Topic: Free-blown jug attributed to Sowerby

[Helen W.]

Vertically ribbed body, neck with yellow trail, applied foot. Ground and polished pontil. Approx. 12cm high and approx. 11cm diameter.

I think this was the first ever piece of old glass OH and I bought, c. 1994-95. It came from a dealer in our region of Victorian 'fancy glass'. She told us it was a Sowerby jug, and she certainly had a lot of other Sowerby items on sale, all of them pressed glass, with some Walter Crane designs among them. We didn't much care for those, or the twirly free-blown stuff from other sources, but this little jug called out to us. The dealer really didn't want to sell it, and evidently regarded it as special, because whenever we saw her for years afterwards she would ask, "And are you still looking after my little Sowerby jug?" 

I'm waiting for the County library to dig out their copy of Simon Cottle's book on Sowerby glass, just in case I missed anything the last time I read it. It doesn't really look like the Venetian ware, but presumably the firm made other free-blown glassware before they specialised in the pressed stuff?

I found it impossible to place the jug safely to photograph the pontil, by the way.

[chopin-liszt]

Is the threading uranium glass? I don't know much about this era, but tend to associate threading more with Stevens and Williams than Sowerby.
You could try propping it on folded towels (white, grey, off-white, whatever you have that makes a "not too fussy" background) to help you with the photography, safely.
Do you have a little UV torch or light for testing uranium glass?
They are well worth investing a couple of £ on. I got a good one on that well-known auction site for £1.29, including delivery from the other side of the globe.

[Helen W.]

The trail just looks a clear yellow in daylight, so the possibility of it being uranium glass hadn't occurred to me. Thanks, I'll look for a UV torch.

I kept trying to prop the jug between two black cushions we use in the garden, but it wants to roll. Will try again and post pic here.

[chopin-liszt]

Even bright sunshine would show the glass glowing green if it is uranium glass.
They didn't have uv torches "back then". It was used to give the glass a brighter look as well as to colour it.

[Helen W.]

Torch on order. When I read about its other possible uses, it seemed a good idea anyway. 

Thank you for the idea about Stevens and Williams. I'll follow that up, just in case. Hub has just come home with the Cottle book (it's been a long wait), and looking at the blown glass era pics there, as well as the few available online, there don't appear to be any pieces with a colourless body and yellow threading. Blue threading appears on the necks of some green Venetian ware bodies. The body shape (with handle) of our jug appears twice in one JGS Pattern Book VIII illustration on page 76, one colourless and one green, but each has an applied blue trail just around the rim.

It's very interesting to see the photos of some of their other blown glass ranges in the chapter 'Art and Venetian Studio Glass'. Some pieces resemble mid-20th century shapes.

[Lustrousstone]

Sowerby was in the main a pressed glass manufacturer right from it's beginnings. I can see why the seller thought Sowerby but, as you say, the threading colour is wrong and there is no applied rim. Also the handle, which harks back to the older pump handle style, appears to have an extra little kick just above the bottom, which the Sowerby jugs don't have. I would say your jug was English or even Scottish and post 1876 when machine threading was first patented but I doubt you'll get better than that, as plenty of companies used machine threading.

[Helen W.]

Thank you. Just before I saw your reply, I went to the Shipley Art Gallery website and looked at some close-up photos of Sowerby Venetian jugs. I can see what you mean about the handles on the Venetian ware, and they're also somewhat thicker than the handle on my jug.

[Helen W.]

The UV torch has arrived - it's tiny! - and I can confirm the yellow threading is not uranium glass.

[Helen W.]

After looking up Stevens and Williams late 19thC threaded glassware (books and t'internet) I'm happy to go with the suggestions supplied above that the jug is very likely to be one of their products. I'm satisfied now that it was not made by Sowerby.

[chopin-liszt]

Lustrousstone knows far more than I do about this sort of thing. I learned all I know from Christine. S&W is a possibilty, but I doubt we'll ever know with 100% certainty.