Glass Message Board
Glass Identification - Post here for all ID requests => Glass => Topic started by: davidfish1212 on August 03, 2010, 09:48:17 AM
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Hi all, I bought this vase at the weekend ( less than £10 ), the base is signed Mdina, but I have had a look on the Mdina web site and have found nothing similar. Not to sure what you would call the finish, is it acid etched? frosted? Could this be a fake signature, it does look similar to the Mdina signatures I have on other bits ( It was really hard to photograph, sorry ) The inside of the vase certainly looks like a Mdina piece and the colours are right. I bought it as I had never seen a Mdina piece with this finish before, although I see a couple of ebay 'frosted' vases listed. The vase is roughly 18cm high and quite heavy. The vase has raised trailing to the outside. Have I bought a fake or does anyone have info on this piece ( which, unusually, my wife actually likes!!! ) cheers, David
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A pic of the mark might help! Try giving it a light dusting of talcum powder to bring it out.
They did do frosted stuff, mostly later than my period of interest, though I do have a couple of examples, I've not seen one in red and white before, and the strapping looks unusual, though I wouldn't say it's not recent Mdina.
(my monitor's gone funny, I can't see colours properly at all).
Try writing to them to ask.
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Hi Sue, at work just now but will stop for talc on the way home!! I did try to get a shot of the mark, but gave up after about 50 attempts ( light and frosting made it almost impossible!!) cheers, David
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Hi Sue, got the base all talked up, thanks for the tip!! Hope the signiture helps on this one. The colour is orange on clear glass. I have been on the mdina web site but could find nothing remotely similar on it. Hope you (or someone else out there ) can shed a bit more light on this vase. Cheers, David.
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The mark looks right, it's not a shape I'm familiar with (but I don't tend to go later than the '80s, my preference is for much earlier work), I'm not able to say too much about the colour, given my monitor's peculiar behaviour! You call it orange, some folk do call Mdina red "orange". To me it's red - a slightly dried blood colour. The strapping looks unusual, rather nicely done - a bit more adventurous than normal, but altogether it has the right "look" for Mdina, and the mark's definitely right. Quite a nice bit.
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Yes the Mdina mark (not signature or Sue will scold me ;D) looks fine.
Definitely orange from here, I have seen the same design in amethyst and clear, also frosted. My (wild) guess is that they date from the late seventies or early eighties.
John
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Thanks guys for your information, i'm glad that it looks like a real Mdina bit. I will try and ask Mdina if they can give me any info on it.
Can anyone recommend a book on Mdina glass as I am starting to become a big fan!!!!
cheers, David
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http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,19158.0.html
http://markhillpublishing.co.uk/?page_id=34
Probably available elsewhere too.
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Hi,
I remember seeing these for sale in Liberty's, at an educated guess, in the early 1980's. Being such a change from the usual greens and blues at the time it struck quite a cord, especially the acid etched finish. I remember not being enammered by the leap to the red/orange colour. I've got used to it now :)
It would be good to learn what Mdina themselves say - and whether I've got to bring the date for the nursing home forward ::) ;) :)
Nigel
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I'll keep you posted on their reply, thanks everyone :thup:
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The info in their bit on the history of Mdina glass on their website has changed.
It use to have the year that they started acid-etching of pieces in it as one of the "milestones". Sadly, I can't remember when it was, though something about '86 is ringing bells, very cautiously!
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Hi All, heres my reply from Mr Said at Mdina
"Dear Mr Ford.
This vase was produced by Mdinaglass at around the mid nineties it was part of the so called Strap Frosted Range very small amount where produced of this type of glass.
Regards
Joseph."
So mystery vase solved, I'm still not sure if I like it, but the the wife does and that is not a common occurrence. Now I need to find a place for it in the house, as it doesn't sit well with any of my other Mdina bits.
Cheers everyone for the help, D
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Well done. :clap:
Interesting - mid 90s, I've seen three of these vases in amethyst but only yours in orange (I think I prefer them in orange).
John
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My experience is the same, John, I've seen a fair few purple and clear bits, this is the first reddy-orange I've seen too - and the strapping on this is so much nicer than on the purple and clear bits - this is bold, organic and drippy, but "right" - the strapping on the purple/clear bits seems to be less interesting and more controlled - less artistic, more "just wound around a bit" by somebody.
Thanks for reporting back!
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Hello,
Thanks for letting us all know the result. very interesting indeed :)
Sorry, about the delay in replying, I've been looking into which home to go into :spls: ;)
Cheers, Nigel
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Nigel, I'm just glad you still remember your login to the GMB >:D, cheers, D :thup: