Topic: Large Mdina Glass Sculpture for Show 1975

[mhgcgolfclub]

Found by my wife in a charity shop this rather nice large glass sculpture.

Height  7.5"
Width 8.25"

Weight 2420gm.

Marked on the base Mdina Glass 1975.

Roy

[Alix]

that's a nice one, although they do come bigger (my mother has an example that is over 10" tall - can't reach it to get a proper measurement or photo at the moment)

[chopin-liszt]

It is a very nice one - a very unusual shape and very busy.
I had a 12", signed by MH, it really wasn't so nice, and I've got a smaller but really thick and quite wide one, sadly damaged when I bought it, but it is incredibly complex and strange, enough that I tolerate the damage - otherwise I wouldn't have it at all.

[AndyD]

Here is an image of my 1975 example, it measures 12-1/2 inches tall and 11 inches wide. It has some purple in it which I think makes it more unusual.

Someone recently said to me that these may have been examples made by Michael just before he left and marked up later. Not sure if that is a possibility but I guess he must have left items there that he made.

Sorry about the quality of the image.

Andy

[chopin-liszt]

We know, for sure, that absolutely nothing was left behind.
They even took raw enamels back, which is why you'll find Mdina colours in early experimental IoWSG.
I've got pics of scupltures. The first is of two, a small "ordinary" sized one, with Mdina etched into the round panel, it's there to give an idea of the size of the big one, signed by MH, next to it.
The next pics are of the damaged one I love, first the front, then the back. It's 10" tall, but very thick too.

[AndyD]

Thansks for putting me right on that Sue.  I have an early large IOW globe vase that is very similar to Rosenthal colours which would explain where the colours came from.

Just looked at mine again and it's a 74 piece.

I love your large damaged one, so much going on (can't see the damage though)

[chopin-liszt]

There was originally a big clear loopy bit on top, you can see there is a straight edge to it, where it was polished to remove sharp bits, but it's also a bit cracked through that clear bit. The body is fine.
It was Elizabeth Harris herself who assured me that absolutely absolutely-nothing was left behind.

[AndyD]

I can just see the straight edge, perhaps it could be further improved but as you say a lovely piece as it is.

Interesting that nothing was left behind, they must have had some time to plan before they left.

[chopin-liszt]

They left in a bit of a rush, but they still took all they owned. Why would they leave things they owned behind?

There are actually two straight edges on that sculpture. I have no idea of how big it was to start off with, I think there might have been a big loopy bit sticking out. It was already damaged and polished when I bought it.
It's a one-off. I'll never find an undamaged one.

There is a lot of variation in sculptures, ones like Roy's are rather unusual, big and wide, almost square, and I think that is rather more attractive than my MH signed one. 
My damaged one too, is far more attractive than many.

[mhgcgolfclub]

Thanks Sue and Andy for showing other large sculptures and the extra info.

Roy