Glass Message Board

Glass Identification - Post here for all ID requests => Glass => Topic started by: chriscooper on September 05, 2010, 01:39:01 PM

Title: Marked Mdina Paperweight
Post by: chriscooper on September 05, 2010, 01:39:01 PM
Etched on base "Malta". I know a lot of the Mdina signatures are different and can anyone read this label?

http://picasaweb.google.com/107067405711297858658/MarkedMdinaPaperweight?feat=directlink
Title: Re: Marked Mdina Paperweight
Post by: chopin-liszt on September 05, 2010, 01:43:20 PM
It reads Phoenecian, Malta.
Not a mark on Phoenecian I've seen before, thanks! - it's normally thinner script.
Title: Re: Marked Mdina Paperweight
Post by: ahremck on September 05, 2010, 01:50:09 PM
Phoenician paperweight from Malta.  Have a look at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoenicia and you will see that Malta had no less than 6 trading colonies with the Phoenicians.

I agree with Sue, in that my perfume has a much thinner script. (see picture)

Ross
Title: Re: Marked Mdina Paperweight
Post by: chriscooper on September 05, 2010, 02:32:45 PM
Thanks to you both, the only three I could think of was Mdina, phoenician, and Mtarfa, couldn't for the life of me see a 'P' at the start, still can't  :-[ doh
Chris
Title: Re: Marked Mdina Paperweight
Post by: Lustrousstone on September 05, 2010, 02:54:24 PM
I have a thin one and a thick one. It's quite crude looking in all respects. Does anyone think it could be an early piece?
Title: Re: Marked Mdina Paperweight
Post by: ahremck on September 05, 2010, 11:22:56 PM
In discussion about a Vasart signature (in the 'Glass' section of this site) it was brought up that Vasart at one stage use matchsticks dipped in an etch to sign their glass.  I happen to have a small dish that shows the result.  I suspect that something like that may be the reason for this signature.  The main problem would be the acid fumes which would be very dangerous.  Hence, I suspect, the change to an engraving tool of some sort which seems much more common - and much safer.

Ross
Title: Re: Marked Mdina Paperweight
Post by: chopin-liszt on September 06, 2010, 09:05:48 AM
Phoenicia glass is an offshoot of Mdina, it was set up by Leonard Mulligan, at Sliema on Manoel Island.
Leonard Mulligan was also one of the business partners Michael Harris had when setting up Gozo Glass a few years later, in '89.

I think this thicker script is produced in a quite similar manner to the thicker Mdina scripts - a vibrating drill thing which goes sideways.

I've never seen the thick script before on a Phoenician piece. I don't know much about what's early or late. Some pieces are variations of a theme from Mdina, very well executed, what I believe to be more recent pieces are quite different - and very sophisticated indeed.