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Glass Identification - Post here for all ID requests => Glass => Topic started by: saorsa on July 19, 2007, 01:39:16 PM

Title: Heaviest Piece Of Glass Ever !!!! But Who ?
Post by: saorsa on July 19, 2007, 01:39:16 PM
this is the heaviest piece of glass that i have ever owned

Weighs in excess of 6 kilos, with a signature beside the engraved flower decoration

Tear drop shape measuring 11.5 inches tall x 7 inches wide

Im thinking Caithness  any other ideas ?

Thanks

http://glassgallery.yobunny.org.uk/displayimage.php?pos=-7943
http://glassgallery.yobunny.org.uk/displayimage.php?pos=-7942
http://glassgallery.yobunny.org.uk/displayimage.php?pos=-7941
http://glassgallery.yobunny.org.uk/displayimage.php?pos=-7940
Title: Re: Heaviest Piece Of Glass Ever !!!! But Who ?
Post by: vidrioguapo on July 20, 2007, 10:17:09 AM
SIX KILOS!!!!!!!!!  Am I reading this right?  Emmi
PS It does look a bit like Caithness, but I am not an expert on that glass
Title: Re: Heaviest Piece Of Glass Ever !!!! But Who ?
Post by: Tigerchips on July 20, 2007, 08:34:36 PM
Did Caithness ever do Sommerso though?
Title: Re: Heaviest Piece Of Glass Ever !!!! But Who ?
Post by: Pip on July 21, 2007, 08:55:25 AM
I personally wouldn't have thought Caithness for this but admittedly I've only handled a few fairly bog standard pieces.  What's the rim finish like?
Title: Re: Heaviest Piece Of Glass Ever !!!! But Who ?
Post by: taylog1 on July 21, 2007, 06:45:18 PM
At the risk of being shot down, and based on very little evidence :D, I'd suggest Seguso Vetri d Arte, poss Mario Pinzoni, which someone else has then used to engrave a picture on. :cry:

http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=4m81643
this is a picture of two of my bits (the biggest is 30+ cm tall).

The base on both of these has the same lozenge shape. (which someone else is now going to tell me is generic to Italian glass - the risk of straying outside one's area of specialism !).

taylog1
Title: Re: Heaviest Piece Of Glass Ever !!!! But Who ?
Post by: Pip on July 21, 2007, 07:06:40 PM
Well Italian makes much more sense to me than Scottish that's for sure.  Although didn't some of the Scandi makers manufacture this shape also?
Title: Re: Heaviest Piece Of Glass Ever !!!! But Who ?
Post by: Max on July 21, 2007, 07:18:01 PM
Have to say I thought this vase had been engraved after purchase too.  I suppose the design is acid-etched and hand finished?  I was mulling over if the design had been sandblasted, but I'm not entirely sure you can do that to vases...

Title: Re: Heaviest Piece Of Glass Ever !!!! But Who ?
Post by: saorsa on July 22, 2007, 11:06:41 AM
Yes you read it correctly lol its 6 Kilos

here is a picture of the rim below , the opening interior of the hole is only 1 inch

the finish to the etching looks very very good, and i am surprised that it would therefore be signed for a personal private piece

Thanks for your help everyone

http://glassgallery.yobunny.org.uk/displayimage.php?pos=-7991
Title: Re: Heaviest Piece Of Glass Ever !!!! But Who ?
Post by: Sue C on July 22, 2007, 11:14:02 AM
There are a number of very good engravers one of which sell's on ebay, Lesley Pyke, so it could have been done after purchase as a commision, have you tried the Murano board? the expert's there may be able to id the vase  :)
Title: Re: Heaviest Piece Of Glass Ever !!!! But Who ?
Post by: saorsa on July 22, 2007, 11:18:02 AM
i will try that Sue Thanks
Title: Re: Heaviest Piece Of Glass Ever !!!! But Who ?
Post by: Pip on July 22, 2007, 12:18:12 PM
It's also reminding me of some Orrefors pieces - although I don't recall seeing any with that 'sommerso' effect - but the overall shape and the rim certainly. 
Title: Re: Heaviest Piece Of Glass Ever !!!! But Who ?
Post by: Hotglass on July 22, 2007, 12:32:20 PM
When confronted with oversized sommerso my first thoughts are Poland and China unless the piece shows use of especially challenging, complex, time-consuming techniques and some originality in design. To me the rim and shape of the base are unremarkable. That said, I like it. I like the colours used and the simple form.
The frosting is another matter. I am baffled by whatever reasoning there might have been behind doing it. I have met Lesley Pyke and I will never forget it. She is a very remarkable woman. I would hate to think that she is responsible for spoiling this already decorative, modernist piece in such a way. I am not generally a fan of glass engraving but one look at her website will attest to Lesley's skills and artistry and shows the exquisite work she does. Altho capable of it, I sincerely hope that, if requested to do this this very basic design, she would refuse. Ed.     
 
Title: Re: Heaviest Piece Of Glass Ever !!!! But Who ?
Post by: Sue C on July 22, 2007, 01:05:10 PM
I never said Lesley Pyke was responsable for the engraving on this vase, i stated that there are a number of very good glass engravers, one of which is Lesley,  i admire her work greatly, which is why i mentioned her.
As i do not know the lady, i can not comment on whether she would undertake to do this BASIC engraving, if i offended any one i appologise.
Title: Re: Heaviest Piece Of Glass Ever !!!! But Who ?
Post by: Hotglass on July 22, 2007, 01:20:47 PM
Sue, I am not offended. Thank you for your concern. Yes it could have been done by anyone with the right equipment. I would only be surprised, sadened and disappointed if it were done by Lesley. Ed.
Title: Re: Heaviest Piece Of Glass Ever !!!! But Who ?
Post by: Frank on July 22, 2007, 01:40:09 PM
I suppose the design is acid-etched and hand finished?  I was mulling over if the design had been sandblasted, but I'm not entirely sure you can do that to vases...

It could easily by sandblast etching although hard to say from the pics, it does look a bit to deeply cut in this case.

I am looking at a Stuart Strathearn vase that is sand-blast etched on one side and it looks like it was transfer acid etched on the other side (Or a combination of acid and sand-blasting). Certainly not been near a wheel.
Title: Re: Heaviest Piece Of Glass Ever !!!! But Who ?
Post by: saorsa on July 23, 2007, 08:36:04 AM
another couple of pics showing some "chatter" marks

http://glassgallery.yobunny.org.uk/displayimage.php?pos=-8015
http://glassgallery.yobunny.org.uk/displayimage.php?pos=-8014
Title: Re: Heaviest Piece Of Glass Ever !!!! But Who ?
Post by: lesley7 on July 31, 2007, 12:29:21 PM
hhmmm, I thought my ears were burning  ;) ;D, hello I have just joined this great forum. I thought I had better add my little bit to this particular subject....and thank you for the great compliments and votes of confidence above!

It is my opinion that this vase has been sandblasted. It looks like the artist hand cut the mask, probably a vinyl, and sandblasted at various stages for different depth and shading, but possibly not executed as well as it could have been leaving it with an unfinished look about it (softer shallow sandblasting for darker shading would have been more effective, contrasting against the deep edges of the most prominent features). There are a few marks that look like a drill has skipped over the surface for some reason, but disappears under the sandblasting, that one is a puzzle, maybe there was some kind of drilled sketch underneath that this artist wanted to cover to give the vase new life. I do not know the signature.

I sign all my work very clearly either Lesley Pyke, Les Pyke or LP and the year.
 :D
Title: Re: Heaviest Piece Of Glass Ever !!!! But Who ?
Post by: Max on July 31, 2007, 12:51:45 PM
Hi Lesley, welcome and thank you for posting here.  :D

I spent some time thinking about this technique, as it's something I'd like to try myself.  I think that laying a vinyl stencil over a curved vase must be quite tricky to do, I guess you must have to have some kind of thickness of glass to be able to take sand-blasting too?  Not to mention a flattish area to be able to lay the stencil down flat - or as flat as you can get it.

Thanks again for your input, it's very much appreciated.  :)



Title: Re: Heaviest Piece Of Glass Ever !!!! But Who ?
Post by: lesley7 on July 31, 2007, 01:08:37 PM
Hello Max, indeed laying vinyl over a 2way curve is tricky, but can be done fairly successfully using a hairdryer and stretching it slowly over, if necessary in more than one piece with overlaps in severe cases, or simply cutting darts into it. Some use a specially prepared rubbery mix painted on and then cut when dried.
Regarding the thickness, I regularly sandblast on very fine crystal no problem, one just gets the feel of how far to go. You can have more fun if it is thicker.
Sandblasting is great, but for decorative creative pieces (as opposed to simple business logos for exampe) it is normally finished off with hand engraving.
Title: Re: Heaviest Piece Of Glass Ever !!!! But Who ?
Post by: Max on July 31, 2007, 04:47:12 PM
Thanks Lesley.  :)  I wouldn't have thought you could sandblast onto fine crystal - that's a revelation for me!  I don't think I'd recommend the sandblaster at my Uni though, it works as if it's got shot in it rather than sand.  :o

I agree that sandblasting thicker glass would be more fun.  My friend and I are 'blammed out' (mental overload) with all the things one can do to glass...it's finding out which bit to do first and bearing in mind all the different techniques to achieve your aim.  Makes me head spin! 

Thanks again, very much.  :)

Title: Re: Heaviest Piece Of Glass Ever !!!! But Who ?
Post by: Hotglass on August 02, 2007, 12:38:36 PM
Caithness ??? http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/CAITHNESS-VASE_W0QQitemZ160140896888 Ed.
Title: Re: Heaviest Piece Of Glass Ever !!!! But Who ?
Post by: lesley7 on August 02, 2007, 12:44:24 PM
Oh yes, that looks "snap", doesn't it! :)
Title: Re: Heaviest Piece Of Glass Ever !!!! But Who ?
Post by: saorsa on August 02, 2007, 02:45:33 PM
i would say thats the design ,as a secondary note  i see that is being sold from the borders , im based in the east coast  of Scotland , so it may be a scottish engraver decorating different vases as a hobby

Title: Re: Heaviest Piece Of Glass Ever !!!! But Who ?
Post by: Frank on August 02, 2007, 04:05:04 PM
It is CT151, designer not recorded so just: Caithness Design Studio. In 1989 price list at £28.95 and still in catalogues since 2000. Not on SG yet, although shape is here  http://www.scotlandsglass.co.uk/cms/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&page=shop.browse&category_id=198&keyword=&manufacturer_id=0&Itemid=51&orderby=product_sku&limit=30&limitstart=0