Topic: crackle water jug - Kolo Moser?

[Paul S.]

additional pix - hope they are an improvement for seeing the profile.             In couple of them the internal tubular hole can be seen running down inside the handle, though still not clued up as to the reason for the hole, or come to that how it's achieved  -  you can see the pipe cleaner in the hole, and I'd guess the hole is c. 5 - 6 mm diameter.       Visually, would look v.g. if the jug was filled with red wine or beer, but with water the effect is lost, though the whole point of the hole may not be for aesthetics.
Not being clued up at all with such pieces, I've no idea as to suggesting which design came first  -  those with the strap handle or this hole in the handl job - or whether both were concurrent.            In fact not sure what date to suggest - 1940s?

Traditionally, cut/finished at the top has been the Continental method, with solid pontil rods a U.K. preference, but as with all things no doubt there are exceptions.
I've seen a lot of crackle style glass, in many forms and shapes, but don't recall ever seeing label let alone a backstamp, so no idea if there is a single predominant country/source.

[flying free]

Thanks.

I don't know about the level of variation on these things but I don't think that looks similar in profile around the handle area or the spout area.

However,  that might mean nothing except I thought they might have been mold made?

I mean it's a similar design, yes, tick, and it has the polished pontil mark and firepolished rim, yes, tick, but the handle design doesn't look the same, yours is straighter, does not curve outwards from the body as it looks to do in the Ricke variation, and I think the spout on yours is different although again, that might just be natural variation.

If they are handmade then I guess there may be room for variation?

[Paul S.]

thanks  -  you see the large black stone toward the top of the jug  -  perhaps this one was a 'seconds'?

thought you'd know a lot more about these things than me?               Quoting from Hajdamach - 'British Glass 1800 - 1914' page 265, there is some text he's taken from Pellatt on how to make this type of glass, though the wording appears to be discussing free blown material only  -  and the method depends on having two gathers, presumably such that when dipped in cold water the fissures occur in the outer gather only, then the piece is blown to full size.     
However, in view of the seams on these jugs they are obviously mould blown, and no idea how the handle hole is created - so sounds a tad more complex than I first thought  -  this is perhaps at odds with your comment about being hand made  -  the free blown pieces will be, but not these mould made jugs?                 Would be interested in thoughts on dating  -  going out with a jug

I have a lovely little milk jug in crackle which has an iridised (rainbow-hued) surface.

[Paul S.]

remarkable coincidence  ..........................   this turned up on my charity shop adventures earlier today  -  unfortunately, said water jug doesn't appear amongst the few glass pieces shown.
If you like the art of the Secessionists, Jugendstil, Mackintosh and his Glasgow pals, Art Nouveau and the forerunner of deco, this is an inexpensive introduction.          Born in Vienna in 1868 - he died in October 1920.

[chopin-liszt]

That is the wrong bit of "the inside of the handle". I didn't describe which bit I wanted to see too well.
There is a complete seam which runs around the centre inbetween the body of the jug and the body of the handle, (I didn't actually want down the inside the hole in the handle.)
How well that is joined is a good indication of quality. Some are really rather badly stuck and cobbled together rather than properly joined and almost "seamless".
I also seem to remember that there was a suggestion somewhere of the spout being flat or pointing down, being indicative of different origins.
I do not think these are mould blown. Unless it is before they are removed from a mould and further worked by hand while still hot to create the hole for the handle, put the spout in and fire finish the rim.

[catshome]

Loved the coincidence of Paul finding that book today then, as I was looking at secessionist glass after seeing Legsy's candlesticks, I spotted this

https://www.1stdibs.co.uk/furniture/dining-entertaining/pitchers/vienna-secessionist-crystal-glass-vase-pitcher-koloman-moser-loetz-art-nouveau/id-f_10396593/

[chopin-liszt]

Turned down lip, it looks like the back portion of the jug behind the handle is actually flat, rather then the normal slight v-shape, but none of those pics show the seams of the join inside the loop of the handle.

How many of the jugs we're talking about have this flat section on the body behind the handle?
I thought most were v-shaped.

[Paul S.]

well, just goes to show I must have good taste   -   just coincidence of course, the fairies had nothing to do with it.        
Having a sample of just one from which to make statistical analysis, doesn't really count, unfortunately, and I've just had another look at all those examples in the link I posted originally - the coloured versions too - but it's very difficult to make out accurately how many of those have the V indent behind the handle, and how many are flat.
I think that if you look again, you will find that the item for sale does in fact have a V indent - you can see the indent protruding into the body shape of the pitcher.        It's probably an optical illusion that makes the area behind the handle appear flat.
Do we think the linked example is green by virtue of manganese?

I'll post some more pix, as requested tomorrow afternoon  -  too late now, and I'm at Kew a.m. tomorrow.

Anyone want to buy a clear glass crackle pitcher - going cheap.

thanks to catshome for posting this interesting and very relevant link.

[Paul S.]

before I do the David Bailey bit, again, and get it wrong, again, let me explain exactly where I'm seeing the seams on this piece - this might indicate what's required.

Externally, there is a seam running 'down' where we see the V indent on the body (and this is mirrored internally in the form of a shallow groove which continues on both of the small platforms)  -  it starts immediately behind the top of the handle, crosses over to the top of the V, runs down to the lower end of the V, then crosses back to the bottom of the handle
Again, externally, the handle appears to have two seams - one each on opposing sides, but only for the length of the handle - the seam doesn't extend beyond the handle, in either direction.
The only other seam is that running the full height of the jug - from the lip to the base, straight down.    Regret I can't take photos internally.

Complex explanations aren't my forte  -  hope the above helps.

[chopin-liszt]

It helps LOADS. 
The seam I want to see is this first one you describe.

"Externally, there is a seam running 'down' where we see the V indent on the body (and this is mirrored internally in the form of a shallow groove which continues on both of the small platforms)  -  it starts immediately behind the top of the handle, crosses over to the top of the V, runs down to the lower end of the V, then crosses back to the bottom of the handle."

But we have learned something. My jug has absolutely NO other seams. Just the crackle.

So, some were mould made and some were not? 

There are tool marks at the bottom of the handle on the outside, but that's just part of the handle being "tucked back in and finished off" - a bit untidily.
My seams are easy to see and feel, and squint. Not at all neat.