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Glass Discussion & Research. NO IDENTIFICATION REQUESTS here please. => British & Irish Glass => Topic started by: chilternhills on October 21, 2022, 12:03:57 PM
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I found this Dartington Studio vase the other day and it struck me as unusually large at 33.5 cm high and 15 cm maximum diameter. It has a lovely impressed Studio mark as well as an etched Dartington mark. I presume this was made at the Barbican Glassworks in Plymouth between 1997 and 2004 (or was it 2002?) and designed by Hilary Green and/or Simon Moore, but please correct me if I am wrong.
The pattern seems to be painted on, with white first (it's all white when you look inside) and the blue added on top, and then cased in clear glass.
I have seen a few pieces of Dartington Studio over the years, but some of the features of this vase are new to me: the painting and casing technique as well as the impressed Studio mark rather than an etched one.
I would appreciate any further information. I don't have a copy of 20th Century Factory Glass by Lesley Jackson to hand at the moment, though it's in the museum library.
Thanks in advance.
Anton
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Dartington Studio was really a very short lived enterprise. It was a very brave idea to take inspiration from much older glass, and to use the same materials and methods as they did.
This design came out at the very beginning, along with Alchemy, and I think both were inspired by Monart, although I never found out the name of this particular pattern with the crizzling all marvered in.
After these two designs, they went on to emulating Venetian glass with gold foil, then finally, they made cranberry glass, using gold to create the colour. It finally broke them, proving too expensive to make.
I was following it from fairly close to the start, and the Stuart Visitor Centre in Crieff used to stock it. I had arranged with the staff there to tell me when new ranges were coming out as I was very impressed with it. And that is how I know of the demise, and why, of Dartington Studio.
I'm sorry, I can't help with a name. :'(
There is nothing in Lesley Jackson. It was published before the Studio Range was started.
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You could try and get in touch with any of the people named in Ivo's post here perhaps?
http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,3614.msg28054.html#msg28054
Ivo's post says:
quote
'according to their brochure it is "the result of a creative partnership between the company's senior designer Hilary Green, Devon-based glass artist John Ford and the team of glass blowers at the Barbican, Plymouth"'
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This range in the Studio was called Farrago. The vase you have is "Tall Vase Oceanic VA1619/OC". The Farrago range and Alchemy (mentioned by Sue) were a collaboration between Hilary Green and John Ford with Ian Hill being the chief glass blower. This is the largest size. Farrago came in 4 main colours: Oceanic, Midnight, Tangerine and Volcano. The glass blowers also did their own thing (I have several unique pieces) so there are variations outside of the catalogued shapes, colours and sizes. Gold foil was used on the Alchemy range, but it also appears in the deep red (non catalogue) examples of Farrago. The double blow pipe impressed logo is a feature of the Farrago pieces, where as the smaller Alchemy items had the acid etched DARTINGTON and sometimes the small acid etched blowpipes. The only hand-signed piece I have seen is a Farrago vase I have which was signed by John Ford and Ian Hill. (I should post some of my collection for interest)
Hope this helps.
Ian
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Very interesting, Ian, thanks!
I happen to have one of these large vases, it's orange, yellow and black. I guess Volcano?
I did have a charger, in a very deep red, with gold foil. I had to have that made to order for me.
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Hi Sue,
Yes,Volcano is right. I have a large red charger I bought a few years ago (here with a small Tangerine beside it).
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Here's some more Farrago. The two on the right are Volcano with Ebony (black) inside. The one on the left is a variation on the tangerine which had blue inside but this is more yellow and shades of Volcano outside
.
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I've seen a Faraggo charger with blue on one side and a sort of mustard colour on the other.
Your red charger is the same as the one I had made.
I do like the ones with lots of colours. That is a lovely image with the three together, Ian.;D
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Did you get rid of your charger, Sue? I bought this one about 5(?) years ago. I also have 2 vases in the same deep red with gold. I agree about the more colourful pieces. I do have few more Volcanos including another large one. And some interesting variations. This is one that didn't get cased in clear, so it has an alligator skin appearance. A friend has another like this.
Ian
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I did, but I don't think you have it - the foil pattern is quite different. I can't resize any more, but I could send you images if you wanted. Click on the envelope under my name to get in email contact if you do.
That latest image of the uncased reptile is not terribly unlike Alchemy. ;D
I like it. ;D