Topic: Thomas Webb top hat posy vase - RD 298626

[Paul S.]

thanks for posting that picture John  -  it's an attractive piece of Venetian ware.

[glassobsessed]

It shows that there were at least a few companies using this kind of decoration. I guess it is possible that trailing like this was fashionable for a while, maybe made popular after a new development or a particular celebrated design. Pure speculation...

[chopin-liszt]

Stevens and Williams made a fair few bits covered in coloured threading. Mostly pink.

[MHT]

Sowerby seems to have used their turquoise "vitro-porcelain" for the rims, trails and prunts on their Venetian range.
They patented this type of glass in 1876 and made it in a number of different colours. On the Venetian glass I have the colour of the blue does vary, as does the colour and composition of the green base colour.
John's top hat is a nice well made little piece as you would expect from Webb. The blue banding seems to be slightly darker than on Sowerby Venetian.

John, as a matter of interest, for my research, do you have a piece of turquoise VP to compare the two colours?

[flying free]

didn't someone (Richardson?) invent an automatic trailing or threading machine or something?

Will check CH British Glass later and report back.

[chopin-liszt]

Definitely. Lustrousstone has a stunning little Webb lemonescent posy.
http://lustrousstone.co.uk/cpg/displayimage.php?pid=1

[glassobsessed]

John, as a matter of interest, for my research, do you have a piece of turquoise VP to compare the two colours?

No I don't have any turquoise here, only piece I have at the moment is Opal.

[Paul S.]

I would have thought that turquoise VP must have been shown on the Board somewhere in the past  -  have you searched the archive?          Looking in Ray Slack's book - page 54 - he shows two pieces which on the face of it might be assumed to be simply pale blue, and they differ slightly in intensity of colour.

[flying free]

didn't someone (Richardson?) invent an automatic trailing or threading machine or something?

Will check CH British Glass later and report back.

Now checked - page 273 Charles Hajdamach British Glass 1800-1914

'From 1876 glassmakers had the option of applying trailed decoration by using a machine.  In that year William J Hodgetts, a partner in the firm of Hodgetts, Richardson and Son, patented his invention of a threading machine to speed up the hand process and ensure an absolutely regular spacing (Plate 262).  The patent was registered on  6 May.'

There follows more information on various factories' inventions of threading operations.  Charles shows photographs and gives incredibly detailed information on these machines and the similarities, variances and differences between trailing and threading.

I love this book!