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Glass Discussion & Research. NO IDENTIFICATION REQUESTS here please. => Canada => Topic started by: Paul S. on August 05, 2012, 02:42:15 PM

Title: pressed goblet marked 'M. G. EDSON & Co.'
Post by: Paul S. on August 05, 2012, 02:42:15 PM

Probably not too clear from the pix, but this has acquired some noticeable sun-purpling, or possibly even made this way, deliberately - I believe there are still one or two manufactuers who create this colour to suggest, fraudulently, a greater than actual age.         Very difficult to date, since whilst looking like something from the lat C19 - early C20, there is a total absence of any wear or age related marks.
Probably British, so shouldn't be here I guess, and the Mods can move if necessary.            Height is c. 6" - 155mm, and there are four mould seams.
It came in with several genuinely older pressed drinking glasses, so might have some age, and just not been used - looks as though it was made yesterday.
So, who were/are M. G. EDSON & Co.? -  I did have a little trawl on the internet, but wasn't aware of seeing the name.         

Title: Re: pressed goblet marked 'M. G. EDSON & Co.'
Post by: Lustrousstone on August 05, 2012, 02:50:33 PM

That looks like genuine sun purpling

Title: Re: pressed goblet marked 'M. G. EDSON & Co.'
Post by: Paul S. on August 05, 2012, 03:31:16 PM

thanks, and have a feeling you may well be correct - is it the manganese that causes the colour change?        There isn't a great depth to the colour, just enough to be apparent.          I'll have a look through the older Sowerby catalogues and see if this pattern is shown.

Title: Re: pressed goblet marked 'M. G. EDSON & Co.'
Post by: Lustrousstone on August 05, 2012, 03:57:07 PM

Yes

Title: Re: pressed goblet marked 'M. G. EDSON & Co.'
Post by: Paul S. on August 05, 2012, 04:13:15 PM

thanks Christine. :)

Title: Re: pressed goblet marked 'M. G. EDSON & Co.'
Post by: neilh on August 05, 2012, 09:56:04 PM

According to a hit on this link, MG Edson were based in Montreal
http://archive.org/stream/cihm_09647/cihm_09647_djvu.txt

There was a Marcellus Gilmore Edson of Montreal who is credited with inventing peanut butter!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcellus_Gilmore_Edson

Can't prove they had anything to do with glass, but other examples of the same goblet are in North American museums, from what I see online.

Title: Re: pressed goblet marked 'M. G. EDSON & Co.'
Post by: Paul S. on August 06, 2012, 05:53:46 PM

Neil - thanks for taking the time to look around.       Have to admit to my lack of pc skills, and regret I can't locate Edson on your first link - although the peanut butter link reminds me that as kids this product was a popular teatime sandwich filler  -  perhaps this glass was a promotional item - and when purchased, it came full of peanut butter ;)
thanks again.

Title: Re: pressed goblet marked 'M. G. EDSON & Co.'
Post by: Anne on August 07, 2012, 07:22:36 PM

Paul, for reference I'll add the facts from Neil's link here for you:

The title of the document is "The authorized catalogue of the first annual exhibition of the Agricultural and Industrial Exhibition Association of Toronto [microform] : held in the new Exhibition Park, in the city of Toronto : open from September 1st to September 19th, 1879"

and there are two mentions of M G Edson & Co. of Montreal,  in it which refer to them in connection with easy chairs for invalids. No mention of peanut butter! :) (But the peanut butter patent is here: http://www.google.com/patents/US306727?printsec=description#v=onepage&q&f=false)

Another website gives bio family tree info about Edson: http://houliston.lisaandroger.com/getperson.php?personID=I5601&tree=Houliston - he was a druggist / manufacturing chemist in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Title: Re: pressed goblet marked 'M. G. EDSON & Co.'
Post by: Paul S. on August 07, 2012, 08:06:00 PM

thanks very much Anne.........for someone born in 1849, Marcellus lived to the ripe old age of 91, no mean feat having started off life in the middle of the C19.           I can imagine it's not too great a leap of mind to believe this goblet may well have been a promotional item originating with Edson the druggist in your link - can't think that the name E. M. Edson would be common, so likelihood of this connection seems quite strong.          Likewise between druggist/Manufacturing chemist and easy chairs for invalids.         
I'll add the photos to the labels and marks site.
thanks again to Neil.

Title: Re: pressed goblet marked 'M. G. EDSON & Co.'
Post by: Sid on August 08, 2012, 12:15:48 AM

Paul

And chocolate and mustard and ....?  The man was obviously an entrepreneur with all these various businesses/products he was associated with.

I have a goblet with the same design as yours but no mark on the base unfortunately.  It has a slightly raised flat band of glass on the exterior of the lip which is likely for getting a good seal for a metal lid.  The glass is not very good - unfinished with no fire polishing.  I suspect this was packers' ware sold by a glass company to folks like Edson to fill with their mustard or other condiment.  Maybe even a Canadian glass factory but we won't know until a catalog appears somewhere, somewhen.

Thanks for posting this picture.  May I use it for a short article in Glass Facts (the official journal of Glasfax, a group dedicated to the study of glass manufactured/used in Canada)?  Credit will be provided of course.

Sid

Title: Re: pressed goblet marked 'M. G. EDSON & Co.'
Post by: Paul S. on August 08, 2012, 07:47:23 AM

Sid  -  yes, by all means more than happy for you to use in whatever way is of use to you  -  if you need more pix do let me know.

Title: Re: pressed goblet marked 'M. G. EDSON & Co.'
Post by: Sid on August 09, 2012, 05:36:50 PM

Paul - thank you!