Glass Message Board
Glass Discussion & Research. NO IDENTIFICATION REQUESTS here please. => Malta Glass => Topic started by: magnolia on February 21, 2010, 03:16:18 PM
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Hi,
Please could anyone identify the signature on my Mdina goblet. I have done some research into the Michael Harris signature, but can't make a match with this one.
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Hi,
I am posting a better photo of the signature on my mdina goblet in the hope that someone can tell me who it is.
Many thanks
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I've merged your two topics about this item so as to keep all the info together. Rather than start a new topic about the same item, all you need do is click the Reply button and you can add more info to the topic. (You can reply to your own topics.)
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This is most likely an Eric Dobson signature, although he didn't make the pieces he was a designer of many and as such his signature does appear on Mdina glass. It doesn't look to me like the Joseph Said sig at all. It ties in with the date well too.
Hope this helps
Suzy
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Hi Suzy,
Thanks for the info. I've looked again but still finding it difficult to decipher! I will try to find a copy of an Eric Dobson sig on line.
Many thanks
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I have looked up Eric Dobson's signature but it looks nothing like the one on my goblet. there is a paperweight with his signature on it at the bottom of this page:
http://209.85.229.132/search?q=cache:vTjSKuEx99gJ:www.specialistauctions.com/view_newsletter.php%3Fid%3D1038+eric+dobson+signature+on+mdina+goblet&cd=5&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=uk
Also I found this page reference to maker's signatures which suggests the Mdina signature is possible the glassblower's:
http://66.102.9.132/search?q=cache:9ABbWOJT9c4J:www.great-glass.co.uk/glass%2520notes/markm-m.htm+mdina+glass+signatures&cd=6&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=uk
I am now thinking that possibly I will never find out who signed it. Does anyone have any idea of the value of the goblet with the blower's signature?
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There are two names which are sometimes found along with a date and Mdina signed in this fashion. One is Eric Dobson the other is Joseph Said. They are very difficult to tell apart but the best 'rule of thumb' method I have heard of is look at the last letter of the signature. If it ends pointing down it's probably Dobson, if it points up it's likely Said.
John
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Hi John,
Thanks for your info. Again, I don't think it is either. End letter is going upwards but does not resemble Joseph Said in any shape or form.
Will keep investigating. Many thanks
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It won't. Neither signature is ever legible.
So why did you ask the original question? To get information you would like confirmed or to actually find out something you did not know?
John
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Hi again John,
Many thanks for your latest post. The reason I asked the question in the first place was to get the expertise that I lack. I know a few basic facts about Mdina and other collectables but there are experts out there who can confirm identification or point me in the right direction to research further. I do take your point about the signatures being illegible, as you obviously have knowledge of the subject. Thank you for your input.
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Do you have Mark Hill's book? The information in it is accurate.
On p. 113, he writes that the two illegible signatures found are either Eric Dobson, or Joseph Said, or somebody at the studio signing on their behalf.
Eric Dobson was Michael Harris' business partner, and stayed on to run the works until '85, after Michael left. He also contributed to design, in particular, the Tiger design is his.
I do have photographs of variations of these marks, not currently able to show them here, but confirmed by Ron Wheeler, whose site, with an example, you have found.
Signing things at Mdina was fairly random, it depended very much if somebody was available and had time to do it in the incredibly busy studio.
Your mark looks much more like Dobson than Said. I don't understand why you seem so unwilling to accept this from people who do know and are trying to help.
These goblets are popular, (they are a Michael Harris design), especially with a signature, and while Michael Harris's is clearly the most popular, if you are selling it, it will find it's own price on ebay.
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Thank you! All is now very clear from your detailed reply. Many thanks.
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;D :thup:
Good. You honestly would get exactly the same answer from Ron, or from Mark Hill. All "signatures" are desirable, and will add to any price you'll get.
But, most of all, it is a beautiful goblet, there is a lot of colour and (I think) iridesence which are what is wanted (and signed and dated correctly).