Topic: Ernest Gordon Afors stem vase

[Paul S.]

According to Wiki, Ernest Gordon joined Afors c. 1953 and departed about ten years later, and in that time he engraved some pieces to die for - unfortunately, this isn't one of those - but nonetheless interesting and was a charity shop find from this morning's walk.
I no longer have my Leslie Pina volumes, so unable to decipher the details on the base of this piece, and hoping someone is able to help - which I think  read:-
'afors  -  GH 3137:24  -  E. Gordon ………..    Scandi Nos., when written by hand aren't the easiest to interpret - those fours and sevens in particular can be confusing.
Apparently Afors started marking glass using a more recordable system after 1980 ish, but deciphering factory marks prior to that date - and this is probably 1950s -  can be difficult, so it's said.    The engraved plant looks to be an umbellifer of some kind - possible cow parsley - not easy to photograph, but hope good enough for people to appreciate the quality of the decoration.
Height is about 5.5 inches (c. 135 mm).

[essi]

Hello Paul, I have the leslie Pina smoke and ice book but the details for the signatures on the base seem quite vague.
The book gives an example of Afors G.H. 554 E. Gordon. After those letters and figures, the book says;(Afors company signature, Ernest Gordon code and production code,
and Earnest Gordon signature).
Paul, were you trying to find an approximate year of manufacture for your vase?.
I'll keep looking for more data regarding base details.
Tim

[Paul S.]

thanks for taking the time to look Tim.         In view of the comments about apparent difficulties in deciphering the factory codes during the time Gordon was working with them, I probably wasn't expecting too much in the way of accuracy as to what the details on my piece translate as.   It would have been a bonus to have known the year of manufacture, which I suspect was probably some time in the 1950s, plus maybe what the code actually meant  -  perhaps it refers to this particular engraving only  -  maybe Gordon took the list of codes with him when departing Afors.
If you do see further information regarding this one, I'd appreciate hearing more, and again thanks for looking.

[SveziaJonas]

Hello Paul,
Found one more with an other pattern.

https://www.epla.no/samler/produkter/753955/

From the headlines in one Ernst Gordon catalog
GG seems to be Gordon engraved glass
GS seems to be Gordon cut glass
GH seems to be Gordon coloured and clear glass.

From the link above and your glass we can speculate that the first number must be the model and the second one must be the engraving.
Regards
Jonas

[taylog1]

Paul,
Hi, yes Ernest Gordon Afors signatures can be a bit confusing !
this one I believe is GH 3137 24 (cow parsley).

there seems to be two main sets of engraved plants/animals with GH on them; a run that starts from GH 926:1 to GH 942:17 (both sets of numbers go up by one each time).
Then we get a few larger ones around GH 943:16 to 947:20 (bit of number overlap).

Then as you spotted there's a small sequence around 3137; 24 (anemone), 25 (thistle), 26 (snowdrop), 27 (cow parsley).
I've been collecting his bits for 15 years, so if there are others in this run they are very uncommon.

the numbering can go a bit awry, more so than Kosta - I've got one bit (and there's another on Ebay) where they have signed them but not got around to engraving them - I'd have thought they'd have done it the other way around, so you do see bits with the wrong numbers on.

I agree with the GH/GS/GG above. On his Kosta pieces (much less common) in addition you'll also see GD, which is also engraved. You'll note the similarity with Kosta Lindstrand numbering (LH,LG,LS).

if you search through the archives on this site you'll find some other posts from me with afors and Kosta Ernest Gordon pieces.

Regards

Gareth
 

   

[Paul S.]

my sincere thanks to Jonas and Gareth, and appreciate your help with details of the code for this particular piece.            Gareth  -  unless I'm mistaken, there appears to be a contradiction of some kind regarding the codes and their relevant 'plants' - as mentioned in your reply?             
I notice in your opening words that you suggest my code is GH 3137 24 (cow parsley), which agrees with my interpretation  -  but further down you suggest that cow parsley has the suffix of 27, and that No. 24 is anemone ?
Of course it might just be me misunderstanding your words  -  perhaps you might clarify.

Umbellifers make for good subjects, artistically - those flower/seed heads are so noticeable in the countryside at almost anytime of the year, whether alive or dead  -  just as long as you don't tinker with the one that nailed Socrates;-) - but do we know why cow parsley is so named?

[taylog1]

good spot !
I've one anemone and three parsleys, all currently packed away.
looking at my records I've written them both down as 27, but I don't have a 24 (but I do have 23,25 and 26).
From your picture I'd agree the parsley looks like a 24, but I'll confirm later in the year once I've unpacked them all and compared.

Regards

[Paul S.]

thanks again Gareth, and look forward to your further notes on this matter later in the year.