Glass Message Board
Glass Identification - Post here for all ID requests => Glass => Topic started by: kmax70 on January 22, 2010, 11:33:02 AM
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This is a gorgeous, but hopelessly impractical, vase. The design is a streaky wash in a russet red with splashes of what look like a yellow metallic substance, all encased in clear glass. The base is only 1.5 ins (4cm) in diameter compared with a rim diameter of 2.75 ins (7cm), and the vase is approx. 6.75 ins (17.5cm) tall - use it as a vase and there would be a disaster - it is very top heavy!
I am really struggling with this one - it could be Scandinavian, I suppose.
Any help very gratefully received.
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the colouring looks like mdina to me, ive got one in frosted green same shape, will check measurements.
can you put a base shot on please
michelle
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This is the best I can do with a base shot.
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Yeah im pretty certain its a Mdina one the measurements are almost the sam as mine 17cms tall 5.5cms accross the rim.
Mine is signed to the base mdina 88'.
your colourway is earthtones (lots of examples in Mark Hills book)
ive added a picture of my one
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I agree with Michelle, Mdina, (Malta) quite unususal in that shape and colour,
I will look out for that one :thup:
Andy
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Your bottom is a little smaller than mine ;D, mines the same as the top.
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It's definitely Mdina, but it's not Earthtones, which is brown/red streaky strapping, worked over a bubbly yellow/creamy background before casing in clear.
I think this brown/red alone is often called Tortioseshell when it's Mdina, whether or not that is the correct name, or even if it has a name, I don't know.
(Which can get a bit confusing, as the Isle of Wight Studio Glass range, Tortoiseshell developed from Earthtones and includes the bubbly background.)
I do think this colourway is less often found in shapes such as this eggy vase and in Ice-cut lollipops, but fairly often found in the bark-textured cylinders and in tall flanged bottles. I think we're probably looking at slightly later '70s, perhaps into '80s.
I don't have one in this shape - I've not encountered one before.
(but I do have a small "ice-cut" lollipop - uncut.)
Very nice thing! :mrgreen:
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Sue, i always thought that the tortioseshell was just IOW and had more of the sandy creamy colour with more defined lines between the brown and the cream, rather than the mix??
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Michelle, you're getting the two mixed up. Sue's right - it's not Earthtones, it's a tortoiseshell vase (although whether this is an official name or not I don't know). Click the link below and see my image at the top of the thread for an Earthtones piece which has lots of cream in it - it's very different from tortoiseshell.
http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,9066.0.html
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i got all confuddled then.... but ive worked out where i was going ;D... ok i think i got it now lol earthtones looks very similar to IOW tortoiseshell (which is was developed from) and Mdina "tortoiseshell" is just the brown/red mix as below...ive now got to go re-asses my whole collection ;D
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Did I mention that there are little bubbles/splashes of the yellow stuff over most of the pattern. And yes, my bottom is tiny - for the size of the vase. I had thought about Mdina because in my copy of Antiques Roadshow Collectibles book there is a similarly shaped vase designed by Eric Dobson, but in the "tiger" pattern - same size and shape. I think I'll list it as "probably Mdina" sometime next week - probably Thursday - for those interested.
I am very grateful for all this help. Perhaps once I have discharged my charitable duties you'll be able to help me identify a super bowl that my older daughter gave me for Christmas. I'll post it up once I have all this Ebay stuff sorted out
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here is a couple of completed one's on ebay in a different colourway, prices certainly are not at the best for Mdina right now
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Retro-Mdina-Art-Glass-vase-Signed-Blue-Brown_W0QQitemZ400088566975QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Art_Glass?hash=item5d27230cbf
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Gorgeous-Mdina-Vase-70s-Retro_W0QQitemZ140371939147QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Art_Glass?hash=item20aed1cf4b
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Did I mention that there are little bubbles/splashes of the yellow stuff over most of the pattern.
Sounds right for Mdina tortoiseshell - see the vase on the link below (from my archives - this was sold a few years ago to a well-respect Mdina dealer and collector). In particular, look at the closeup photo - you'll see similar specks of yellow.
http://www.pips-trip.co.uk/sold-glass-archives/maltese-glass-1/showitem-MDINA-TORT1A.aspx
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Yes, Pip, that is the colour and effect - 4th photo was the telling one. Now I have a definite description for my listing. many thanks, and to all who have contributed to this mystery.
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It's not "probably" Mdina - it is Mdina! The yellow splodges come from the use of silver salts. Silver salts were used to turn red glass brown - hence the lovely streaky mixture of colours in it - the yellow comes from these salts interacting with clear glass.
Glad we got the Mdina Tortoiseshell versus IoWSG tortoiseshell bit sorted, though as Pip and I have both said, I don't know if this was ever an official name.
I had wondered myself if this eggy shape might be a Dobson design, Pip. :thup:
but that's just speculation.
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Thanks, Sue. I have now written out my description for Ebay ready for posting on Thursday, and I have described it as definitely 1970s Mdina. I will amend the description of the finish to include the silver salts you mention. In an earlier post I said that in my copy of Antiques Roadshow Collectibles book there is a similarly shaped vase designed by Eric Dobson, but in the "tiger" pattern - same size and shape. Did he design the shape only, or the whole idea from beginning to end including the tortoiseshell finish? Can I attribute this vase to Eric Dobson? KathleenM.
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No, absolutely not!!!!!!! :o
It's only personal speculation by Pip and me, given Eric Dobson did design after MH left, and it is known that the "Tiger" pattern is his.
Nothing is known about the shape. Nobody has been able to track Eric Dobson down since he left Mdina, despite a great deal of effort being put into it.
Very little Earthtones was made while MH was still there, but it IS his design.
After MH left, experimentation continued, designs were developed from existing ones, new designs were made. It's in the nature of Art Glass to develop. :thup:
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No, absolutely not!!!!!!! :o
It's only personal speculation by Pip and me, given Eric Dobson did design after MH left, and it is known that the "Tiger" pattern is his.
Nothing is known about the shape. Nobody has been able to track Eric Dobson down since he left Mdina, despite a great deal of effort being put into it.
Very little Earthtones was made while MH was still there, but it IS his design.
After MH left, experimentation continued, designs were developed from existing ones, new designs were made. It's in the nature of Art Glass to develop. :thup:
Sue, if you don't know then I definitely wouldn't - I only know a little about Mdina and what I do know has mostly been learned from you but thanks for the compliment of including me in your Mdina gang ;D
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;D
You have an excellent eye for and a love of glass Pip :-*
I suppose I'd doubt a basic egg-shape of vase is something which could honestly be credited to any particular artist - I'd imagine it's been around since the first pots were made. I suppose it would simply have been introduced at Mdina by somebody.