Glass Message Board
Glass Discussion & Research. NO IDENTIFICATION REQUESTS here please. => Malta Glass => Topic started by: Baked_Beans on March 22, 2012, 05:48:26 PM
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I found this collection today ! I think the Whale is MDG (similar to one with label ) and I suspect the last pink duck is also. Hope you find them interesting !! More to follow...
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More.....
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This duck is the one I'm not so sure about but has a slight sticky patch the same size as labels to the base.
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I've not heard of this company before.
Deep down in the back of my head i thought the blue/white fish or dolphin was from China....
...after reading more about it i see that MDG was founded by Maltese government in conjunction with the Chinese.
...i see. 8)
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Here is another topic on the Whale , .....
http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,2982.10.html (see end of second page for pic.)
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I posted a green fish like your blue one and seem to remember it being id'd as Taiwan ???
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And I've seen red ones - I'm pretty jolly sure they were from Taiwan. I suspect a label has been moved from a bit of MDG and put on a Taiwanese bit.
It bears no resemblance to any bit of MDG I've seen - not in terms of colour (I don't think they used white), or in terms of construction - the base looks moulded, altogether, it's just completely wrong.
I don't think the duck is MDG - I really do not believe they used neodynum glass!
Everything else is right for MDG - I suspect the penguin is an apprentice piece - not Vicente Boffo!
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The fish are everywhere in various colours; perhaps it was sold in the shop. The colour certainly isn't MDG. The neodymium duck is pretty common too. I have his brother in uranium, perhaps Murano or Czech http://lustrousstone.co.uk/cpg/displayimage.php?pid=1457
These expensive glass colorants weren't used in Malta.
Perhaps be cautious; those labels don't actually say Made in Malta.
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I agree Sue, I bought them in a charity shop and so I wouldn't think there would be an issue with labels. I think the fish could have been imported from China and sold through MDG with one of their stickers. The penguin looks a bit ugly for a Boffo ! The duck also !
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Thanks very much Christine,
Well that's the fish and duck ruled out then ! But I had to buy the whole lot ...just in case !!
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The MDG label I have in my sticky mitts only says "hand made" - as do the labels shown here - apart from the fishy thing - which does not.
So I'm now agreeing with the suggestion that the fish was probably made in China and sold through MDG, given MDG was funded in part by China.
Apologies for going to Taiwan rather than China for the beast - I did have a little niggle they might be Japanese......
I'm ruling out both duck and fish.
The others are grand, though!
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Well spotted Sue ! :o
I didn't notice that !!! Superb ! I agree with everything !! Well done !!
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Sorry ...my friend was Boffos servitor .... none of those are by Boffo , just take a long close look at the finish and quality. imho jp
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Yes, I think you might well be right, the swan isn't up to it, but was obviously a design take on the Whitefriars design. I think the whale is really superb though (and it is so similar to the other one) it must be very difficult to make two almost identical forms unless you were a real expert . I still think the whale might be a possibility. Ta Mike
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I just wanted to chip in with a clarification on Taiwan and Mainland China. Since 1949 both countries use the name China. The mainland Peoples' Republic of China (PRC) and Taiwan was officially known as Republic of China (ROC).
Which did Malta do a deal with?
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The whale is spot on, here is a cousin.
John
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Now that whale looks like a quality piece and nice colours . :-\
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The ROC acronym is ringing some bells as being the one involved with the Maltese Govt. in starting MDG.... but don't quote me on that!
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I have a MDG speckled whale and 2 MDG paperweights, i cant put pics up as im in Scotland.
I recently at a fair saw a tall attenuated bottle with a button top and Mdina style bottle with a big round stopper, both labelled.
As i expect you know Ex Whitefriars Vicente Boffo worked there from about 1976, here is one Boffos WF swans for comparison, very rare!! I have this one :) There are definitely similarities!
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That would have been on Peter Elliot's stand at Cambridge. ;D
Very nice bits.
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Wrong! Pete Elliotts stand at Shepton :)
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;D
Ok!
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That attenuated bottle is lovely, bulbous and freeformed and not mould blown like the later round (and square) variations from Mdina.
Here it is in Rosie's photo (amber bottle, right hand side): http://glassgallery.yobunny.org.uk/displayimage.php?pid=16047&fullsize=1
John
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;D
That's in Cambridge. 8)
I wonder if he'll still have them in November. I've got a tall tall green stoppered bottle, and a massive one, but I need a short tall one.
I want a bottle too, but I want a green one. Green MDG is the bestest.
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Gosh !! You guys 'n' gals are spot-on ...what an education this has been !!
John, I totally agree with you , my whale isn't a Boffo ! But the mottled brown one surely must be !!
Here are some more photos ....the tail is crude , thick and blobby. The head far less bulbous. Not identical at all !
The swan's head is totally wrong , and it seems the penguin has had two attempts at elongating the beak !
My examples just illustrate that Vicente Boffo was designing some fairly simple forms for his team to replicate ...to a degree !
As for those bottles ....Boffo !!
I will post some shots of the base of the swan and the label .. .. Thanks very much indeed for all the feedback. I hope my examples have added another clue to the story of MDG ! There must be examples of Boffo MDG swans out there (better than mine!) somewhere ! Ta very much , Mike.
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A photo of swan label ....
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This is a pic of some of my MDG - although I suspect the Fish vase and the cut-ice lollipop may have been made at Mdina - these pieces are, I believe, by Vicente Boffo.
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Thanks so much, Sue, for showing your superb collection ! They are all really so lovely !
I wouldn't know how to tell the difference between Mdina and MDG...without a label !
I will try to look out for them on my glass hunting missions . ;)
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Amber casing would signify MDG, as would anything in green (not a colour used at Mdina).
Apart from that, it's the way the "painterly strapping" is applied - it's highly distinctive, in a sort of vague mesh or honeycomb pattern, loads of red streaks in the browns if it's an Earthtones style piece - otherwise the colours are in a very distinctive cloudy sort of pattern....
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I've been looking for an adjective which is more subtle than subtle , but I don't think there is one. :)
As soon as I find an example I will be posting it on here like a shot !!
It's all so fascinating to say the least !
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Three more examples here (click to the right for the other two), use the zoom function to take a closer look - quite distinctive pattening: https://picasaweb.google.com/Johnmj100/MiscellaneousGlass#5669337825503634626
John
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Came across a photo today of a Boffo elephant the label is different from the ones I have seen so far instead of M the label reads G
D G C L
Instead of Malta Decorative Glass it reads Malta Craft Glass
Chris
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Here is a MDG footed whale . The tail of the whale has been finished in a similar way to the amber cased (black and white) whale . The entirely- out-of -scale , wave-foot has six (equally spaced ) toes and has been made from a mould. There may be other MDG fish / dolphins etc.. using the same foot. So it's something to look out for. The diameter of the base is exactly 3 inches and the diameter of the ring mark is exactly 1 inch.
I also have an interesting MDG dog bought from a lady who lives in Malta which has a label so I shall post that here too when I can get some more time. Cheers, Mike
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Here is a green Malta Decorative Glass dog, of dubious quality, with label and marked with number 4000 . It's 5.5 inches tall and has a hollow blown body and a solid head. Murano dogs have been made in a similar way. I don't think it is Chinese in origin as it is the same green as the labeled boat ashtray (see below). Also it has the earlier label. I also found a blue, clear cased dog which is very similar and might also be MDG but it doesn't have a label. One distinguishing feature is that both dogs have nostrils ! I also have another blue one almost identical to this but that has black on white eyes similar to the green hound . The blue dog is 4.5 inches to the top of it's head.
Going back to the Chinese origin of Malta Decorative Glass, could it be that Malta Decorative Glass exported to China or Hong Kong ? Just a thought ?
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Here are some more pics of the Maltese boat ashtray and dog. The first boat has a label but was damaged so I found another with no label but with amber and blue colours as well as green.
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Lastly a MDG rabbit and baby elephant. The rabbit is 7.5 cm in length and the elephant 3 1/4 inches tall to the top of it's trunk.
That's my collection exhausted :D
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It is a most unusual and quite extensive collection of beasts, Mike.
They may not be of the best quality modelling, but they are from a very short-lived studio with an interesting history. There cannot be that many of them around, finding all of these has been quite a dedicated pursuit!
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Thanks Sue,
It has taken a few years of looking but it's always exciting (for me at least) to find something different, especially with a label . I hope this collection can give a few pointers for those that are interested in this company. Still trying to work out the system of pattern numbering that was used , if the dog is number 4000 then there are 3999 other patterns ::) .....Not !! The first number might perhaps represent year four, but this is just a wild guess ! (I don't know how long 'short lived' was in terms of years.)
I think it was Christine who found a shell with a label , which could have been Chinese , but I think it could have been made by Malta Decorative Glass and exported to Hong Kong perhaps. The same with the blue and white fish in this thread , thought to be Chinese , but they certainly used the same colours at MDG. Anyway , this is only my personal theory and is probably totally wrong ! It's worth considering though as a possibility, I think. Cheers, Mike.
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p.s. Just noticed that the fish is 7022 , so did the company last for seven years ? If not , back to the drawing board ::) And what about Malta Craft Glass (as Chris mentioned above) , how does that fit into the equation ? It's such a shame that this information isn't available somewhere ! Ta ,Mike.
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Oh Mike, I think we might have fought for that ellie! I have three of his brothers and wanted the mottled one for the set! Mine have Malta Craft Glass on the base and are certainly Boffo pieces.
I love the rabbit as well... haven't seen one of those yet! :)
You certainly have a lovely collection of Mdina Animals and birds.... I am impressed. :)
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What on earth are you doing up so late ! :o It was bought as a birthday present for me (50! :( ) So I had to bid for it... and so put in an enormous sum, thinking nobody would possibly come anywhere near it and I was totally shocked at the result ! :o I know the elephant is almost identical to the one that was sold on ebay, (by eerrrmmm ? ;) ) shortly before the auction of the above cutie , and it must be almost impossible to produce an identical elephant from a blob/gather of glass unless you are highly skilled ! That's my assumption :)
There must be others out there..... a whole lot cheaper , and I would love to see another MDG dog !! If anyone has one :)
Sorry Rosie :'( Forgive me ;)
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Forgiven....and what are you doing up so late!!
I fought hard for that ellie.... now I will sulk all the more.... you have seen my little ones though surely?
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I can't sleep !!
Would you be able to post some pics. here ? (of the MDG ones ) or a link to them , I don't think I've seen them and would love to, if you don't mind :)
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Just did! :)
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Ooops , sorry, crossed in the post ;) Very nice indeed !! :o I'm the one sulking now ;)
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I have a third one of these I will swap for the mottled ellie or rabbit.... we are going to get caféd if we are not careful. :o
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Well, I could do with a coffee ;D....
I can't swap (sorry ) as they are presents, but if I find another rabbit, that is similar, I will send it to you for free ! I promise ;) I have seen another rabbit (on ebay with label...Phoenician ....spelling ???) which is very similar in design to this one but with completely different colouring.
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OK, that seems fair enough! ;D
My email is there if you want to give me the item number for the Phoenician one. :)
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The Phoenician one was months ago , so it is probably not currently listed. They also do or did a version of the Maltese boat ashtray but the ends of the boat are longer and more perpendicular and again different colours. :) Thanks again for posting the photos Rosie ! Cheers, Mike
P.s. I will continue to hunt for rabbits ;)
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Just in case you missed the thread Mike here is a 'pedigree' one by the man himself
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WoW :o What an amazing find , I had missed your thread completely ! Thanks for including it here as well you must be over the moon !
Does the clear glass have a greenish tinge to it or is it totally clear if you don't mind me asking ?
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It is indeed green thought you may like it :)
I am over the moon Mike but I don't collect anything so it will be looking for a new home rather shortly your friend Mr Hogan is 'gaggin' for it :) apparently
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It looks like the same green as this Goby fish .............
http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,44406.0.html
Do you think it is Mdina or MDG ?
It will complement Patrick's other fish so well ....Rock-on you guys !! ..... ;)
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I initially thought MDG but the general consensus veering towards Mdina
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Thanks Chris ,
Is this washed-out green a known Mdina colour ? Ta Mike
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Your fish has a clear outer casing, which implies the inner colour is applied. This fish has a bluish outer often seen on Mdina vases, i.e., clear glass made with poor quality sand and not decolorised. You can see it on this bottle
http://lustrousstone.co.uk/cpg/displayimage.php?pid=1299
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You are correct of course Christine thought it was unusual because the fins are clear all the green is the core I can that holding it up to the outside window.
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Hi guys, have you seen these MDG paperweights before?
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Thanks Wolfie , I had no idea they made paperweights ! That adds a whole new avenue of MDG hunting ::)
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And these PW
http://lustrousstone.co.uk/cpg/displayimage.php?pid=1176
http://lustrousstone.co.uk/cpg/displayimage.php?pid=1259
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Known about these for years me and Christine have :)
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And the dogs or is a cat
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How tall is your doggy/cat Chris and do you have a picture of where the tail wraps round the botty please?
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It's 4" high Rosie will see if I can find a photo with the tail
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Just to tie a few loose ends up I know the amber elephants were attributed to Boffo but what about the Speckled whale and rabbit are we saying Boffo made these too.
By the way Mike I have decided now mine is a dolphin not a whale. :)
Mod: Image removed at poster's request.
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I thought it might be a 'presumed' hybrid-dolphin ( ...have a look at this pic. and see what you think.) The rear fin is in the same position....It's the bottom right image. Based on only a few available photos ! ;)
http://namu-the-orca.deviantart.com/art/Southern-right-whale-dolphin-339633668
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Yep that's what he is. :)
So have the speckled ones definitely been attributed to being made by Boffo do know Mike.
Just that I saw one yesterday for $160 ::)
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I'm glad you agree with the dolphin :D
Not sure about the speckled ones Chris , the elephant is very similar to the amber ones and the rabbit is very well made but who really knows ? It's just a hunch on my part I guess . I really like them whoever made them . :)
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Dolphins are a big thing in terms of Mediterranean myth, they have been depicted for many thousands of years. The Greeks liked them and so consequently did the Romans. Dolphins have probably been a traditional form in glass making in Venice probably for most of its existence. Anyway, that would in general terms make me think dolphin before I thought whale. Come to think of it, the head down tail up pose is not unusual either - almost all Salviati's seem to be this way up.
John
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Looks like this discovery of a hybrid between a Dusky dolphin and a Southern Right whale dolphin is fairly recent though....
http://www.aquaticmammalsjournal.org/share/AquaticMammalsIssueArchives/2002/AquaticMammals_28-02/28-02_Yazdi.pdf
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Going back to the dogs , all of my three examples have hollow blown bodies and solid heads. Crimped front paws ,nostrils, rough looking collar , and are all clear cased. Plus the curling tail. I think Chris's dog might have a solid body.
There is one correction I need to make and that is the eyes are made from cut canes (I can see through the head ;)) . The canes have a black core and a white surround.
As I said above the dog and the first green boat above, were bought from a lady who lives in Malta and she bought them at the time they were made.
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Here is a MDG footed whale .
Mike
Hi Mike,
Do you think you could get in touch with me because I am currently doing a Topic on Whitefriars .com where Boffo animals are being showcased. You seem to have a great collection of interesting animal that could be designed and made by him.
If you could private message me we could then email and discuss them. Here is a link to the evolving topic. http://www.whitefriars.com/smf1/index.php/topic,5513.0.html
Your Blue Whale is stunning and very Boffo like as is your Penguin chick in Kingfisher blue.
Best wishes,
Patrick.
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What a good idea ! It will be a great topic and should help to clarify a few grey areas . I shall drop you a line shortly , Thanks very much, Mike
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Thanks Mike,
There is so much to learn about the great man.................
Regards,
Patrick.
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Food for thought Mike? not MDG obviously earlyish Mdina paper label a well made animal could be?
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Hi,
The design certainly could have come from Boffo and he could have even made this one.
Ray Annenberg was inspired by Boffo when he was at Whitefriars and although I have not seen any Boffo owl friggers this is very similar to those made by Ray.
Rigards,
Patrick.
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I know ;) another 2 here grab them if you see them not many around
Chris
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Thanks Chris,
I'm sure there is a MDG version of an owl out there too... ;) !
e.g. This is a similar design and has MDG colours......
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/151365322670?_trksid=p2060778.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
Here is a link to the MDG conch shell ....
http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,55991.msg317347.html
Ta Mike.
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Another Malta Decorative Glass style dog in a lighter green colour. The ears are clear glass and the head is clear cased. No label, darker green dog to right has MDG label to base.
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Hi,
It looks spot on to me......... Wolfie agrees as well :)
Nice find.
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Thanks Patrick & Wolfie,
Could well be the same green as in your vase here Patrick ......
http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,59258.0.html
Ta, Mike