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Glass Discussion & Research. NO IDENTIFICATION REQUESTS here please. => British & Irish Glass => Topic started by: neilh on March 11, 2024, 09:37:23 PM

Title: Opinion Sought - whether to publish John Ford Lecture
Post by: neilh on March 11, 2024, 09:37:23 PM: Hi folks,

I am approaching the start of the first draft on my book on Percival Vickers and am selecting material.
I have a small pamphlet dating to 1883 which I acquired from a bookseller in Cumbria - a lecture by John H Ford on glassmaking for the layman. It's a nice little thing with some basic sketches, no major revelations. It would be a good way to illustrate what was taking place in a British glass house at the time.

I'm thinking about adding it as an Appendix chapter. As far as I can gather from Worldcat, only one other copy is known, in the University of Maastrict. There is an archive relating to John Ford in Edinburgh I think, which was delved into by Jill Turnbull for her works on Scottish glass. I have one of her books, "From Goblets to Gasslights"... and I don't see it in there.

Does anyone know if pamphlet has been previously published in another glass book?
Anyone even aware of it?
Would you like to see it in a book (transcription + sketches) ?

Any opinions welcome...
Title: Re: Opinion Sought - whether to publish John Ford Lecture
Post by: chopin-liszt on March 12, 2024, 05:14:59 PM: ;D
I'd like to see it ANYWHERE. What a treasure to have unearthed!
Even if there is nothing new, it tells us what was thought and known at the time. It's actual evidence of that.
Title: Re: Opinion Sought - whether to publish John Ford Lecture
Post by: MHT on March 14, 2024, 05:36:55 PM: Not seen or heard of the pamphlet before.

I agree with Sue, it should be published somewhere so at least it can be seen online or in a book and not hidden in some dusty archive.

I have just finished photographing and editing 140 pages of minutes of Sowerby glassworks directors' meetings (book 3 of 3) for the Archive page on my website.
Probably not of interest to anyone but at least they are there to be seen.
Title: Re: Opinion Sought - whether to publish John Ford Lecture
Post by: neilh on March 14, 2024, 06:56:20 PM: ok, I'll add it. My main concern is that it had already been seen somewhere, difficult to find anything that hasn't been scanned by Google or uploaded these days!
Title: Re: Opinion Sought - whether to publish John Ford Lecture
Post by: flying free on March 15, 2024, 11:24:56 AM: I would love some more information to be made available on this glassworks.
I've done quite a lot of searching to find info re the V&A glass bowl (possible candidate J Ford) and not seen that online yet.

m
Title: Re: Opinion Sought - whether to publish John Ford Lecture
Post by: Anne on March 18, 2024, 12:13:49 AM: Ohhhh yes please Neil! I think we should encourage reprinting / reproducing of all these old tracts as they all add a bit to the pool of knowledge.