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Author Topic: Info on James Powell Topaz glass - "The Queen Victoria Topaz bowl"  (Read 20752 times)

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I'm wracking my brains but I seem to remember coming across some information that James Powell made their Topaz glass pre 1850 and it had something to do with Queen Vic's City of London banquet.

Can anyone help?  is there evidence that James Powell developed their Topaz glass in 1837 ish and that it was used by QV at the banquet in 1837?

Thanks for any help  :)
m

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Re: Info on James Powell Topaz glass
« Reply #1 on: October 10, 2020, 06:29:07 PM »
ok, don't worry - I've got it here:
1837
https://www.museumoflondonprints.com/image/142383/james-powell-and-sons-whitefriars-ltd-finger-bowl-in-topaz-glass-1837

or even 1827
https://www.museumoflondonprints.com/image/138375/james-powell-and-sons-whitefriars-ltd-finger-bowl-in-topaz-glass-1827

I wonder why in CH British Glass 1800-1914 pp57 the caption on the plate doesn't mention it was made by James Powell?  It just says '...English...' and on pp54 where a description of the bowls is given it also does not mention a maker.


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Offline essi

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Re: Info on James Powell Topaz glass
« Reply #2 on: October 10, 2020, 07:00:49 PM »
M, there is a little bit more about the James Powell topaz glass in the big Whitefriars book.
Whitefriars glass,James Powell & sons of London.
Have you got the info you need or should i add some more to your post?
Tim

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Re: Info on James Powell Topaz glass
« Reply #3 on: October 10, 2020, 07:23:10 PM »
Tim,that would be great. Many thanks as I don't have the book and I'm just curious as to why the bowl has no identifying maker in the British Glass book.

m

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Re: Info on James Powell Topaz glass
« Reply #4 on: October 10, 2020, 08:39:06 PM »
In the glasshouse recipe book covering 1831to 1838 it records some trials of various colouring oxides.
One of these trials was with oxide of uranium which produced a spectacular yellow which Powells called topaz.
Powells made some silver mounted candlesticks with prismatic drops given by lord Howe to queen Adelaide in topaz in 1836.
In the banquet given by the corporation of London for queen Victoria in 1837 there were 12 finger bowls and the bowls of twenty four hock glasses.
Dont know why Charles Hajdamach would not have attributed the images, he is a very knowledgeable expert.
Tim

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Re: Info on James Powell Topaz glass
« Reply #5 on: October 10, 2020, 09:01:22 PM »
Thank you. I appreciate it.  Is that  a direct quote from the book in full?
  That's interesting.  I'll take another look to see if he mentions Powell's anywhere else in case I've missed it (which is always possible  as the book is so big).

m


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Re: Info on James Powell Topaz glass
« Reply #6 on: October 10, 2020, 09:50:28 PM »
M , that was my version of the text. i worry about lifting authors work wholesale off the page.
other parts of the text related to who retailed there glass and who supplied the oxides for colouring.
Tim

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Re: Info on James Powell Topaz glass
« Reply #7 on: October 10, 2020, 10:01:54 PM »
Thanks Tim.  Yes understood re quoting from text.
No, I couldn't find a reference to Powell's regarding that amber fingerbowl in the book ('Topaz')

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Re: Info on James Powell Topaz glass
« Reply #8 on: October 10, 2020, 10:09:57 PM »
They may include a Whitefriars credit in future editions thanks to your work.
Tim

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Re: Info on James Powell Topaz glass
« Reply #9 on: October 12, 2020, 10:52:27 PM »
- Just adding a bit of info here - the occasion was 9th November 1837 and there are descriptions of the preparations for the banquet in the attached link. 
https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=HbdGAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA23-IA2&dq=queen+victoria+city+of+london+9+November1837&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj7j_yTjbDsAhUSQhUIHdSLCpwQ6AEwAHoECAAQAg#v=onepage&q=queen%20victoria%20city%20of%20london%209%20November1837&f=false

Glass mentioned (page 10) includes some all new lighting spectaculars - 2 large chandeliers  12ft in diameter  :o of coloured glass having the royal arms and initials, with national emblems painted thereon.  As well as  star and lustres loaned by Copeland and Garratt.

The mirrors mentioned are 10ft wide x 10ft high  and plenty of them it seems.  Wonder where they were produced and whether they were in sections, because I seem to remember a report from someone visiting Russia maybe in the 1820s? that the mirrors produced at the Imperial Glass factory were 10ft and were the largest produced at the time (apparently - can't find the link where I read that though). 



- I also came across this interesting video from the Museum of London website.  At the introduction the curator says Whitefriars was run by the Powell family from 1837. ( I thought it was 1834?)  So did they produce their topaz in the year they took over the glass factory?  Were they running another factory before that then? Just thinking about your comment
'In the glasshouse recipe book covering 1831to 1838 it records some trials of various colouring oxides.'

Listen from 1:01 in where the curator Danielle Thom says '... Whitefriars being run by the Powell family from I think 1837, is that right?'  and the curator from Headstone, Alison, confirms that.

https://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/application/files/1915/8135/2778/HEADSTONE_MANOR_WHITEFRIARS_FILM.mp4

https://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/discover/whitefriars-glass-headstone-manor

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