Topic: large amber vase with uranium content.

[Paul S.]

good morning each  -  I've lapsed and no longer collect, but saw this across a crowded charity shop room and couldn't resist taking home, and occurs to me it might be of interest to others here.    No longer have my books, so in the dark and hoping some kind soul will have a look in Hajdamach's book for C19 British Glass - the reason being that Thomas Webb is the only maker's name I can suggest - though of course this may not be British - and from memory recall that book lists and illustrates most of the TW moulded surface patterns, plus they were one of the vastly better known British makers who incorporated u. in the batch.             Richardson, possibly, might be a contender??
Judging by wear and shape (plus u. content), I'm thinking this is a 1930/45 period piece  -  tumbler/bucket shapes were popular then - the wear is heavy - the u. is strong - the ground/polished pontil depression is high quality.     The pattern is a variation on some form of very irregular honeycomb design  -  becomes stretched toward the top rim with the final couple of inches simply plain glass.                 
From memory, neither Stuart or W/Fs used u. in the C20, and TW created a large range of surface patterns which they used over a long period of time (many of them have been shown on the GMB) - perhaps this one has some similarities to Webb's Gay Glass range??           Certainly TW pieces are found commonly without their backstamp. 
Even in poor daylight the u. content can be seen especially around the rim, so torch fortunately not needed in the shop.               Height is c. 10 inches (25 cms.) - rim diameter c. 7 inches (18 cms.)    I've looked till I'm blue in the face but unable to see any kind of backstamp etc.
Should this not be British, then I'm clueless as to origin or maker.   

Thanks for looking.   

[Lustrousstone]

Interesting! These martele patterns don't seem to be an English thing as far as I know. These colour looks Stevens and Williamsy though

[Paul S.]

thanks for looking  -  regret I've not heard of the word martele before in connection with glass.    What does it mean please.              I used to think it meant a circular, concrete building erected, usually along the south coast of the U.K., in defence against potential invasion by Napoleon.         

[NevB]

Good to see you back Paul. You're thinking of the Martello towers, there are several in the Solent. There are some Martele pieces in the Kralik section here.


http://kralik-glass.com/frametemplate.html



I too think possibly Stevens and Williams

[Paul S.]

sorry, it was a rather weak attempt at humour.       Perhaps a little something lost in translation to the word hammered?  -  but certainly this relief veining is similar to the Kralik decor martele, shown in your link.      Regret I was never any good at Continental glass.   The only book I ever had re S. & W. was that thin little volume, which from memory showed a lot of mostly high end stuff - so likely unhelpful for this vase.    When you say S. & W., do you mean when they were Stevens & Williams or after they became Brierley (was it late 1920s?)  -  and is it known that they did u. content?       When we wander away from collecting memory forsakes us too.    thanks for the link.   

[NevB]

Sorry Paul I missed the humour completely  Apparently the company changed in the 1930's so possibly either and I think they used uranium. Going back to the Martello towers, they were actually land based, the ones in the Solent are sea forts.

[Paul S.]

all that cement used and then he decides not to visit                We may never get the answer for this one, but my thanks to Christine and yourself for having a look - I'd forgotten how much glass fails on id.   

[thewingedsphinx]

While researching this large stamped Richardson’s vase of the same height as yours Paul and stamped on the base with a trademark, dated around the 1920-30s they were taken over by Webb Corbett Crystal who supposedly continued producing with the moulds but without the trademark.
It also has uranium in , cheers Mike

[Paul S.]

thanks Mike.   Your vase looks very similar to what Judith Miller  '20th Century Glass'  calls 'Richardson bubble vase'  -  quote  ""From 1930 to the mid-60s, Thomas Webb & Sons marketed a number of pieces as Richardson, c. 1930-50.""  -  Judith Miller shows a pink example and I have something similar in purple.        Perhaps this is where Borske Sklo got the idea for their Nemo range.    The backstamp for Richardson - before they were sold to TW c. 1930  - was RICHARDSON - over a Union Flag  -  with BRITISH under the flag  -  assume this is the backstamp on your piece.     Very difficult to know exactly when the Richardson backstamp ceased.
You say they were taken over by Webb Corbett Crystal - were all three under this name do you know.?      Am sure you know more about these things than me - but IMHO, for the time being, I'd suggest the connection is a little too tenuous for us to feel confident that your Richardson vase and the vase here are connected.    I know I mentioned Richardson initially, but think now I was flying a kite and not enough substance, yet, to connect the two, though with glass always dangerous to be dogmatic.    thanks again and nice piece by the way.

P.S.   should look more carefully at your pix  -  I've now seen the backstamp on your vase -  we used to say 'I need Specsavers again'  -  I've no excuse now as yesterday I had the first of my two cataract ops. and hopefully my peepers should be improved.

[thewingedsphinx]

Yes Paul if you expand the second picture you should see the ‘Richardson’s flag and British’ the Millers book is on my want list, thanks Mike