Topic: Powell Wealdstone label found on a W66 bowl...

[Pinkspoons]

Was the Wealdstone range always an exclusive for Wuidart? I turned up this bowl today (a W66 in Gold) bearing an old foil label with Powell branding, and not obviously anyone else's (although it is partial).

Apologies if question stupid.

[Paul S.]

judging by information in the 'big book', the initial agreement with Elfverson's & Co. in '31 was cancelled almost as soon as it was signed, and a further contract signed with Wuidart within a matter of months with advertising material showing Wuidart's name.                           I could be wrong, but previously I'd imagined there may not have actually been any business done with Elfverson whereby they were supplied with any glass, but ...............   quoting from the big book it comments .............   "Pieces made for Elfverson's are very heavy, sometimes weighing around 8kg (18 lbs) with large optic effects and rather Nordic colours  .................  etc." 
The implication of this comment might suggest that Efverson's took an initial delivery, though that's speculation on my part.                No idea if anyone has ever found an Elfverson's label. 
Otherwise it appears we only know of Wuidart as the sole agent for the 'Wealdstone' range.

[Pinkspoons]

Thank you for the response.

I am sans 'big book', but do vaguely recall the Elfverson's thing from past threads, now that you mention it. I tried searching for Wuidart labels of the era, but to no avail.

The available Wealdstone catalogue makes no mention of Powell, and a few comments found online have said that neither does the advertising, which is why my interest was piqued by the company prominently featuring on the label (it's definitely not the first time I've handed over money for a label I've not seen before!).

[Paul S.]

certainly the Wuidart catalogue pages omit any reference to Powell  -  we had this question up recently here in a similar way I think.

[Pinkspoons]

I was looking at the dates for the Wealdstone range, and https://whitefriarsglass.wixsite.com/catalogues/wuidart gives the development year as 1930, with Elfverson coming into play the following year.

It seems a little odd that a full range would be developed without a buyer secured (although it is British industry, where any madness is not only possible, but probable), and assuming the 1930 part is correct, it does leave at least a potential window for Powell to have briefly retailed the range under its own name.

Pure speculation, obviously.

[Paul S.]

quite a complicated arrangement it seems - there is correspondence at the MoL, which is mentioned in the Appendix in the big book as  'CORRESPONDENCE 1931 - 2  ....   this is correspondence between Powell's, Elfverson's, Wuidart's and legal advisers regarding 'Wealdstone' range.  Various archive Nos.'       It might not remotely help us though.
       
The eight pages of illustrations of Wuidart glass, shown in the 1931 - 4 catalogues - shown in the link - are fortunately also shown in the big book  -  it's possible then that the agreement with Wuidart last only for these four years.