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Glass Discussion & Research. NO IDENTIFICATION REQUESTS here please. => Malta Glass => Topic started by: POOLED70 on August 10, 2011, 02:37:46 PM

Title: Globe Vase - Mdina?
Post by: POOLED70 on August 10, 2011, 02:37:46 PM

Hope someone can help me with a recent purchase. It looks very much like a Mdina globe vase, I have had one before in the Ming style and it feels right apart from 2 things, No1 the colour, I have never seen Mdina in this amber colour and No 2 the base finish, it has had the pontil mark ground out but not polished. Would it be a second that wasn't finished? The seller said that it was bought in Malta (but they all say that). Any help would be appreciated. It measures 5.75" high and approx 6" diameter and weighs 1.5kg.

Title: Re: Globe Vase - Mdina?
Post by: Lustrousstone on August 10, 2011, 02:53:07 PM

It's definitely Malta Decorative Glass; a shortlived concern set up by the Maltese government with help from the Chinese just after Michael Harris left Malta and under the leadership of Vincente Boffo. The pontil mark doesn't mean it's a second. I've had two of these.

Title: Re: Globe Vase - Mdina?
Post by: POOLED70 on August 10, 2011, 02:56:26 PM

Thankyou Christine thats fantastic help. So the pontil mark was never polished after grinding on all the output?

Title: Re: Globe Vase - Mdina?
Post by: chopin-liszt on August 10, 2011, 03:12:37 PM

I'm not sure what you mean!

Are you asking about Mdina or about Malta Decorative Glass? Different companies.

Both were quite haphazard in how they were finished. At Mdina, it depended purely on whether or not somebody was available to do the work required and how much new stock was needed in the very busy shop.
Less is known about MDG, I can only tell you how the few bits I have are finished. Several have fully polished flat bases. Several have round, ground pontil marks, I've not seen a polished round mark - yet.
I also have two bits where the base has been flattened on a marver, and a maltese cross prunt mark has beeen stuck deep into it. This cross is not the same shape as the Mdina Maltese Cross prunt - the "arms" of the cross have a v-shaped end, while the Mdina prunt arms are flat ended.

Title: Re: Globe Vase - Mdina?
Post by: POOLED70 on August 10, 2011, 03:23:51 PM

Thanks for the info Sue it was MDG I was asking about, I've never come across any before so I was interested to know more. As you say there is very little info on MDG, having just googled it I found practically nothing.

Title: Re: Globe Vase - Mdina?
Post by: glassobsessed on August 10, 2011, 09:55:49 PM

Try searching this board, you will find a few bits and bobs.

John

Title: Re: Globe Vase - Mdina?
Post by: chopin-liszt on August 11, 2011, 11:12:02 AM

 :bat:
It's an area currently under investigation....