Topic: S&W or Walsh Walsh - Value?

[Leni]

I had always thought this vase was by Stevens & Williams, because of the flower covering the pontil mark http://glassgallery.yobunny.org.uk/displayimage.php?pos=-1623
http://glassgallery.yobunny.org.uk/displayimage.php?pos=-1622
But Great Glass has a very similar one which is described as John Walsh Walsh Autumnal ware.  Anyone like to say which they think it is?   

And any idea of the value? 

For example, would it be worth an insurance claim if ... er ... by some misfortune .... it should happen to get 'catted'  :oops:  :cry:

[Bernard C]

Leni — if you look on http://www.great-glass.co.uk/index.htm at English (others), you will see two apparently similar pieces attributed to Boulton & Mills.

I don't know how strawberry, raspberry or daisy applied prunts can be used to attribute these fancies.   All I know is they are frequently found on Walsh pieces, but they may well be found on fancies by other glass houses.    You can see the problem if it turns out that every major English (or European) glass house was sold a full set of these little moulds by the same strawberry / raspberry / daisy salesman.

I am aware of an ongoing project to record these.   It would be useful if you could add in the height and diameter of the vase and the diameter of the moulded prunt, measured as accurately as possible.

Finally, what do you call a raspberry prunt applied to an example of Walsh Crushed Strawberry?   A fruit salad?   Indecisive?  :lol:

Bernard C.  

[Leni]

I don't know how strawberry, raspberry or daisy applied prunts can be used to attribute these fancies.   All I know is they are frequently found on Walsh pieces, but they may well be found on fancies by other glass houses.

Thanks, Bernard.  I looked at the Boulton & Mills pieces, and now I'm even more confused!    :shock:  :?

I got my information about the vase from Skelcher, where he shows an exact copy of my vase which he says appears in the Stevens & Williams pattern books of the 1880's.   He says a 'similar item' was atributed by Manley and by the Royal Brierley Museum Curator.  He also shows a picture of the flower prunt, and says this is typical of Stevens and Williams prunts.

The vase is 9 inches high to the top of the points, 5 inches in diameter across the widest part, and the prunt is 1 & 1/4 inches in diameter.  The main body fluoresces strongly under UV, but the leaf trailings, the feet and the frilled top do not fluoresce at all.  

Any hints on the insurance value?   :?

[Bernard C]

... Any hints on the insurance value?

Please don't press me on this, Leni.   Talking values in public has got me into trouble in the past, so now, like many others, I don't discuss values of any type at all, without exception.   Why not contact the professionals in valuation, the major auction houses, of whom the best in my opinion is the Sotheby's team, led by Simon Cottle.

Thanks for the dimensions.   I know this information will be appreciated.

As for attribution, you know my opinion on the authorities from the Manley era.   Unattributable was not in their vocabulary, so their attributions must be treated with some suspicion, although, to their great credit, many of their attributions still hold firm.   Today there is an increasing realism as regards attribution, and, in most circles, unattributable or more acceptable terms like "Stourbridge" (in the wider sense, including Birmingham, London, Manchester, Tyneside, Central Europe and sometimes even the USA) are much more frequently used.

Bernard C.  

[Connie]

The first time Leni posted this vase (well over a year ago) I also posted this pitcher or ewer.

http://www.grayhorseglass.com/items/354848/item354848store.html  Mod: Link dead

We didn't get anywhere with a attribution on either at that time either  :?

I wonder if the use of the multi-colored amber, green and cranberry glass together in the decoration could be a clue to the maker? 

Both Leni's vase and my pitcher use this color combination in the leaf design.  My pitcher has very well formed applied acorns as well.

[Bernard C]

Connie — That beautifully moulded acorn prunt is really special.    I've never seen anything like it.   Nor can I recall any reference to it in any of my well-thumbed books and journals.   Have you tried hawking it around the major glass museums and auction houses to see if anyone recognises it?

It easily justifies a topic of its own, here on the GMB.

Bernard C.  

[heartofglass]

Okay, here's one of my acorn items-

I too have read much conflicting information on these types of pieces. Stourbridge,or should I say, Stourbridge-type, seems to be the typical attribution, but the the exact maker is uncertain.......the usual suspects are named, eg. S&W.
These items have polished pontils & contain uranium.
The name "Autumnal Ware" is also mentioned in Gulliver's "Victorian Decorative Glass", but this seems to be a name given by a distributor for this range of glass, rather than a indicator of the manufacturer.
I have tried to find out about Boulton & Mills, as I think I might have some pieces by them, but there's not much info out there.....
B.T.W, Connie, your ewer is stunning!

Finally, what do you call a raspberry prunt applied to an example of Walsh Crushed Strawberry? A fruit salad? Indecisive?

Very funny, Bernard! A joke only appriciated by Victorian glass buffs- gottta love that! :lol:

[heartofglass]

Me again!
I have found some rather interesting attributions for various applied acorn items, as well as pieces with applied acanthus leaves here-
(Warning- serious Victorian eye candy incoming!)
http://home.earthlink.net/~verredart4/glass/EnglishApplique.html
and-
http://home.earthlink.net/~verredart1/glass/
and-
http://home.earthlink.net/~verredart1/glass/BohemianApplique.html
The pieces attrinbuted to Welz of Bohemia look very similar to a number of my acorn items.
Connie, there is a similar ewer (albeit sans acorn) to yours attributed to Boulton & Mills.
The I.Ds on this site seem pretty confident (not sure of accuracy) & it seems like the owner of the site is familiar with the G.M.B!
The pages take a while to load, but worth it for the great pics of these fabulous items.
 

[Bernard C]

Marinka — I love the link.   What a huge and beautiful variety of glass.

The one piece which is 100% attributable with no argument is the second on the JIP page, a nice example of "Stourbridge" glass made in Manchester.

It just shows how universally all the various skills needed to make this glass were known.

Bernard C.