Glass Message Board
Glass Identification - Post here for all ID requests => Glass => Topic started by: flying free on August 06, 2012, 09:05:48 AM
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I'm trying to investigate an old perfume bottle which I'll bump in a minute, but I noticed on a paperweight thread that someone described a weight as Marbrie. That appears to be a description of a pulled feathered loop type decoration? is that term applied to items other than weights? Does it relate to a time period in particular?
thanks
m
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sounds like a misread "marbré" - marbled in French
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thanks Ivo :)
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I think it's actually a very paperweight specific description encompassing pulled decoration and not time specific
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thanks :)
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As Christine said, it is a term used for a type of paperweight design. I have never seen it used in respect of other glass items, which if they have a similar design would be more simply called "looped", "gadrooned" or "feathered".
It could have be a variation of the French marbre, but I do not know the actual source of the term.
In the paperweight design it is usually a pulled pattern in four, or occasionally six, loops and normally with multi-coloured threads. The loops are worked to the top of the dome and capped with at least one millefiori cane to cover the join of the loop threads.
Earliest examples are (probably) from the French Saint Louis factory of the 19th century. Several examples can be found on the Internet, but here is one in a Bonhams Auction page (http://[urlhttp://www.bonhams.com/auctions/19109/lot/167/).
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It is used for other glass than paperweights, also ceramics, furniture etc. by auction houses, but have yet to find a non-20th century or makers usage. I even found one example given as Marbrie/Nailsea. It might be better to use in preference to Nailsea!
Marbrie (probably anglicised derivation from Marbré) is a decoration simulating marble. Nothing to do with marbles for which the French is billes.
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Kev, thank you, it was a long time ago but I'm sorry, I missed your reply. Frank thank you.
it definitely irks me to see all and sundry described as ' Nailsea':
- firstly because much of the all and sundry appears to be fairly recent (and 20th century stuff)
- and secondly because describing something as Nailsea appears to me at least,to imply old and English (when mostly what I see is not)
In some ways I think I just prefer 'pulled feathered design'. That at least is properly descriptive and doesn't imply age :)
m
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That would not differentiate the loopy style from feathering though. Pooled loops perhaps? I guess restoring to the French Marbre would not catch on, despite removing some ambiguity from an invented word. Nah, I like Marbrie ;)
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As a matter of interest is the feathered type of decoration created in a different way to pulled looped decoration?
I'll find the perfume bottle pic later and link it here just so there is an image of what I described as pulled feathered - just for future ref in case anyone is interested in seeing pics of what is discussed.
I don't own any Marbrie paperweights :'( so can't link an image of one of those.
m
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Yes, two directions of pull.
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A google search for "mabrie paperweight" will shown lots of images, many of which are not "marbrie" decoration.
The ones with pulled loops finished with a millefiori cane on the top are "marbrie" according to paperweight collector terminology. If there is a cane slice on the top, but the decoration is swirled but not looped, then that is a "swirled" design not a marbrie.
Making a marbie paperweight involves trailing a thread of glass around the initial gather and, if reuired, trailing another colour adjacent to it and so on until the required number of colours is set. Then the trails are pulled upwards to the top in the required number of loops. I had said in my earlier reply that four or six loops were usual. But these days many makers apply many loops to their marbrie weights!
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Terms are loosely used these days - probably often just repeated from someones mistake on eBay.