Topic: Fish dish

[Mosquito]

I still think it's ceramic; specifically a porcelain fired to beyond zero porosity. That explains the glassy appearance as the solids have vitrified and the glaze fused to the paste.

If this were glass, it would have to be pressed in order to form the looped tail, but there would be no way of removing the plunger cleanly.

[Paul S.]

my opinion remains the same too   -   understandably, there is a Board policy of not criticizing or dismissing the alleged authenticity of pieces which are linked from current external auction sites  ...........   I was trying, politely, to show that IMHO, the linked piece is unlikely to be Heppell.                Nonetheless, it's courtesy to suggest that some assistance from the seller might help with a conclusion, and in this instance the presence, or otherwise, of a lozenge might be the way forward.

[Lustrousstone]

I'm in the ceramic group too. The tiny surface holes are typical of glaze but not of glass

[thewingedsphinx]

Thanks for your comments, I found another reference to Heppell on this sale room link, however my father is of a similar opinion and this item never appeared in his Heppell collection.

https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/auction-catalogues/martel-maides-auctions/catalogue-id-srmart10013/lot-9331e0ad-fadd-4f7d-8076-a51500b94a91

[Paul S.]

the text for the two items says Heppell, then ends by saying 'unknown maker'      am sure it would have been better had they stuck with the second of their two comments.

[Anne]

Having looked at the bigger images on the eBay one, I'm leaning towards ceramic as well, with those surface holes as Sue says.

[Anne]

Inspired by that thought, I went fishing, and look what I caught... another one in the same shape but definitely ceramic: https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/545446872/vintage-fish-sauce-gravy-boat-pitcher

[Paul S.]

yes, I think we've now nailed it positively as a non glass item  -  holes as Christine mentioned

[agincourt17]

I have seen several photos from different sources of the  'pap  boat' as shown in the opening post of this thread, and the descriptions seem to be equally divided as to whether the item is of glass or ceramic. There has never been an example which actually bore a registry design lozenge.

I'm pretty sure that the putative W.H. Heppell attribution is based purely on the stylistic similarity to Heppell's RDs 390584 to 390586 (photos below for permanent reference in this thread).

Also, as I'm sure most GMB members are well aware, an auctioneer's attribution (even from a supposedly reputable auction house) often needs to be taken with a substantial pinch of salt.

Fred.

[Paul S.]

thanks for the pix Fred.                  You are quite correct regarding the unreliability of auction houses - failings which might be thought to afflict provincial houses only, but as the GMB has discovered it affects the big ones too.             If only they would ask for our opinion first  .........