Glass Message Board
Glass Identification - Post here for all ID requests => Glass => Topic started by: Martyn K on December 22, 2008, 02:18:39 PM
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Seasons greetings to all...
any ideas who may have made this...I know little about these sort of things but thought the engraving was unusually good (finer than I was able to capture in the photos) 14cm (5 1/2in) high and surpisingly unsigned as far as I can see...?
many thanks.
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I have seen a large one with very similar engraving it was signed Dartington if my memory is intact but it was quite a few years back .
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I've lately seen a few similar pieces on ebay that I believe were attributed to a Scandinavian, but can't seem to find them now.
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I think Ekenas did something similar - an 'iceberg' decorated with a ship if I remember correctly.
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Thanks all,
I should perhaps add that the engraving is all done by hand (if you know what I mean) it isn't cast at all which might not be clear from the photos, the block is nicely polished and finished, but I still can't find any sort of mark.
I wonder if Lesley Pyke might recognise it? I see on her site she sometimes uses Dartington blanks...
It has something of Mats Jonasson doesn't it, I had been thinking British was more likely, but suppose the subject wouldn't exclude Scandinavian...
BTW anyone recognise what sort of mouse it is? I assumed a common field mouse..
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I think Ekenas did something similar - an 'iceberg' decorated with a ship if I remember correctly.
Yup, that was my J.O. Lake piece. The cleaved parts of that were much coarser than on this mousey one. I'm fairly sure I've seen something along these lines recently with a Dartington label, but I think it was decorated with an owl (if memory serves).
Ekenas piece:
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A lot of engravers use Dartington blanks so without a signature very hard to trace and could even be a hobbyist.
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Mats Jonasson is the one I was thinking of, but haven't seen enough similar stuff to compare it to.
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MJ casts their pieces and then finish by hand.
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I wondered about that.
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A lot of engravers use Dartington blanks so without a signature very hard to trace and could even be a hobbyist.
Would be a skilled hobbyist IMHO.... Just to clarify the block this is engraved on is a unique shape with one 'natural' cleaved side and the other sides being cut and polished, it isn't cast like MJ or standard Dartington production blocks, but I guess Dartington and other glassworks do supply these sort of blanks to the trade/public. Shame they didn't sign it...Oh well.
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The engraving is just like the one i saw same mouse same ear of corn ~ top quality ~ . on reflection i wish i had bought it. :thup:
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Cheers JP...I never really doubted your memory...you and Nic say Dartington so that seems like the place to look. Much appreciated.
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I agree, that would be quite skilled for a hobbyist.
How can one tell whether a piece is cast or not?
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Well that one has been done on a piece of cullet . :thup:
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I agree, that would be quite skilled for a hobbyist.
How can one tell whether a piece is cast or not?
Lots of odd shapes are made for engravers by various companies. Some hobbyists can have very highly developed skills, just no interest in trying to make a living - so they can spend a lot more time than a pro and achieve the finest quality. I was puzzled by a signed glass by a known Studio as it had excellent engraving but I had not known they did such work on their non-art production! On asking them, they said that one of their customers must have done the engraving and they had no idea who.
Cast and hand finished does not eliminate the fire surface of casting, although they sometimes get sandblasted to conceal that. Usually the hand finishing is just to add or refine details... enough to add the cachet of hand-made. I don't knock it as a second quality though, as it allows local glass workers/companies to compete in the gift/collectable trade.
But if the mouse is seen in multiples, then it is more likely to be a company or professional engraver.
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I wasn't saying I didn't think it was a hobbyist...it's possible.
The finish left by casting - it that the pebbly effect that you see with some Jonasson pieces, like this one (http://www.someonespecial.com/cgi-bin/someone/63-33784.html)? Couldn't that be pretty easily ground out, as long as one was engraving it anyway? Some of his pieces don't have that texture.
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I think they have a video or photos of the stages on their website.
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What a cute little mouse, from the photo certainly looks drill engraved and pretty neatly too. It is always sad that work is not signed. How old is it?
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Hi Lesley,
I've no idea how old it is, I would guess the last 30 years or so but suspect you would know much better than I.
A couple of little identifying initials would have been nice wouldn't they!...