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Glass Identification - Post here for all ID requests => Glass => Topic started by: carolglass on April 20, 2010, 04:46:19 AM

Title: Any Mdina fans out there?? Your opinion is valued on this item...
Post by: carolglass on April 20, 2010, 04:46:19 AM
A bottle vase currently on Trade Me- is the vendor correct in attribution? Asking because I don't want to start bidding unless is it what it supposedly is. Have had a trawl through some threads and cannot find the information I need to make a judgment call. Please view the following link    http://www.trademe.co.nz/Pottery-glass/Glass-crystal/Vases/auction-284992118.htm (http://www.trademe.co.nz/Pottery-glass/Glass-crystal/Vases/auction-284992118.htm)  regards Carolglass
Title: Re: Any Mdina fans out there?? Your opinion is valued on this item...
Post by: Lustrousstone on April 20, 2010, 06:08:21 AM
Yes, it's Mdina. The shape may be Harris-ish but the Ming pattern is a later one: about 1975 through to the 1990s.
Title: Re: Any Mdina fans out there?? Your opinion is valued on this item...
Post by: carolglass on April 20, 2010, 07:07:34 AM
Many thanks Christine for the time frame- makes buying on line a little easier!!! regards Carol
Title: Re: Any Mdina fans out there?? Your opinion is valued on this item...
Post by: suzygpr on April 20, 2010, 07:34:52 AM
Ming attenuated bottles like these that have been sold on ebay in the past year or so have gone for between £26 and £70, with most around £50. The difference in price depends on the quality of the piece and the usual auction fluctuations.  I find the ones with a more elegant neck and smaller rim more desirable. 

Suzy x
Title: Re: Any Mdina fans out there?? Your opinion is valued on this item...
Post by: Lustrousstone on April 20, 2010, 09:02:06 AM
Bearing in mind where Carol is c. £60 delivered is probably OK, if she likes it
Title: Re: Any Mdina fans out there?? Your opinion is valued on this item...
Post by: chopin-liszt on April 20, 2010, 09:34:44 AM
I can't see it, the link isn't working for me, but given what's been said, I know what it is and can only agree wholeheartedly with both Suzy and Christine.
Title: Re: Any Mdina fans out there?? Your opinion is valued on this item...
Post by: Lustrousstone on April 20, 2010, 10:03:24 AM
There's an extra space between trade and me in the link
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Pottery-glass/Glass-crystal/Vases/auction-284992118.htm
Title: Re: Any Mdina fans out there?? Your opinion is valued on this item...
Post by: chopin-liszt on April 20, 2010, 10:20:30 AM
I see it now, thanks! :-*

It is one of the taller ones @ ~ 17", and a nice construction of the Ming design - it's the one I describe as being giraffe-y.
Title: Re: Any Mdina fans out there?? Your opinion is valued on this item...
Post by: Greg. on April 20, 2010, 11:58:28 AM
A couple of pics of one I recently picked up from Dulwich, although have to admit wasnt that cheap, but had to have it! enjoy!
Title: Re: Any Mdina fans out there?? Your opinion is valued on this item...
Post by: chopin-liszt on April 20, 2010, 12:06:29 PM
That is a completely and utterly different beast, Gbarfoot.  >:D

The tall Ming bottles are not that scarce, but I think these squared, strapped bottles, in the two-tone aubergine and blue are really quite hard to find - not cheap, and even harder to find without damage to the strapping. (I've got two - not a pair, but I do like to have my display balanced. :angel:)
I do understand why you had to have it, though, it's absolutely stunning!
Title: Re: Any Mdina fans out there?? Your opinion is valued on this item...
Post by: suzygpr on April 20, 2010, 12:09:09 PM
Totally agree with Sue - Fabulous, stunning,  :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

Suzy x
Title: Re: Any Mdina fans out there?? Your opinion is valued on this item...
Post by: Greg. on April 20, 2010, 12:19:33 PM
Actually paid £110, although to be honest prob would have paid more, its in perfect condition, although I do have a constant anxiety that its going to get knocked over, as it wouldnt take much at all.
Title: Re: Any Mdina fans out there?? Your opinion is valued on this item...
Post by: chopin-liszt on April 20, 2010, 12:37:33 PM
Put it somewhere safe then!
I paid £72 for one, (ebay) £175 for the other. (from Christina, Cambridge fair).
I think you got a quite a decent bargain there - I don't think the prices will be going down..... ;)

Have you seen many of these Suzy? (I thought I was keeping mine as a surprise for you  ::) )
Title: Re: Any Mdina fans out there?? Your opinion is valued on this item...
Post by: Lustrousstone on April 20, 2010, 12:53:52 PM
Museum gel is what you need Greg. Gorgeous bottle  :mrgreen:

(Hmm, balanced, sounds like a justification or excuse for too much glass.)
Title: Re: Any Mdina fans out there?? Your opinion is valued on this item...
Post by: suzygpr on April 20, 2010, 01:18:08 PM
I've not seen many as good as this one - and then only in photos!  There was a good one at the National (Gary Newsum's I think) which I went back to a few times, but some unusual IOW and a Mdina almost inside out vase had mugged me. Is this the same one, Greg?
Title: Re: Any Mdina fans out there?? Your opinion is valued on this item...
Post by: glassobsessed on April 20, 2010, 02:25:34 PM
I can vouch for the museum gel, very useful - I have some securing my fish vases. One small pot will probably last decades, you only need to use tiny amounts of it.

Not saying anything about the bottle. :mrgreen:

John
Title: Re: Any Mdina fans out there?? Your opinion is valued on this item...
Post by: chopin-liszt on April 20, 2010, 03:19:20 PM
Each one is unique, Christine....
I've been thinking somebody could base an amazing collection of Mdina around one shape alone - especially if they concentrated on something like this!

I've just clambered up a ladder and got mine down. They're both dated 1975, one is signed by Eric Dobson.
I have no way of substantiating this, but I have a personal suspicion this might be an Eric Dobson design - some of the two-tone stuff is absolutely fabulous, and matches these bottles, but some seems to be far simpler - and later, (mostly sort of "hat" shaped vases, with "helter-skelter" clear strapping around them.)
The fact that I've seen mid-'70s dates on them, all post-Harris, is all I have to go on, really.
Title: Re: Any Mdina fans out there?? Your opinion is valued on this item...
Post by: Greg. on April 20, 2010, 04:17:20 PM
I've not seen many as good as this one - and then only in photos!  There was a good one at the National (Gary Newsum's I think) which I went back to a few times, but some unusual IOW and a Mdina almost inside out vase had mugged me. Is this the same one, Greg?

Suzy, just trying to think back, prob a different bottle to the one you saw at the National.
Title: Re: Any Mdina fans out there?? Your opinion is valued on this item...
Post by: Lustrousstone on April 20, 2010, 06:50:20 PM
 ;D ;D  :P :P
Title: Re: Any Mdina fans out there?? Your opinion is valued on this item...
Post by: chopin-liszt on April 20, 2010, 07:00:07 PM
 ::)
You know how it is, Christine.... I know you know.

However, it would appear we seem to have hijacked a Mdina thread started by carolglass..... again, I'm enthusiastic about discussing it, but feeling  :-[ as if we're leaving carol out... again!

Sorry. :fwr:

Maybe you're just an inspiration!  ;D
Title: Re: Any Mdina fans out there?? Your opinion is valued on this item...
Post by: carolglass on April 20, 2010, 09:00:37 PM
GBarfoot I want YOURS!!!!!! The one I am interested in is nothing in comparison. As far as leaving me out goes- the combined information scattered about this post is great and useful. Many thanks to all who have contributed- :pb: not!!  regards  from a sunny and beautiful autumn New Zealand-Carol
Title: Re: Any Mdina fans out there?? Your opinion is valued on this item...
Post by: chopin-liszt on April 21, 2010, 11:28:18 AM
 :-[ :-[ :-[

Well I'm afraid you might have to completely ignore my stupid musings over this being a Dobson design - I don't know what got into me, because there's a big one in Mark's book, slightly different shape - it tapers up to the rim from the square shape in a straight line, without tapered shoulders, but is a Michael Harris design.

However, I've only ever seen these slightly later ones, and them not that often. Mark says a major difference is in how thickly the later ones are cased too. Mine are certainly thickly cased. I'll get a pic later.

Thanks for your reply carolglass - I don't feel quite so bad.  :kissy:

The bottle you posted about is still a very nice one, honestly!