Glass Message Board
Glass Identification - Post here for all ID requests => Glass => Topic started by: Birkyc on October 23, 2017, 12:00:58 PM
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I bought this from a charity shop a while ago, still trying to identify it. Looks like flint glass to me. I've seen similar twin dishes attributed to Sowerby but nothing quite as ornate as this. Can anyone help identify maker and approximate age please? It measures approx 19cm across, 21cm top to bottom and is about 3.7cm deep. It weighs 526g.
Thank you.
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It's just clear glass. You'd know if it was flint glass, as that weighs a ton.
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does it ?:-) - I know that glass made using lead oxide - made mostly for the purposes of cutting - can be heavy - but why should silica in the form of crushed flints/pebbles, as opposed to silica in the form of sand - cause the weight to increase that dramatically?
of course use of the word 'flint' is a misnomer anyway, particularly in reference to pressed glass - silica in the form of crushed flint pebbles - which was the origin of the use of the name 'flint' glass - hasn't be in use for eons - certainly not even back in the heyday of Sowerby.
Despite that factory's use of words like flint and crystal, it's very clear from George Sowerby's own letters of patent c. 1880, that it was sand that he was using in his 'flint' (clear) glass).
Unfortunately, flint and crystal are words misused still.
Originally, the use of flints/pebbles would have produced a more or less clear glass, although the use of a decolourant must have been commonplace.
Sorry to say, but pressed glass without a Rd. No. or diamond lozenge is going to be nigh on impossible to id, unless the particular shape or pattern can be recognized, and as commented, many houses made paired dishes something along the lines of this one - although kidney/Paisley shapes might be less common. Also, since we don't have a clue as to country of origin, this will compound the problem.
Believe there was a States glass house - sorry, forget now who (might it have B. & S.?) - where, due to their location by a river, they had easy access to pebbles.
P.S. I've assumed the op's glass is pressed - please correct me if I'm wrong. the pattern showing on this piece reminds me of some eastern European cutting - or perhaps even Some of the EAP items.
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It is pressed glass, I have one as well, no idea who made them though. No maker's mark, no RD no. zilch!
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Hello
It is Greener & Co. No. 2007 Double Sweet introduced in 1887. Catalogs and advertisements work for identifications too.
Sid
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Sid, thank you! :) I've been searching for this for years. Can you point me in the direction of a catalogue or advert showing it please? I've never managed to find one.
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Colin Lattimore 'English 19th Century Press Moulded Glass' (1979) page 82 shows
Greener designs for the Golden Jubilee in Pottery Gazette 1st April, 1887
The shape and pattern of that design matches our twin dishes, however the handles are completely different, less ornate.
Am I allowed to put a photo of that page 82 Colin Lattimore here? ;)
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Ooh Pamela, that amber one is lovely! I've seen the clear one like mine a few times but never coloured glass versions before. The image from Lattimore would still be in copyright so not postable without Colin's express consent, sorry. How different are the handles? I don't have a copy of Lattimore (yet!)
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Just to say thank you to everyone for their input and information. I'm glad that my enquiry has raised your interest and look forward to reading more.
;D
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Pamela, thank you for showing me the Greener version image. As it is still in copyright I thought it would be useful to mark on my photo which bits are not in the Greener original catalogue image, so I'm attaching my pic again with four red arrows overlaid which indicate the four parts of the glass handles that are missing in the catalogue. This leaves just the curved handles at each end and the ribbed centre bar.
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I am sure that all of these are Greener. The only difference between the drawing and reality is a minor, but necessary, design improvement. This dish would have been very awkward to pass without those two handle extensions which allow the thumb and fingers to hold the bowl comfortably. I suspect the improvement occurred pretty early on and one wonders if it ever got into production using the design in the advertisement.
Sid
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Here is an image of the Greener 2007 Double Sweet from the 1887 advertising insert to the Pottery & Glass Gazette. This is extracted from the original document not a book.
Sid
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Sid thank you again, I had assumed the same re the design adjustment.
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Perhaps the design in the catalogue did not work in reality and the moulds were revised
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That's what Barry thought too, Christine.
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The only thing i found today at the car boot, it looks brand new.
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Chris, that's fab, I have never seen a blue one before.