Glass Message Board
Glass Identification - Post here for all ID requests => Glass Paperweights => Topic started by: Lily of the Valley on September 18, 2010, 10:40:25 PM
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On a recent getaway to the shore, I happened upon this weight and hope to be able to find out more about it. It was among a group of weights all dating from mid-70's to early-80's. The tag was attached to the base but as I inspected it, the tag easily came off in my hand. I expect it did not start out on the base. What is the best way to "reattach" the tag and also the best location on the weight for it?
http://glassgallery.yobunny.org.uk/displayimage.php?pos=-13380
Thanks for taking a look ..... Lily :)
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Your "flame" pontil mark dates his weight to between late '73 and '79. Your wide label is unusual, being black. There's not a mention of wide black labels in Mark Hill's fabby book (Michael Harris: Mdina Glass & Isle of Wight Studio Glass") - just wide white ones, used from '75 - '80.
In the illustrating picture in the book, the wide white label is on the base of the weight, one corner creeping around the side. Personally, I reckon you should just keep the label safe in an envelope, with a note describing exactly what it comes from - perhaps with a print-out of your picture with it "on" - otherwise it will just spoil your view of the weight.
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There is wear to the label which outlines the circumference of the base . Perhaps there is a slight glue residue somewhere which would enable you to position it exactly if you line up the curved wear marks .
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I wouldn't use anything more violent than something like "Gloy" paper glue to stick it back on.
(the kind of runny brown stuff which comes in a plastic bottle with a dispenser top, with a letter-box type opening - is normally given to children to play with along with paper and plastic scissors.)
Personally I would just keep the label safely somewhere.
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Sue and Mike, many thanks for your thoughts regarding this IOW weight and what to do with the label. My big concern about separating the weight and label is that somehow over time I will lose track of the label which will end up in that safe place never to be found again! I do have a big expandable file that holds infomation about my weights. Perhaps that is the best place for now. Mike, the label has markings showing it was on the bottom of the weight for a long time. I'm hoping someone else will post about this particular label as Sue shared it is not covered in the book she has (and I don't ..... :mrgreen:)!
My next question is: Was Michael Harris the designer and artist who made this weight?
My best .... Lily :)
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Here's a IOW vase with the same label as the pw in question:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320590961260#ht_8546wt_1026
Lily
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:-[
That's a very helpful link indeed! I've got a couple of these massive cylinder vases, I believe them to be fairly early.
Shape catalogues were not produced until '82, so this shape and size do not feature in the catalogues reproduced in Mark's book. BUT.....
One of mine has this wide black label on it's base - (mostly worn away).
My interest in these very large cylinders is that it is fairly obvious that the technique of using silver foil is clearly still being perfected - some of it has started to react with the molten metal, producing a slightly iridescent yellowy bluey sheen, colouring the glass rather than sitting on it.
This would make it a fairly early, early piece, and it's size indicates an experienced glassmaker making it.
Both the flame mark and this label indicate early - but the flame mark at least can't get lost.
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I have the same label on this tortoiseshell bottle (http://picasaweb.google.com/Johnmj100/EarlyIsleOfWightStudioGlass#5471984955445548514) also with flame mark (tortoiseshell made until 1982). Some of the paper labels are black on a white background, this one is white on a blackground, relevance...?
More labels here: http://glassgallery.yobunny.org.uk/thumbnails.php?album=536&page=2
John
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There doesn't seem to be a white paper label the same size as the black one in that set of labels, John.
I was just wondering if there was any date significance between these white / black long, wide labels.
There's no mention of the black ones in Mark's book.
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I was thinking in terms of the various labels Sue, I wonder if at some stage a conscious decision was made to have black backgrounds, the items I have with the white labels on look to be earlier in date. Easy enough when it's a bit of Seaward (1973 only) but tortoiseshell is harder to pin a date on. Mark talks in the book about "printed white labels" (page 135) as circa 1975 but this one: http://glassgallery.yobunny.org.uk/displayimage.php?pos=-13348 is earlier (1973). It also does not have England printed on it.
John
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Some images of different white labels I've found.
The one on the strapped Aurene/Seawood piece is definitely very early - this strapped collection, in both the cobalt blue of IoWSG and the turquoisey shade similar to Mdina colours, was one which was part of the development of Aurene per se. It doesn't really have an official name - although "Seawood" appears to have been coined in retrospect.