Topic: Now here is a REAL challenge! Portland vase

[David E]

Couldn't agree more - preserve it for posterity.

What will be fascinating is how the project progresses so, as someone mentioned earler, it would very nice to see a documentary of this if at all possible.

[Pip]

Stephen, you are a busy bee  - what with the glass museum and everything else I'm wondering if you get more hours in your day than the rest of us! Anyway, the best of luck with this project - it sounds very interesting and I look forward to seeing the results.

[sph@ngw]

"If you want a job done, give it to a busy person" Sorry unable to find the source of this quote.
I am giving us 5 years to complete the project, and yes I have heard of another attempt to copy it and hoped this Forum might locate who and where?
The Museum (of 20th Century British Domestic Glass) is scheduled to open late Spring (end of May). I have just about finished collecting around 2,000 pieces currently being photographed and catalogued. The shelving and lighting is on order, the garden is almost completed, and we are working on the signage and simple leaflets,and some "new", old notepaper.
Main problem, who should I invite to open it?
Any suggestions welcome !!!!!
David Queensberry ex prof of RCA was a thought as he has known us for 40 years, ( Can't ask Camilla as we have a photo of Diana being presented with a Bristol blue decanter!)
regards, Stephen

[josordoni]

"If you want a job done, give it to a busy person"

Well  Maggie Thatcher said

"In politics if you want anything said, ask a man. If you want anything done, ask a woman."

Will that do?

[pamela]

I had never heard of this Portland vase earlier, but now I see what a challenge you are talking about. Good luck Stephen, I wish you will be successful with all your skill

Pamela

[Frank]

The only glass copies were one enamelled and a handful of printed ones in the 19th century. The most famous copy being Wedgwood's http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/grtr/ho_94.4.172.htm

[Carolyn Preston]

Main problem, who should I invite to open it?
Any suggestions welcome !!!!!
David Queensberry ex prof of RCA was a thought as he has known us for 40 years, ( Can't ask Camilla as we have a photo of Diana being presented with a Bristol blue decanter!)

But someone that might appreciate said picture might be one or both of the Princes, Harry and William.  Nothing against David Queensberry, of course.

Carolyn

[Frank]

You left it a bit late but why not approach the Lord Chancellor's office, lay on the 400 years history... and get whoever they think most appropriate. Failing that you could ask our Bernard (Cavalot).

[Pip]

Stephen, you mentioned a while back that Ronald Stennett-Willson would probably be attending - why not ask him to open the museum?  He gets my vote anyway ...

[potty-de-verre]

I was very surprised to see two exciting items on my infrequent visits to the forum. Both in one e-mail. Well it was before breakfast and impossible things do happen.

Firstly, another go at cracking the art of copying the Portland vase. It would be interesting to know how far off the original glass composition Wedgwood was but I suspect knowing the composition may only be half the battle. Good luck and if you make enough spares perhaps you could raffle one off to raise funds for your new museum.

Secondly (and here I got a bit confused but excited) unless I’ve miss-read it you seem to be able to trace your history back nearly 400 years! (Not sure where that leaves the 75th Anniversary celebrations the other year, apart from being very late.)

Anyway, surely this must make Nazeing just about the oldest, continuous, glass maker in the world still surviving? I had a quick flick through the wonderful Lesley Jackson book and could only find Kosta (founded 1742) nearing that sort of age. So a bit of a newcomer in comparison.

I don’t own a copy but perhaps you could contact the Guinness Book of Records, if you are not already in there, and get them to open the museum for you. I’m not sure if Norris McWhirter has retired but he’s quite famous and if you could get the Guinness Book of Records involved I’m sure you’d get a lot of free publicity/Guinness.