Glass Message Board
Glass Discussion & Research. NO IDENTIFICATION REQUESTS here please. => British & Irish Glass => Topic started by: agincourt17 on October 18, 2014, 12:39:29 PM
-
A pale yellow-green uranium glass inkstand , the side bearing the embossed registry date lozenge for 20 March 1848 – parcel 5. This corresponds to design registration number 50988, registered on 20 March 1848 by Henry Pershouse , Birmingham. The design description is for an ‘inkstand’, Class 3 (glass).
(Permission for the re-use of these images granted by antscollectables).
This is one of the very few actual pieces that I know from design registrations dating from pre-1850.
I have not seen the design representation drawing from The National Archives for details, but inkstands often had a lid, cap or other closure to stop the liquid ink drying out, so it may well be that this piece lacks such a closure (perhaps of glass or some type of metal), and indeed the scalloped upstand around the top was probably meant to help keep the cap or closure securely in place.
Incidentally, Henry Pershouse registered a design for a glass ink bottle (#710764) on 7 August 1850.
Between 1840 and 1847 he had also, alone or with others, mostly various business partners in Birmingham, registered designs for an assortment of metal articles (a candlestick, a snuffer, and another inkstand), and he is variously described in various documents as a Metal Dealer, Manufacturer, Brass Founder, Electro-Depositor, Electro-Metallurgist and a photographic chemical manufacturer.
He also took out a patent (#3034, dated 9th December, 1857) for “An improvement or improvements in stereoscopes”.
There were several glass works in Birmingham at the time, and it seems most likely that the manufacture of the glass inkstand was contracted out to one of them (with the possibility that he manufactured a lid or closure of some kind himself).
Pershouse seems to have died at some time before December 1860 and March 1861.
Fred.
-
very interesting as always with your posts on these pressed items Fred. :)
You may care to correct the Rd. No. of the slightly later item to read 71064 - which incidentally is simply called a 'bottle' in the archives.
I'll try and post Kew pix of both 50988 and 71064 either later today or in the morning.
-
Thank you, Paul.
Correction to RD 71064 duly noted, and I await the design representations with interest.
Fred.
-
pix attached for these two Registrations. Apologies, obviously I can't read - the description for 71064 does in fact say 'ink bottle', as you can see. :)
No metalwork in these pix that I can see - maybe the scalloped rim was a design feature so shaped such that a quill could be laid across the top and not roll off ??
-
Brilliant, Paul.
Good point about the scalloped rim.
Isn't the draughtsmanship, scrollwork and calligraphy on the inkstand representation stunning ? - so much care and attention to detail !
Fred.