Glass Message Board
Glass Identification - Post here for all ID requests => Glass => Topic started by: Ohio on September 15, 2010, 03:12:55 AM
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I have a question pertaining to Mdina. I was in a mall today & handled the vase (third from the right, first row) in the URL below. While it was script signed Mdina & has a script MHarris (jumbled together) it had a 1948 in script also. I take it that was the # of the vase & not a date? Piece was nice, but expensive at close to $250 USD. Ken
http://www.google.com/images?client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&channel=s&hl=en&q=mdina+glass&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&ei=5zWQTLLYLoT78Aa7rOH-DQ&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=4&ved=0CDoQsAQwAw&biw=1136&bih=626
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The item displayed at that location for me is not a vase (it's the seahorse), the position of displayed items may depends on screen size etc.
Difficult to answer your question, if it was a date 1948 would be impossible.
John
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I get a small, later fish-style vase - pink inside and blue outside (and you do know what I call these, John, don't you?).
This piece would most definitely not have any correct M Harris script on it.
So it would be really useful to have an image of the piece you're wanting to know about, Ohio!
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third from right top row I get what I think is a crizzle ish fish in blue with yellowish streaks all over the centre piece? Gorgeous - I love it. Sorry and apologies as I'm not sure exactly what the description is but happy to try and look it up if no one gets the same pic (just got in from work and snatching a 5minute break from kids).
m
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I get that third from the left.
Third from the right for me, is this image from glasshound. A fish vase, well-post Harris timewise and nothing to do with him colourwise.
http://www.glasshound.com/images/348a_mdina_glass_fish_axehead_vase.jpg
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My screwup as its the blue axe vase 3rd from the left. Ken
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;D how bizarre - I definitely thought I counted third from right and got the blue one! now it's third from left :spls:
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Fish vase not axe head/vase (thought you probably meant that blue/green one). ;D
So if similar to that one, a typical fish vase from the mid seventies after Michael Harris had left Mdina, square sides and crude neck - lacking the subtlety of earlier examples (in my usually not very humble opinion) but will still look good in the right light. The signature will (presumably) be a squiggle with Mdina and a date. Date will likely be 1978 (as long as it is an eight).
Price at todays exchange rate I reckon is towards the high end in terms of retail for such a vase. A good early example would be 'worth' double that, if signed Michael Harris then potentially up to eight times that asking price.
Here's a nice early one: http://picasaweb.google.com/Johnmj100/EarlyMdinaGlass#5500445898715211602 (sorry couldn't resist).
John
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Just so as we all know (as the Google results will change over time) it's this one I think Ken?
http://www.glasshound.com/michael_harris_axehead_mdina_art_glass_vase_376.html
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Thanks Anne, thats the exact one & the one I saw was script signed Mdina. Now I tried to make out the signature & it did look like Harris in script & it was 1948, however I have run into folks whose 7s look like 4s so evidently this is what has happened here & its actually 1978. Thanks everyone & sorry about the right/left error. Edited: On eBay (US) I just found the identical vase & indeed that 7 looked like a 4 & the signature is a match. Pricy though & saw this was a multiple relist so evidently not many over here are taken with it. Ken
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Michael Harris' script is very distinctive, he was a skilled engraver and signed his name with lovely flowing letters, here is an example: http://glassgallery.yobunny.org.uk/displayimage.php?pos=-11859
I have never seen his signature with a date, rather "Michael Harris Mdina Glass Malta" (while at Mdina). The signature you saw is likely to have meant to represent either Joseph Said or Eric Dobson.
John
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Are you talking about THAT exact vase, or one like it?
That one looks to be big and rather competent - they're ALL different, and the price should reflect the individual piece. I disagree strongly with John regarding that price being high, though - if it's as big as that one looks, and as wide, and as well shaped, and artist signed and dated, I reckon it's a bargain.
Prices do vary, before the recession, artist signed Fish vases were regularly reaching £200-ish, things have dropped off a bit with the crunch.
( >:( capitalism = boom-bust, boom-bust, boom-bust... it doesn't work and it's always the poor who end up paying for the greed of the wealthy. >:( )
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Sue it is the virtual twin to that vase at 8 1/2 X 9 1/2 & color, however now that I've read everything I could find on Mdina & Harris it cannot be a Harris signature with a 1978 date & even though all the writing is in very well flowing script it is not Harris, its in all probability Dobson as John said due to it being a bit had to decifer while a Harris signature is very clearly Harris. Another thing I read was a bit alarming as it appears some inventive individuals have taken to adding signatures & dates to unmarked Mdina fish vases & since I'm not knowledgable enough to tell if its legit or not I'm walking away since I have no clue what value it has even if its a real Dobson signature. It was enlightening though to learn about Mdina glass because I had no knowledge prior to this regarding Mdina so thanks to everyone. Ken
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Some folk do have trouble reading Harris - I've seen it as Norris, John's seen it as something else - Davies? (can't remember what, sorry.)
Shame you couldn't have shown us a pic. of it.
(and yes, a great shame that some of the dishonest and greedy prats on the planet are getting to work with dremmels.)