Flushed with the success of recreating some circa 1720 bottles with prunts for Glenmorangie's Ardbegg brand, we plan to celebrate the 400th anniversay of our founding in Vauxhall (Sir Edward Zouche's factory 1612) by attempting to make 10 replicas of the world-famous Portland vase!
Yes I know Philip Pargeter and John Northwood did it around 1870,( see Corning museum), as did Josiah Wedgwood, but they did not know the exact chemical formula the Romans used.
Now, since the last repair done by the British museum, and working closely with them, we hope to produce as faithful a facsimile (well without the glue and cracks of the original) as can be done!
I personally think it was a drinking vessel originally not a funery vase and that it had a base (no, not the disc found inside that appears to be Venetian - those damn Murano artists get everywhere!) according to the latest micro-spectrometry results! I reckon a Doge wanted a Venetian version alongside it with his portrait on it!
Anyway, any thoughts, comments, (Yes, we are crackers to try it, but we have two new small furnaces, as expertise in Bristol blue and some very talented keen glassmakers who enjoy a challenge!), or good wishes would be welcome!
Stephen @ Nazeing Glass Works!