Topic: Mdina Stopper Question

[Greg.]

Hi

Recently purchased these two Mdina ink pots and had a couple of questions about the stoppers.

The bottle in the first picture, is I believe early in date, however, the stopper appears much later and therefore not the best match. Then looking at the second bottle, this appears to be a bit later although perhaps has an earlier stopper, although not completely sure.

In essence, I was thinking of swapping the stoppers over, which seem to match more in terms of colour. However, when swapping, the stoppers, rather annoyingly don't fit. 

The stoppers are different in size and length. Is there any uniformity in regards to Mdina stoppers for these ink pots..? I was wondering if all of the stoppers should have narrow necks and if my later more vivid blue stopper with a fatter neck has come from a cylindrical decanter or something else...?

Thanks form your thoughts.
Greg

 :sun:
 

[chopin-liszt]

I honestly don't think there's any answer to this question, Greg.
I have two massive (17") stoppered bottles in the Rosenthal pattern and my dilemma is the same as yours - the stoppers would look so much better if they were swapped over, the patterns just match perfectly. But I can't do it, they're not interchangable.
I certainly do swap stoppers on ink pots to find a more pleasing match, and I've removed stoppers from small round or square bottley things and put them in ink pots - ink pots look far, far better with stoppers, the other things are fairly run-of-the-mill, the stoppers are wasted on them.

The only solution I can suggest is to find a wee round or square bottle thing with a good stopper which will fit your ink pot nicely, swap stoppers, then flog the wee thing if you don't want to keep it.

I might have a wee wonder if the blue stopper you have maybe came from one of those things, but I don't think you'll ever know for sure.

[Greg.]

Thanks for the info Sue.

Interestingly, both pots have the square Made in Malta late 1960s-1970s glass shape or order number label, however, I would definitely think there's a few years between the two looking at the colours and bases.

I did have some joy with one of the pots. The stopper from the later pot, possibly came from an earlier piece and does fit the earlier ink pot and looks OK I think....? I've attached a photo of the two together. I bought this pot because it looked pretty early in date so would rather have luck with the stopper on this one than the other.  The stopper on the other is just too big, but may well take your advice and a find a small square or round bottle and nab the stopper from that. I have seen the occasional stopper for sale on ebay, so fingers crossed.

Thanks again for the info on the stoppers, I generally haven't picked up many stoppered bits before, so useful to know.

 :thup:

[chopin-liszt]

I really don't think we're looking at a matter of several years, Greg, this last one of yours has a polished round pontil mark - so is during the Boffo period, the "Mdina" on the base is written in Eric Dobson's hand.

I suspect these ink-pots possibly stopped being made when Joseh Said took over in '75. Certainly not too long after, if at all. We're looking at variations on a theme during a very experimental, short period of time.
I think, (just my personal opinion) that the very rounded ones are earlier than the straight sided ones - or perhaps the very rounded ones are by MH, I just don't know.
Yup, I like the stopper and pot together in this last pic. :smg:

[glassobsessed]

Round earlier and straight or squarer later fits in with the general drift in shape that occurred post 72.

I tend to think that label is post 72 because so far I have not seen it on anything definitely made before MH left unlike the other Made in Malta label used at Mdina: http://glassgallery.yobunny.org.uk/displayimage.php?pos=-11791

Your ink bottle is the first bit I have seen that challenges that assumption.

John

[Greg.]

Thanks all.

Interesting to hear the time span you believe these were produced over Sue, I didn't realise they were only produced around 5 years or so.

The smaller rounder pot, certainly does look earlier than the straighter one, apart from the shape, the colouring does look earlier in date. That's a good point about the labels John, its true that all of the pre 72 pieces I've encountered with labels have had the long rectangular 'Made in Malta labels'. I see Mark Hill's book mentions late 60s-1970s for the other label, so perhaps my bottle could be pre 72 with that label. I suppose the exact dates as to when labels were used for the first time is hard to pin point.

Thanks for your thoughts.
 

[chopin-liszt]

They had labels while MH was still there.
They just weren't used with any sort on regularity - same as whether or not somebody had time to write "Mdina" on the bottom, or whether or not there was time or manpower to polish bases or pontil marks or not - although polished round pontil marks stopped when MH and Vicento Boffo left.
(The exact departure date of VB is as yet unknown, but it wasn't long after MH, if it was any time at all.)
The glass was proving so popular they had trouble keeping up with demand and keeping the shop stocked.