Topic: Large pair of Opalescent Jobling Fir Cones Vases

[mhgcgolfclub]

Hi

I bought this pair of vases today from a local quality Auction , they were describes as a pair of opalescent cylindrical vases possibly Barolac, they have no makers mark but I just thought they looked like Joblings Fir Cone pattern, but was unsure as in the 5 years that I have been collecting and selling glass I had never seen this shape vase by Jobling in any colour , I did speak to bernard who told me with out the aid of a picture that Jobling did make a vase, I am keeping the vases in my collection but interested to know how rare thay may be and for how long they were made, I think they are very stunning , although a pair they are not identicle, one is half an inch taller and they both have slightly different base and rim diameter, would this be because of different mould or just the way they were finished, they stand about 9.5 inches and weigh a heavy 1.25 kgs each

 many thanks roy

[Della]

Hi Roy,
There is some great info on Glen's site about this pattern & vase:

http://www.geocities.com/carni_glass_uk_2000/FirJoblingCone.html

Gorgeous :mrgreen:

[mhgcgolfclub]

Hi Della

Many thanks for that

roy

[B & M]

Hi Roy,

the vases are definitely Jobling and quite rare. The difference in height is probably just the result of them being treated differently, i.e. one has been flanged a little wider at the rim.

I have one of these vases (actually the example pictured on Glen's site, there is another pic here: http://glassgallery.yobunny.org.uk/displayimage.php?pos=-770)

A similar shaped vase in flower pattern was also produced. I do not know how long they were made, I suspect it was for a very short time. The fir cone vase is featured in Jobling's advertisement in The Pottery Gazette, 1st September 1933, reproduced on p6 of Baker & Crowe. Neither vase appears in the 1934 catalogue, however.

There is only a brief mention in Baker & Crowe, pp12-13, describing how Jobling had received a 7 1/4 and 8 1/4 inch mould from France for the fircone & flower bowls, additionally mentioning that a vase and 5 1/2 dish in these patterns were also being designed from moulds produced in house (Baker & Crowe 1985 pp12-13).

These vases do seem a little mysterious; perhaps by 1934 Jobling decided to concentrate on its newer vases such as the bird & panel, butterfly & panel, etc. though this is largely speculation on my part.

All i can say is that in my opinion they are very beautiful vases and are definitely among my favourite Jobling pieces. If anyone has a photograph of a flower pattern vase by the way, I would be very interested to see it.

Steven

Reference: Baker, J & Crowe, K 1985 A Collector's Guide to Jobling 1930s Decorative Glass Tyne and Wear County Council Museums

[Bernard C]

As Roy said, we did exchange emails several days ago, and I immediately recognised the vases from his description.

Jobling launched these vases to the trade in the Pottery Gazette of 1 Sept 1933, along with another oddity, the jade nude lady centrepiece in the plain 1054 / 1054½ floating bowl without a plinth.   I've seen both the Fircone and Flower patterns, in Opalique, flint, and amber.
 
Although these don't appear in Jobling's later trade catalogues, you can't conclude that they stopped making them, as they could have been the subject of a retailer or wholesaler exclusive deal.

I think it worth noting here that Baker & Crowe documents known examples of Marks & Spencer exclusives, which, of course, never appeared in Jobling's trade catalogues.   I did check with M&S some years ago, but their archivist kindly informed me that virtually all their records were unfortunately destroyed in the London blitz.   At that time I was looking for more information on these vases and on an extremely rare third Jobling centrepiece figurine, a tall slim more formal female figure, featured in a range of Jobling's 1930s glass photographed in an old Sunderland Museum promotional brochure.

As for the early three-piece centrepiece, there was one sold on eBay recently in Australia.   See listing.   This comprised the magnificent first edition lady with a bung fitting into the flower block, and a 1054 floating bowl.    I have also recently bought an example, my first, which has a stepped fitting and a 1054½ floating bowl (without the base star), otherwise identical.    I am reasonably certain that this early three-piece set was only made in jade.   Has anyone seen a different colour?

The rather vague plinth shown in the PG advert was just artistic invention, as the 1054 floating bowl does not have the base ring necessary to lock on to a plinth.

Apologies for rather rambling off-topic.

Bernard C.  

[Lustrousstone]

Bernard, the link is to a beautiful epergne, not a beautiful lady

[Bernard C]

Thanks, Christine.    Now corrected!   I made the mistake of hitting Submit instead of Preview way too early.  You will be amused at how many times I had to revise it to get it right!

Bernard C.  

[selina]

I have the jadeite lady and the frog and recently was going to purchase the Jobling fir cone bowl to complete the set, but when I went to buy it, the frog and the bowl (I didnt take the lady) were slightly different colours. I took this to mean that maybe the lady wasnt Jobling. Now I see that she is, but Im still confused as to which bowl she should be sitting in.

Selina

[Lustrousstone]

She was possibly meant to sit in any Jobling jade bowl you fancied. This is certainly true of Walther centrepieces - mix and match seemed to be the thing.

There also seems to be two variants of Jobling uranium green jade glass - one being more translucent than the other