Topic: Thomas Webb cocktail glasses.

[Paul S.]

As a stemmed shape they suggest a cocktail glass, but always possible intended for another type of drink.     From the charity shop this morning, and all marked 'MADE IN ENGLAND with WEBB in the centre, which according to the books was used 1935 - 49 .........   as a personal opinion I'd put them somewhere near the end of that period, but that's rather a guess.      Height is about 4.5 inches.           The interesting one is the 'salmony/pink' example (it certainly isn't anything to do with the usual amber shades we often have)  -  I've looked at the Thomas Webb colours thread, but am fairly certain we've not had this colour before  -  perhaps Keith might know more on that question, and what about the pale cranberry?    The final picture shows a couple more of T.W. glasses I found some few years back, with identical backstamp, so seems T/Webb had quite a fad for unusual colours.            As for the moulded pattern, I'm never sure whether this is Fircone or Honeycomb, but both have a long history and go back well over a hundred years.    All comments and corrections welcome and thanks for looking.

[bat20]

Nice find , I wonder what the three other colours would have been?,a green for sure and maybe a amethyst ??if I find any of a different colour I’ll let you know

[Paul S.]

thanks, appreciate that.

[keith]

Hello Paul, afraid I've never seen that 'salmony' colour before, nice find 

[Paul S.]

agree, it's unusual Keith, but then I also think the lime is rather on the scarce side.

[flying free]

Can't help really, but lovely shape and fabulous colours.  The shape is one that S&W used for their  alabaster glass range late c.1930s I think.
I would put them mid to late 1930s more to be honest i.e. pre-war period.  I think it was in fashion then.  And I think they are just referred to as cocktail glasses.

[Anne]

Paul, the stemmed ones look very like these? https://www.antiques-atlas.com/antique/thomas_webb_1940s_cocktail_glasses_x_7/as302a1314

[Paul S.]

yes, thank you Anne  -  they do indeed appear to be identical, and seems I'm missing uranium, amethyst and green, as bat20 suggested, and have to admit I'd love to get the full compliment of colours.                Backstamps are always an issue and don't really allow us to pin down a specific date, and probably difficult without some genuine provenance and usually we have to settle for a reasonably wide date range -  it seems my thoughts on date were likely wrong and nice to think they are probably earlier.    Will have a look through my volumes of the Studio for mid '30s to mid '40s in the coming days and will post any additional information if I find something worthwhile.    Thanks again to all for contributing.

[flying free]

I don't think that's Fircone (definitely not Fircone) or Honeycomb.  I wonder if it's Pineapple?
and looking through the CH book I think 1935 is about right for shape and fashion really.

m

[Paul S.]

  - yes, I see what you mean about pineapple - so a possibility then, though the outline of the pattern - on the actual glasses - lacks the appearance of what seems to be more rigid straight lines of pineapple as showing in the book, but I take your point, and these glasses may well be pineapple.               Unfortunately, the drawings in Hajdamach are too small IMHO to be of real use, and when we look at the surface of these glasses the patterns really aren't easy to define - at least for me - and I think it's even more difficult on clear glass.    I remember Nigel picking me up on my incorrect id for one of these wishy-washy T.W. patterns a few years back, and seem to recall we had hours of fun arguing about arabesque, I think.             I have some grapefruit dishes of a similar ilk, in clear, and they also have this watery-looking appearance  -  will post later some time.
As for a given period, indicated by shape and fashion, you're right of course that this 'stemmed funnel' appearance is a well known hallmark of art deco (for Martini perhaps), but not sure I'd want to be quite that specific about 1935.         Original deco was an era that lasted from early 1920s to somewhere in the mid to late 1940, but as we know subsequently pops up almost anywhere in the second half C20 - I've no idea how the seller, in the link, arrived at  'Makers mark denotes 1940' - as is commonplace, sellers are often short on provenance.       So, we have options of pineapple or honeycomb - any advance on that?