Glass Message Board
Glass Identification - Post here for all ID requests => Glass => Topic started by: Bernard C on December 28, 2004, 07:57:55 PM
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Help. Information sought on beautifully and expensively engraved decanters (+ glasses?), featuring big game such as elephants, lions, tigers, &c., commisioned from central Europe somewhere? by Roland Ward & Co, 166 Piccadilly, London, big game hunting suppliers, late C19? - 1960s?. Note that you cannot necessarily assume that the blanks and the engraving were from the same source - it would make some sense for the blanks to have been British for ease of adding matching plain glasses.
The obvious source is the new Antique Collectors' Club publication Decanters. Unfortunately I won't have access to a copy until about 3.00 p.m. on Wednesday 19th January. I should have bought it by now, but there always seems to be another book I need more urgently!
Three weeks is a long time when you are thirsting for knowledge.
Bernard C. 8)
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Hi Bernard,
Did you make any progress with this?
Marcus
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Marcus,
No, I was in a rush on the 19th and forgot completely. :oops:
One dealer told me that his experience was that all the top quality wheel engraved decanters featuring big game that come to light in the UK are Roland Ward. He said that you can see that they are all from the same source — not much help until you have seen two or three.
So it seems to be rather a long term query.
Bernard C. 8)
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Bernard,
The thing that struck me was that Roland Ward were reknowned for the v high quality of the goods they sold (ie also v expensive) :D . Given recent reading, it occurred to me that they may have commissioned these from, and it may be worth asking, of all companies, Moser, if they did these. The reasons for suggesting this is that they had the engravers, and certainly used Rudolph Wels to design a series called Animor, @ 1926. These featured big game animals.
Not sure why, call it a hunch, but.......
http://www.moser-glass.com/eng/obsah.html
Marcus
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Also see Moser's current Art Engravings (http://www.moser-glass.com/en/collection/art-engravings).
Bernard C. 8)
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Rowland Ward were the most famous Victorian taxidermists, and decided to sell top quality engravings of crystal glassware showing big game animals alomgside their other services.
I did have a catalogue of theirs from the 1970's but believe it was amomg papers I donated to The Broadfield House Museum a couple of years ago!
I think it is pretty certain the glass and engraving was all of East European (Bohemian?/ Czech /Hungary) origin, and they used the top class (then Iron Curtain), engravers.
It was a well known fact that directs of former Soviet Bloc countries used to like having currency in Westen Europe for their trips abroad and often such sales, provided a way of doing it. Note I am only surmising, these may have been quite legitimate sales from the factory! Moser looks a good guess, in fact.
T
Rw tried to give a SA look to the work until the sanctions came bout.
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Hi Bernard C
We have acquired a complete set of Roland Ward glasses. This acquisition is totally new to us and we are interested in establishing the history and value of this collection. A search on the internet has led us to your posting. We would appreciate it if you could assist us with any further information in this regard.
We have 6 wine glasses, 6 whiskey tumblers, 6 sherry glasses, 5 liqueure glasses, 6 conuaque tumblers, 3 beer mugs, 1 water jug and 1 wine decanter.
We have no use for this collection, however, internet search has revealed that this is a truely valuable asset. Any advice on marketing this collection would be appreciated.
Andre de J
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Andre de J — What a delightful acquisition.
In common with many on the GMB, I cannot offer valuations and marketing advice on this board.
However, if I was the fortunate owner, I would notice that I could extract one beer mug without affecting the integrity and diversity of the set. This would give me the opportunity of trying out eBay and evaluating the outcome. I would take care to include both spellings; to use two categories, one in hunting, shooting, and fishing memorabilia, and the other in engraved glass, that eBay would convert reasonably accurately between eBay UK categories and eBay USA categories; to offer PayPal; to have a low SP, say 9.99, and no reserve; and to start it as a ten-day listing late on a Thursday evening UK time. If eBay category conversions worked better from eBay USA to eBay UK then I would list it on eBay USA, and vice versa.
The alternative is to sell the set through one of the big London auction houses like Sotheby's and Christie's. Such a collection is straight down the middle exactly what they are best at. I would start by contacting Simon Cottle at Bonhams (http://www.bonhams.com/cgi-bin/public.sh/pubweb/publicSite.r?sContinent=EUR&screen=Glass).
Bernard C. 8)
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One further thought. Any chance of a list of subjects, together with some photographs? You will find Anne's glassgallery (http://glassgallery.yobunny.org.uk/index.php) very easy to use — here (http://glassgallery.yobunny.org.uk/index.php?cat=10318)'s my gallery.
... and, in case you find it useful, here (http://www.sigma-2.com/camerajim/cjgglassware.htm)'s CameraJim's essential guide to photographing clear glass.
Bernard C. 8)
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Dear Bernard
Most greatful for your speedy response to our posting. We will be taking photographs of the collection in the very near future, and would appreciate your opinion. To which address would you like us to post the photographs to.
In your personal and professional opinion, would you suggest we keep this collection, as we do not really have centimental feelings towards it.
Would it be possible for us to contact you on your private e-mail address?
Thanking you again
Andre de J
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... We will be taking photographs of the collection in the very near future, and would appreciate your opinion. To which address would you like us to post the photographs ...
Post them here, as I suggested. If you do then someone may be able to identify the blanks, establishing where they were made, which will improve their saleability.
You may email me by clicking on the (http://www.glassmessages.com/Themes/default/images/email_sm.gif) icon to the left, but I can't see how I can be any further help, particularly as this topic does not come within my main interest of British glass.
Bernard C. 8)
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Hi Guys
I posted this back in April is it of any help
http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,25811.0.html
Tony H
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Tony — Thanks, that's interesting. So it is "Rowland" after all.
I'm sure the examples I've seen also have those cut windows around the base. Does anyone recognise this style?
Bernard C. 8)
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Hello Andre J
I have been searching internet for information on Rowland Ward crystal and was interested to see that you have a collection. My father has a similar set including the catalogue of all the pieces with the prices he paid around 1970. He has a Punch Bowl, Jug, Beer glasses, Cognac, Liquer, Wine glasses, etc and did not know that the crystal is considered rare. Have you been able to find out anything more as to the current value.
Shayne
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Hello, I have had a look at the Rowland Ward catalogue that I have and it states that 'this glassware is manufactured for us in Bavaria' and that 'it will be mailed to you direct from the factory in Germany'. I have scanned the photos of the glassware in the catalogue as well as the UK price lists dated December 1967, March 1968 and a South African price list in Rands (Rowland Ward Johannesburg) not dated but from about the same time, if anyone is interested i will email.
Thanks
Shayne
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I have just spotted this on Wikipedia, with relevance to Patrick Francis Hadow, the second Wimbledon Mens Lawn Tennis Champion. He developed the "lob" and beat the first Champion , Spencer Gore, who had to play just one match against the best challenger. Hadow was on holiday from his tea plantation in Ceylon. Asked if he would be defending his crown he is reported to have said "No, tennis is a game for sissy's, as its played with a soft ball!" Hadow is therefore the only champion never to have lost a set of tennis in the Wimbledon Championships, it seems!
"Hadow was also a distinguished big game hunter, hunting in Africa in the early years of the 20th century. He has listings in many categories of the 1928 Rowland Ward "Records of Big Game", including ranking trophies in the sable antelope, Cape buffalo, Uganda kob and eland categories."
Does this help date the start and purpose of the big game engravings at all Bernard?
S.
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Hi I know this is a really old thread, but I wanted to put a question out there for those who commented on this thread and another thread about Roland Ward glass please?http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,49664.msg280463.html#msg280463
I have 3 Roland Ward Vintage whiskey tumblers, 2 of them have the Roland Ward Nairobe Kenya backstamp etched on the base of them so there is no doubt but I don't think they are anything to do with Moser, though I may be way off the mark?
Queen Lace Crystal has been running for 3 generations and are based in the foothills of the Blackforest according to their website. Their Kenya Wildlife series have identical (to me) decor to the Roland Ward Kenya Range. http://www.queenlacecrystal.com/products_barware.html
Queen Lace Crystal is copper wheel engraved and wheel engraved has also been mentioned in one of the threads describing the technique used for Roland Ward glass.
Shayne on this thread, has informed us that he had/has a catalogue stating they were made in Germany which fits in with Queen Lace Crystal location too.
Also, the base of Queen Lace Crystal tumblers are faceted, which my tumblers are as is most other tumblers that I have seen described as Roland Ward.
?
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I have just spotted this on Wikipedia, with relevance to Patrick Francis Hadow, the second Wimbledon Mens Lawn Tennis Champion. He developed the "lob" and beat the first Champion , Spencer Gore, who had to play just one match against the best challenger. Hadow was on holiday from his tea plantation in Ceylon. Asked if he would be defending his crown he is reported to have said "No, tennis is a game for sissy's, as its played with a soft ball!" Hadow is therefore the only champion never to have lost a set of tennis in the Wimbledon Championships, it seems!
"Hadow was also a distinguished big game hunter, hunting in Africa in the early years of the 20th century. He has listings in many categories of the 1928 Rowland Ward "Records of Big Game", including ranking trophies in the sable antelope, Cape buffalo, Uganda kob and eland categories."
Does this help date the start and purpose of the big game engravings at all Bernard?
Rowland Ward are still in business but do not appear to be selling engraved glasses.
The " Great Glass " website states this
Ward, Rowland
London, England & Nairobi, Kenya (1880 to present)
The Rowland Ward company made its name in the late 19th & early 20th Centuries as taxidermists, specialising in African big game animals. Responding to demand, the company expanded into actually arranging safaris & retailing all kinds of goods connected with them, including crystal vases & drinking-glasses, engraved with African animals, usually made in Bohemia & Germany
see website"
I can remember in te 1980's a shop in Pall Mall opposite teh RAC Clubhouse entrance selling game hunting clothes, etc and selling these in teh window.
There are about 50 offers on eBay for Rowland Ward glasses as i type.
Not quite "common as Muck", but sadly not as rare as some of the Big Game they portray!
S.