Topic: Small bubble vase

[Helen W.]

I've been googling pics of Clutha glass, just because it is yet another field where my ignorance is profound.

I kept finding images of a little vase I found at an antiques fair in County Durham, yonks ago.

Dims: 130g; height 9.3cm; rim diameter 8.7cm; foot diameter 5.3cm.

[chopin-liszt]

Hello again. 
(I've decided it's you stalking me, but doing it in advance to pre-empt me...  )

I have an amber one of these - it intrigued me because the foot is folded from the body of the vessel, and in my naevity thought it must be old and wonderful because it had this famous "folded foot" I'd heard about. It's been gathering dust and general yuk for years somewhere in the kitchen, while my brain has been gathering dust and yuk at a similar rate.
However, I'm now pretty sure it's modern Mexican recycled glass.
It's nothing like Clutha. There are some nice bits of Clutha illustrated in this bbc article about the Scottish Conference in Edinburgh, which I was lucky enough to have attended, with Christine.  I think they've got those from Frank's Scotland's Glass website.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/edinburghandeastscotland/hi/people_and_places/arts_and_culture/newsid_9050000/9050952.stm

[Helen W.]

Oh goodness!  Lesson learned, etc. Never mind, it looks nice on top of the bathroom cabinet, along with an old three-sided bottle, and the odds and ends we've dug up in the garden...it's all a kind of recycling.

I envy you and Christine attending that wonderful conference. I hope there'll be more such events in the north in future.

I'm around so much at the moment, trying to regain my glass bearings, it's no wonder we keep bumping into each other 

[chopin-liszt]

We all make mistakes and we learn from them, so they have their purposes.
We both thought this was something interesting when we first saw them, we both found them in places we might expect to find interesting things.
Sometimes, we take a punt on something a bit odd and it turns out to be treasure - it works both ways.
I think Frank has done enough, organising the two Conferences we've already had and he's busy with other very important things.
It would take somebody else to organise it. I'm not able, sadly.

[Helen W.]

Recently, I tried to interest the people who run the WM and Cambs glass fairs to hold one in the north, but they thought there wouldn't be sufficient interest from collectors or dealers, and because "most people are prepared to travel to the south". (I'm not most people and I can't leave home overnight for health reasons.) One of the options I suggested was Harrogate - which still looks like the south to me - because it lies in a wealthy area, and it already hosts several large antiques and fine art fairs every year. The transport links are good too.

I've been bumping up against a 'there be dragons' attitude to the north all my life. 

[chopin-liszt]

There's no money to be made from holding a Conference, it's a purely academic endeavour. Businesses are not interested in that sort of thing.

Folk came from Australia and New Zealand to Edinburgh and Wuff came from Swizerland. Simon Cottle was there from London.
(I think) Frank managed to get Northlands Creative Glass involved.
I've got very restrictive health problems too - or I'd be trying to organise another conference myself.
The first one was in Perth Museum, and mostly about Ysart glass, the second in Edinburgh college of Art and it covered the world pretty much.
The only problem was when there were two lectures I wanted to attend, happening at the same time.
It wasn't the fault of any of our local dragons. They're really quite friendly.

[Anne]

I'd love to see glass fair in the north too Helen, there was one in Harrogate in 2005 that we went to but it doesn't seem to have been repeated.  I took loads of photos...  http://www.yobunny.org.uk/glassgallery/thumbnails.php?album=36

[Helen W.]

Anne, I'm drooling.  Thanks for the link...my idea of heaven. This would not have been on our radar at the time, for various reasons, but this shows a northern event can be done. 

[chopin-liszt]

Fairs and Conferences are completely different animals! 

[Helen W.]

Yes, I agree. I'm just a bit desparate for any big glass event within a day's travelling distance of where I live.