Topic: Registered design 29th May 1872 Manchester opaque blue Dolphin Oil lamp base

[thewingedsphinx]

There are registered designs by both Derbyshire and Molineaux Webb for stands which could support Tazza s etc and the reference of Richardson’s in Hajdamachs book but this is the only one which wraps around a pole like the ones in the photo around The river Thames. Checkout the first link.

[thewingedsphinx]

Dad actually has a Portieux one already in clear but a Tazza support rather than candlestick,Baccarat also make similar. Thanks Mike

[thewingedsphinx]

Here is a Portieux one.

[flying free]

ok, have looked at the link in the first post now  - sorry.

Yes I can see that it would be a good assumption that they were based on  that.  The snout of the beast is remarkably similarly modelled as well.  It says on Wiki that they are sturgeons.  (I should have read that link first    )

So ... they are sturgeons then not dolphins.

m

[thewingedsphinx]

I quite agree they could be sturgeon’s or Gurnards as they don’t look like dolphins but anything fishy from this era on glass seem to be labelled Dolphins , wasn’t there some kind of law about not catching sturgeon’s from the Thames ?

[flying free]

So 'George John Vulliamy (19 May 1817 – 1886) was a British architect who designed some buildings in Victoria Street London, several fire-brigade stations, the pedestal and sphinxes for Cleopatra's Needle on the Thames Embankment, and the sturgeon lamp posts (colloquially "dolphin lamp posts") that line the embankment.'  Source Wikipedia.

So is that the link?  The Cleopatra's Needle Sphinxes and the Sturgeon base?   Therefore did George John Vulliamy give the glassmaker permission to copy the design?  or can you find a link to him designing something for one of the factories?

[thewingedsphinx]

Could be?
Molineaux and Webb registered a Sphinx a couple of years after this design, the St. Louis Sphinx is kind of similar ( dad has examples of both). Glass makers of this time used iconic sculptures for their wares, done weren’t registered because they may have infringed on the original idea.
You can find examples of the above Sphinxes already on here.

[flying free]

Yes, I remember reading about the various sphinx discussions.


His sturgeons are 'snub-nose' sturgeons according to this link (source - Linda Hall Library)  and they do not exist.
So ... given that the modelling of your lamp is a non-existent 'snub-nose sturgeon' as well, there has to be a link somewhere.  Either his patent ran out or was never patented, or the glassmaker thought they'd make a good souvenir?

https://www.lindahall.org/george-vulliamy/

Scientist of the Day - George Vulliamy
May 19,2015


Can you find out what the patent is via the metal class patent?  That might tell  you as the glass company may have deliberately registered it in the wrong class.

Also he designed the camel benches as well.  Any makers made camels that you know of? 
It might be worth having a good look to see if anyone copied his sphinx exactly as iirc there are differences with all of them.  I'm thinking that angle because someone seems to have replicated his Sturgeon design with great abandon.  I mean it's not exactly a small piece that wouldn't get noticed is it?  Like say a Burtles and Tate swan or something.
  I wondered if his might have been similar to the Saint-Louis Sphinx?  didn't that come in a matt black?  Nope not the same modelling.

[thewingedsphinx]

Unfortunately I only have the font no burner so I’m a bit lost how to progress further. Mol Webb sphinxes come in clear, frosted and black St. Louis ones some in all sorts of colours clear, clear blue, purple and blue malachite versions. I’ll continue my quest tomorrow thanks for the links.

[flying free]

see also this piece in blue opaline glass on the board here gmb - a vase with sphinxes modelled in black on the sides.  Just in case it comes in handy as it looks to be the bright blue opaline:
http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,40921.msg226768.html#msg226768