Glass Message Board
Glass Discussion & Research. NO IDENTIFICATION REQUESTS here please. => British & Irish Glass => Topic started by: mikebonne on February 01, 2010, 05:46:06 AM
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anyone know the origins of this litttle vase please
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Welcome to the message board.
That looks like a modern Dartington mark http://glassgallery.yobunny.org.uk/displayimage.php?pos=-5375
I didn't know they had been using goldleaf for decoration, nice effect.
John
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Welcome to the board. :)
I've amended your subject line to something more descriptive to catch the eye of those who might be able to add more.
Please see our Techie Tip here as to why subject lines are important: http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,17458.0.html
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Hi,
Yes, I think this is from the Dartington 'Studio' range. Each piece is unique in terms of its decoration, precise shape, size etc by virtue of the fact that it is handmade. Gold leaf and random striated and/or mottled patterns in strong colours are typical. I don't have much information on this range, which isn't terribly common. I am almost 100% sure that it was not designed by Frank Thrower, so would imagine that it dates from after the mid-80s, as Frank died in 1987. Dartington themselves may be able to help.
Hope this helps,
Mark
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Hi
this is my piece, and it has the same impressed mark on the base.
http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,23594.msg131886.html#msg131886
I search periodically to try and find more information on this but not much is available.
If you do a search on the board I think there are a couple more pieces to view.
regards
m
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It is from the very short-lived Dartington Studio range.
I found some pieces in a posh furniture and home decor shop, (from new), around 2002, and took a very serious interest, they were such wonderful bits of glass.
What I managed to find out, at the time, was that this Studio range was based around using classical designs, and making their own take on them, using old-fashioned methods and colours.
The "Alchemy" design was a "take" on Monart "Cloissonne" design, but using gold foil as well (absolutely beautiful pieces I'll get an image of mine when the light's better). My brother was here in Dundee at the time, and I dragged him along to the shop where he bought a few of the style in the link posted above, which is another "take" on Monart Cloissonne, but the design flattened into the casing. I also ordered a large charger in a deep red, with this foil pattern on it, a "take" on the old Venetian style gold foiled pieces, from the Stuart shop in Crieff, as they were carrying the Dartington studio ranges around that time.
Following these patterns, they launched into making "cranberry" glass, with swirly, optic ribbing, using gold to make the correct ruby colour.
However, it turned out that it was getting incredibly expensive to make these pieces, and folk were simply not prepared to pay the premium they cost, and the Studio folded. (I don't know exactly when, but it was shortly after I "discovered" it).
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Hi Sue and Mark
thank you so much for that information and detail :)
As I always say, my experience is severely limited, but I think it is a beautiful and beautifully made, piece of glass.
m
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I do believe that since then, there has been another set of Studio ranges produced, called "Innovate". Not, I'm afraid, as interesting as the first, in my opinion.
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Found this link on here after Sue's mention of Innovate. I do like these also :) but in a further thread someone mentions buying one as recently as last year. I also thought (memory not good so can't find any more info) that there was another range that was more pastel coloured (satin glass perhaps?) that was a more recent Dartington production but I could be wrong ^-^
http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,25850.0.html
m
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Sue,
I'm sorry to be picky, but I think more accurately there is no evidence that these ranges were, as you put it, a 'take' on Monart, although there is some similarity in the technique that Monart/Moncrieff called 'Cliosonne'.
There is, however, some discussion to be had by relating them to the contemporary maker William Shakespeare, based in Taunton, Somerset. I recall from a conversation that I had with him about 5 years ago that he produced some designs for Dartington. Unfortunately, I cannot repeat the conversation, since either he, or I, could get into deep water, if you get my drift ;) :)
Not shown here, but this is the link to his website: www.shakspeareglass.co.uk (http://www.shakspeareglass.co.uk)
I also recall mention of a woman designer who is actually reputed to have designed these surface crackled pieces for Dartington. I believe I have the information somewhere, but not easily to hand at the moment.
Nigel
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Thanks to all for your valuable infor - I have subsequently read that the range was designed by Hilary Green and Simon Moore
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:kissy:
Thank-you very much indeed for the correction, Nigel!
The information I have is gleaned from persistent interrogation of the staff who work in Gilles of Broughty Ferry and the Stuart factory shop in Crieff.
They did insist that the designs were based on "classical" older glass styles, and I'm afraid it was me who jumped to the conclusion that it might be Monart Cloissonne - I attributed it there more in fear of getting jumped on for not mentioning the Monart-y similarity than direct evidence - of course, I should have
mentioned WMF Ikora too.
:thup:
Those Innovate pieces are far nicer than my bit, a big cylinder vase, which I bought in TKMaxx 3-4 years ago (perhaps even longer, time flies as you get older!).
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Hi Mike,
It would be good to know the refereence for your information about Hiliary Green who is the head designer at Dartington and has worked there for a fair number of years.
Thanks, Nigel
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Hi Nigel....
I was trawling through websites the other evening and read that Hilary Green was designer of the range with gold inclusions but I cannot find where I read it so I should have added a question mark to the end of the sentence as it was no major authority.
Thought you might like to see the inside as it is such a contrast in texture and colour to the outside.
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Hi Nigel
I had also read I recall, ages ago, that Hilary Green and Simon Moore had/do design for Dartington because I remember searching further to try and find out more about them. I didn't manage to find anything that attributed my vase to them though.
I will have a further search tonight to see if I can find the article. I also did read somewhere I am sure, that there may have been a link with Will Shakspeare :-\ I will trawl and see if I can find :) I love Will Shakspeare's work and treasure the one vase I have by him.
regards
m
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Got some pics. The Alchemy and Red foiled images are best seen when you click on the expanded image which appears when you click on it - they were taken using the closest close-up thingy, and go a bit distorted when too small.
Alchemy Emerald vases, 2 views. 7" tall. The base colours are greens, which are apparent from looking inside them, but lots going on outside!
Alchemy also comes in a deep blue colour, very similar to the one originally posted in this thread, I believe it's called Sapphire.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b227/chopin-liszt/wave/Alchemy1.jpg
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b227/chopin-liszt/wave/Alchemy2.jpg
The base of one, showing the paper shop label, including the name of the design and the colour; the etched "2 gathers of glass on blowing irons mark"; and the etched DARTINGTON mark. (The sticky plastic labels are inside the vases.)
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b227/chopin-liszt/wave/Alchemy3.jpg
My red, gold foiled charger, 3 views. 9.25" diameter.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b227/chopin-liszt/wave/redfoil1.jpg
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b227/chopin-liszt/wave/redfoil2.jpg
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b227/chopin-liszt/wave/redfoil3.jpg
The base, showing the impressed in a blob of glass over the pontil mark, "2 gathers of glass on blowing irons" mark; the etched DARTINGTON mark; and the sticky plastic label. 2 views.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b227/chopin-liszt/wave/Redfoilbase.jpg
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b227/chopin-liszt/wave/redfoilbase1.jpg
My TKMaxx Dartington "Innovate" vase. White lined and clear-cased, it's remarkably light for it's massive size of 13.5" tall. 2 views.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b227/chopin-liszt/wave/Innovate1.jpg
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b227/chopin-liszt/wave/innovate2.jpg
whew. Need a coffee now.
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WOW.....you are so lucky to have so many pieces of the range.... I am jealous..the vases are wonderful
micheal
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:huh:
The two Alchemy, and the one charger? Lots?
They're only just scraping their way into the definition of a "collection"!
I've never found any more :'( and as I said, I bought these all from new.
However, I think these photos do show that the attribution is completely water-tight!
They aslo shows the two types of "gather on blowing iron" mark, as well as the image on the sticky label.
:thup:
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Stunning pieces Sue! Very beautiful especially the crackle vases.
I read up some more last night and in fact the link I had read with Will Shakspeare is that he uses Dartington crystal for his vases.
I like your Innovate piece ;D - that green cased is my favourite colour (especially with something bright orange cased placed next to it).
m
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It's kind of Dr. Who-ey, but much as though I love the colour too, it just doesn't fit anywhere in the house - and it's too narrow to use as a wastepaper basket.
Thanks!
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Question re Dartington Alchemy vases - do they have a ground polished rim please?
thanks
m
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Yup, with a tiny arris on the outside. (not on the inside, where is simply joins the sweep of the inside angle)
That's one of my new glass words, from the "glass museum link" Christine gave us. An arris is a tiny bevelled polished edge at a 45 degrees angle to the flat polished surface of the edge.
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Thanks Sue
I have been wondering who this (see link) could have been made by. On trawling the threads for something came across the vase at the top of this thread and it reminded me of my two vases in the linked thread.
http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,32447.0.html
I might write to Dartington and ask them I think - even just to eliminate.
m
p.s. love the word ariss but think I prefer bevel - it always makes me think of a good old-fashioned well made mirror ;D (according to my dad, no mirror was any good unless it had bevelled edges ;D)
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Aaah, but a bevel is a big one (and I agree with your Dad), an arris is a tiny one, specifically at 45 degrees to a "main" polished plane.
I like arris, because it sounds like somebody saying Harris with a local accent, and of course, Harris is an incredibly important name in glass. :sm:
I can really see why you're wondering about that vase being potentially Dartington, but can I shove WMF in as another possibility? But wait until somebody who is far better at WMF than I am to come along!
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Interesting the arris reference, Sue, thank you. :kissy: I'll have to post one of my newer mysteries which has those tiny bevels (arrisses?) Christine took a look at it recently and agreed it's a quality piece but, like me, has no idea who may have made it.
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:-*
I imagine an arris is a sign of quality, Anne..... (however it's spelled :D)
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thanks Sue, I wasn't sure WMF vases had cut and polished rims?
Mind you it was only when I was looking at this thread that I thought Dartington studio may have done some with cut and polished rims. My pieces from there have fire polished rims as they are crackle cased in clear, so it didn't occur to me.
The only thing I can say is that they aren't the same type of rim as Royal Brierley and they feel different, so for the moment I have shelved them.
m
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M, this is the rim on my Dartington Studio vase, if it helps?
http://glassgallery.yobunny.org.uk/displayimage.php?pos=-9732
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thank you Anne. That looks to be fire polished as well?
I've just spotted another one like the ones on the link and the seller states they were told it was 'Sunderland'.
Same marvered on colours on the surface :huh:
m
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If you mean this one http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/GLASS-VASE-SUNDERLAND-/190486823898
they could well be right. My sister and I have Sunderland vases with white marvered on to the surface; they too are frosted. Our vases are very thick glass and have sharp pontil marks (I think, I'll check later).
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Christine is the vase in your link frosted then? and yes that was the one I was referring to. So, my little blue and white vase is a lot smaller than these as it's only about 3" tall and the brown and white one is smaller ish I think. But the method of decor looks to be identical (unless this black and white one is frosted?) and the cut rim looks to be done in the same way. Is Sunderland glass different to Hartley Wood?
thanks
m
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There is a glassblowing studio at www.nationalglasscentre.com/home.html. That's where my vase came from in the 1990s and where the ebay one looks to come from if it is from Sunderland. Your brown vase looks more like Guernsey glass to me, though it's unmarked. Marvering on white blobs is not a very exclusive technique
Hartley Wood was at the Wear Glass Works http://www.cambridgeglassfair.com/exhibitions/pastexhibitions/2004-02-hartleywood.htm
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thank you Anne. That looks to be fire polished as well?
m
Yes I believe so M. :)
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Thanks Christine and Anne :)
m
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Really surprised to see the Dartington logo on this one.
4 inches in height.
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Dartington Studio, "Alchemy" in Emerald. ;D
The mark should be two blow pipes etched, along with the Dartington.