks

[Anne]

Is it glass? It looks more like pottery from the photo. Could you add a picture of the base please?

[thewingedsphinx]

Hi Anne, please see attached photo of the base, if you think this item is not categorised correctly feel free to delete this post. Apologies for any confusion.

Thanks

[Anne]

Thanks for the extra photo. I can't honestly say if it's glass or pottery to be honest, so let's see what others think.

[Mosquito]

Ceramic for sure: shape can't be made by pressing or mould blowing glass without significant hot work (of which there are no signs).

[pamela]

Looking at the base it's glass, I believe, however, not knowing the exact manufacturing process... glazing pottery always leaves certain areas unglazed? 

[Mosquito]

What's the interior look like?  Just wondering if there are any spur marks or such which would explain the apparent lack of unglazed areas on the base.

Even without such marks I wouldn't rule out ceramic. Certain small crested porcelain wares have similarly shiny bottoms and I still can't see how you could make this shape from glass.

[Paul S.]

The op's reference to Heppell is understandable - this factory made fish vases and lidded butter in white opal glass that have more than a passing similarity to this piece  -  their lidded butter in particular, with its looped tail, is not a million miles away, and must have been a complex piece to produce  -  the failure rate might have been high.
However, this one isn't Heppell as the op has reminded us, and IMHO the shape of this piece may well make the difference between glass and ceramic  -  the moulded glass Heppell items are typical of what you would expect from a mould, which is symmetry.     A mould based on the shape of this sauce boat couldn't close equally because of the irregular shape, so I'm suggesting this is ceramic.

P.S.   how about scratching a small area on the underside with a steel stylus and see what happens.

[thewingedsphinx]

This was a surprise I just come across this on eBay and according to the description it is a Heppell, and I was just about to send it back to the loft.

Luckily I didn't scratch it but nearly through it out. Phew!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Medical-Pap-Boat-Invalid-Feeder-Fish-Pressed-Glass-Cream-White-1882/222773127362?hash=item33de5028c2:g:LdIAAOSwe51Z7g~J

The description is convincing, interested in your views.

Thanks

[Paul S.]

Heppell items belong to the lozenge period and presumably all items should carry the diamond Reg. details  ............   I don't see this design in the Board's archive for the Heppell factory, so it will be worth asking the seller to confirm if the piece in the link carries a Reg. lozenge, and if so what the details are.
Alternatively, like other Heppell moulds, this one assuming it's theirs, may well appear in Davidson catalogues c. mid 1880s  -  it's possible that a connection has been made with Heppell based on the colour and similarity of shape to known Heppell designs.

According to the list of Registration designs for 1882, there were only three -  Nos. 390584- 86  ............   as far as I know these cover the three sizes of upright fish vases (390586)  ........  the butter dish and cover (390584) ..............  and the unusual upright sugar bowl (390585).     Images of all three pieces can be seen on the Board's archive.

Of course this might be an interesting item of Heppell's, - perhaps the seller can help us with this one.