Glass Message Board
Glass Discussion & Research. NO IDENTIFICATION REQUESTS here please. => Scandinavian Glass => Topic started by: SueTorquay on July 07, 2004, 10:47:46 AM
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Hi, Bought a bud vase a couple of days ago and was wondering if anyone knows this label. I thought it may be oldish (60's) but now am not so sure. I can't post a picture so will have to describe it the best I can. The label is 2cm wide by 1 1/2 deep.It is black with silver writing. the words are Swedish Art then a missing word (probably glass). at the bottom central it has a H in a circle with a picture of a vase above and coming out from this "sun rays". It was only £1 so I won't be disappointed if it is new. Thanks for any help.
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Hi! This will be bud vase made by ASEDA GLASBRUK from Sweden and has the label of G Hardy Co. Aseda were in existence from 1947 to 1977. In 1975 due to problems they were bought by Royal Krona who also comprised Skruf, Gullaskruf, Maleras, and Bjorkshult. In 1977 Royal Krona went bust and all the companies were either sold or closed. Aseda Glasbruk were closed. The town of Aseda is in the South East of Sweden in an area known as "Glasriket" or "Kingdom of Glass" due to all the glassworks that have been there! ASEDA made many different pieces of glass but these vases are by the far the most common. A lot of the ASEDA labelled ones are found in Europe and the USA. They are usually available in different colours from there too. A fair number of these have the label of "G Hardy Co." who were an importer of glass into Britain in the 50's & 60's. It is thought Hardys only ordered certain colours for the UK. I have had most of the vases in various colours at any one time. Hardys imported glass items from Sweden and Murano in Italy. I have sold glass from them before, Italian and Swedish, and it is all good quality. Many of these are described as Holmegaard, Murano and Whitefriars glass. This is what I had seen it advertised as before on the Web, Ebay and in shops. Although Holmegaard were originally Danish they were taken over so many times by Scandinavian companies it was thought the "HG" on the label was theirs. Murano is used to cover all manner of glass for sale these days! They are quite categorically not Whitefriars as there is plenty proof in the form of catalogues and books to show that. After much more investigation, trawling through the internet, glass books and purchasing glass I found out who G Hardy Co. was and found the same vases with the ASEDA labels. Hardy's label for Italian glass is the same but says "Venetian Art Glass". Check out www.glassbudvases.co.uk for a picture of the label.
Hope this helps.
Vidfletch
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Thanks Vidfletch, I had a look at the site link you gave and it isn't a bud vase with bubbles, but that will help me too as I always see them around and have always wondered whether to buy them !!. I always remember the bubble bud vases as I can remember my mum getting 2 of them with her "Green Shield Stamp Books". The label I have is a ovalish type. The colour of the glass is amethyst in colour, 6 inches tall and rather than having a bubble base it goes down to a 4 sided squared bulb, then tapers and flares out for the foot. The glass itself feels nice though. No rough edges. As soon as I can work it out I will put up a picture. I thought the label made it look old, but then again I bought a piece once (didn't have my glasses with me) then once I was home and could actually see the label it read in very, very small letters "Ikea" !!! LOL. I had a look at your ebay auctions too which I think may have helped me on one of my "Whitefriars" buys. So thank you for your help I do apreciate it. Have you ever heard of glass with the label Bond Ware, Japan??
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Hi!
There is a vast amount of ASEDA glass to collect. The jack in the pulpit type vases are by far the most common in this country. I have stopped buying the usual colours now and concentrate on the rare colours like orange etc. They did however make lots of other vases as well. I have also had very pretty and delicate sweet dishes by Aseda which were very popular. Any items designed by Bo Borgstrom sell at a premium as he is a respected designer. His pieces have labels with his name on them.
G Hardy it seems imported plainer items. Most of the items I have had were bud vases and I have had a few with the "Venetian Art Glass" labels. The Venetian items are typical Murano glass. I have a "Venetian" labelled one at the moment. I think its possible that Hardys used other less well known Swedish factories but I have matched most things to Aseda. The strangest thing I have had was a FAT glass swan with bubbles cascading throughout. It was very naive in style and very heavy! It had the Hardy Swedish label.
Cheers.
Vidfletch
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I think this very informative thread is worth archiving as the name G. Hardy crops up quite a bit, as does Aseda.
Before transfering to the Archive does anyone have a pic of a G.Hardy label they can share ?
Vidfletch ?
That would make it complete and then we can just direct future queries here.
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Hi, here's a G.Hardy label, I understand their premises were in Holborn or High Holborn, London in the 60's....
http://tinypic.com/hwfmn7.jpg
Regards Emmi
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Thanks Emmi
Yes that looks exactly like the label described above.
Sadly tinypic hosting won't last very long ... please consider re-hosting at the Labels section here: http://glassgallery.yobunny.org.uk/thumbnails.php?album=15
use "upload file".
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G.Hardy & Co, established in Nottingham in 1877. In the 30's-40's they were still in Nottingham and sold Trentham Art Ware which they had made by Beswick's
In 1950 they were still in Nottingham but also in Worcester Park, Surrey and by 1963 only in Mitcham Surrey. They also bought a pottery in Devon in the 50's.
They also imported Lauscha glass animals and other glass and pottery.
(Various sources)
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Here is another G Hardy & Co. label...........
http://tinypic.com/hwzk1t.jpg
or...
http://glassgallery.yobunny.org.uk/displayimage.php?album=15&pos=13
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Hi Peter, tried putting my lG.Hardy label on the link you gave, but it hasn't appeared???? What have I done wrong...and wonder (whimsically) where in cyberspace has it gone???
I see there are two versions, one with a black background and one(mine) with a silver background. Does anyone have any info on which was first and when was the change of colour?
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Hardys imported glass by Aseda, Elme, Gadderas, Alsterfors, Alsterbro and Gullaskruf and no doubt other smaller Swedish factories. They bought and imported old stock that was unsold. No doubt bought at good prices! I know that Aseda in particular exported most of their production themselves to the USA and Germany. So Hardys must have picked up the remainder. Their Aseda pieces are the plainest certainly when it comes to the "Jack in the Pulpit" type vases.
As I have said previously in this thread they also bought Italian glass and labelled it "Venetian Art Glass" with the label being the same. If I remember correctly the "Venetian Art Glass" labels are red. I will look through all my photos for more Hardy labels.
Vidfletch :D
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Here is a photo of a HUGE 20inch tall vase with the G.Hardy label...Is this an Aseda vase????
http://tinypic.com/hx955y.jpg
Emmi
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Hi Peter, tried putting my lG.Hardy label on the link you gave, but it hasn't appeared???? What have I done wrong...and wonder (whimsically) where in cyberspace has it gone???
Is this the one? http://glassgallery.yobunny.org.uk/displayimage.php?album=15&pos=5
Seems there was a small hiccup on the server which caused odd things to happen, thanks to Tigerchips alerting me it's now fixed. :)
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Hi
Good posts
I like this topic
G Hardy seem to be famous for Aseda but they also imported from Elme, Gadderås, Alsterfors, Alsterbro, Reijmyre, Riihimaen, Sölvehyttan, and lots more according to my limited database, in fact I think they imported a lot more Swedish glass than is thought
(http://hometown.aol.co.uk/blackcatgla/images/g-hardy.jpg)
They also imported from Italy and there are many variations of the G Hardy 'Venetian Art Glass' label, the most common is similar to the Swedish one but I am interested in the oval one bottom right (see pic) with 'Lido' above the motif. Not for this board but if anyone has any info they can post on Murano board
Back to Sweden
(http://hometown.aol.co.uk/blackcatgla/images/swedishghard.jpg) 9.6" high maker unknown
Adam P
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Here is a photo of a HUGE 20inch tall vase with the G.Hardy label...Is this an Aseda vase????
(http://tinypic.com/hx955y.jpg)
Emmi
That is a Gullaskruf vase designed by Arthur Percy. The larger ones get quite pricey - I saw a 35"one auctioned in Sweden for 2800 SEK = over 300 UKPs. HOWEVER, I have also seen these with an Ingridglas label. Now I'm not sure if Ingrid imported Gullaskruf as well, or if they had them copied elsewhere...
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Aseda Glasbruk made this type of vase too as did other companies. It must have been the "in thing" at the time! LOL!!!
Vidfletch
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Hi Anne...thanks for finding my label. I try my best with this IT lark, mostly get to grips with it, but when something doesn't work, I blame myself. Good to know that's not the case in this instance.
Ivo...thanks for the info on my large blue glass...am looking at it with some real respect now it has a provenance!!!!
Emmi
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That is a Gullaskruf vase designed by Arthur Percy. The larger ones get quite pricey - I saw a 35"one auctioned in Sweden for 2800 SEK = over 300 UKPs. HOWEVER, I have also seen these with an Ingridglas label. Now I'm not sure if Ingrid imported Gullaskruf as well, or if they had them copied elsewhere...
Ivo
Your Gullaskruf attribution is backed up by J Miller 2006 pp331.
Gullaskruf tall blue floor bottle designed by Arthur Percy c 1960 - 19" high £100 approx.
If this is right then it can only be assumed they imported the 35" vases.
That’s a pic I will be saving for my G Hardy imported goods collection. Getting a G Hardy database together for Sweden and Italy would be an amazing but time consuming project. I actually don't know of any books new or old that deal, comprehensively & exclusively with importers and their glass?
The Ingridglas import label (Germany?) interests me, especially if they did indeed import same goods as Hardy. You mention them in your book, where they a big concern, I mean enough to bother G Hardy or was it association with the florist business you mention (which does make sense – floor vase)?
Adam P
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All the pictures of the label seem to have disappeared or changed, so here goes another attempt. Hopefully this is the one you mean.
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Old thread I know, but a quick update for anyone researching these "George Hardy" labels and come across this thread like I did:
These labels are now known to be for a different London based art glass importer, named "Hans Geismar".
https://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,69609.msg387923.html (https://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,69609.msg387923.html)
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Thanks Wayne do you know where this information came from?
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Hi Pat, full story is here (https://www.20thcenturyglass.com/glass_encyclopedia/british_glass/hansgeismar_glass/hansgeismarglass_home.htm).
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That’s brilliant thank you so much. Pretty conclusive then.
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Hiya Pat! :-*