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Glass Discussion & Research. NO IDENTIFICATION REQUESTS here please. => British & Irish Glass => Topic started by: Paul S. on October 11, 2009, 04:03:43 PM

Title: another date request for Dartington.
Post by: Paul S. on October 11, 2009, 04:03:43 PM

I'm thinking this is one of the 'RIPPLE REVIVAL' pieces  -  although again I don't see this pattern in Eve and Marks book.    Has a label indicating 1980 - 87 (gold for first quality)  -  about 17 cms. tall and about 9.5 cms. wide.  Is my thinking right, although might it have been another designer perhaps??   Grateful for any thoughts, and thanks for looking.   Paul S.

Title: Re: another date request for Dartington.
Post by: Lustrousstone on October 11, 2009, 09:05:49 PM

It's the Robinson vase FT234, 1978/9. Came in clear plain or ripple and thinner glass than usual

Title: Re: another date request for Dartington.
Post by: Paul S. on October 11, 2009, 09:15:13 PM

thank you  -  although must admit my ignorance  -  to what does 'Robinson'  refer  -  was this the designer's name, or just the name of this particular pattern? Paul S.

Title: Re: another date request for Dartington.
Post by: Lustrousstone on October 12, 2009, 06:46:48 AM

It's a Frank Thrower joke. Hadn't you realised that much of his stuff has tongue in cheek names?.  ;)  To complete the set there are Smith (FT232) and Jones (FT233). The joke, which I don't get, is " Have you met this Jones, Smith, Robinson?" I think it must be a quote from a TV comedy I don't recognise. I don't collect Dartington but I do like Frank.

Title: Re: another date request for Dartington.
Post by: Paul S. on October 12, 2009, 01:13:43 PM

thanks Christine  -  and whilst I am aware that FT was a bit 'off the wall', I probaly don't collect his designs seriously enough to be aware of these tongue in cheek names.   However, think you are going in the wrong direction in interpreting this as a joke.  Now that you have provided the three names, I have looked on the web and it wud appear that they relate to a type of IQ test - a sort of logic problem - insofar as certain information is provided in the form of statements and, apparently, from this information you must deduce certain answers.   I haven't tried it, we're not that clever in Surrey (UK).   Must admit that I find much of the later Dartington material a trifle bland  -  much prefer the earlier more spontaneous and abstract designs - I'm looking for a nipple vase ;)   thanks again for your help.    Paul S.

Title: Re: another date request for Dartington.
Post by: malwodyn on October 12, 2009, 01:22:26 PM

I think that Smith, Jones and Robinson were the stock characters for apocryphal stories - Smith being the Englishman, Jones the Welshman, and Robinson the Scot.

Title: Re: another date request for Dartington.
Post by: Paul S. on October 12, 2009, 01:50:47 PM

yes  -  you may very well be correct, I hadn't quite thought of it in that general sense  -  and I will stop there before I get myself into an even more Freudian mess.  Paul S.

Title: Re: another date request for Dartington.
Post by: Lustrousstone on October 12, 2009, 03:16:30 PM

I haven't a clue really. It was probably related to whatever he was reading the week he wrote the catalogue copy. He just liked to play with words.

Title: Re: another date request for Dartington.
Post by: sph@ngw on October 13, 2009, 10:58:35 AM

Nice theory guys, but unlikely to be true. Peter Robinson was the sales manager of Dartington Glass, and is still around! He spoke at the celebrations of 40 years at  Great Torrington last year with Eve Scanlon, nee Thrower.
Eve may have his contact details.
"Smith & Jones " was a popular TV show with Mel Smith and Gryff Rhys-Jones.
Peter is mentioned several times in Mark Hill's excelelnt tribute "Frank Thrower & Dartington Glass" by Mark & Eve, pub, by Mark Hill Publishing!