Topic: Large amethyst bowl with optic decoration???

[glasskillian]

This is quite a large lump of glass 10.5" wide x 6" tall 2.6kg im guessing its english or bohemian seen similar by WF WEBB SKLO im not sure as i havent found this shape as yet in my searches. The overall decoration is lovely mainly felt outside is the optic decoration which is stunning in the right condition's. The base has polished pontil scar and plenty of wear im thinking maybe over 50years old or more. Any ideas???

[flying free]

Have you looked up Richardson?
I've just seen this and not checked the book but I think it might be Richardson's maybe.
It's gorgeous - I really love the colour.  I saw one the same I think a few years ago which I recall was marked Richardson.

m

[Paul S.]

Both Richardson and Webb produced this colour, although I believe that the former did a richer shade of amethyst, so m may well be correct.    Webb certainly did this shape, and their take on this decorative feature has the little lenses outlined distinctively and strongly.   Unfortunately, for us, both factories produced unmarked pieces.
I can show examples of the colour from both factories - plus this shape on a Webb example - if it's of interest.

Very nice piece by the way - good find - amethyst is a collectable colour in its own right

[flying free]

We've been down this route before haven't we 
It's very difficult to determine colour based on photographs on screen unless you have a Webb (slightly paler more amethysty) and Richardson's (darker more purply intense colour) version side by side.
I wonder if because you say the shape is definitely a Webb shape, that this might be Webb after all then Paul?  Presumably Richardson and Webb had different mould shapes?  So perhaps using shape and colour might be a good way to differentiate?
m

[Paul S.]

yes - we have

I'm not very well up on these things - don't collect then seriously any more - but am aware from pieces which I have that Richadson's amethyst was a deeper shade - Webb's always seems a bit of a watery colour, usually.        Having said that I do have known examples from Webb in which the depth of amethyst varies.

I assume this one is without a backstamp  -  Richardson's incoporated a flag motif within the mark, at least for their later wares.

Expect that if you use the 'search' for ....amethyst/Richardson or similar, you'll find the post we did about the colour variation for amethyst  -  some time last year I think.

[Paul S.]

wouldn't want to say that the shape is Webb's exclusively - just that I have a piece with that outline (minus the lenses), which is marked Webb.
I see there is a cone-shaped vase in Hajdamach - in a very rich amethyst - which he attributes to Richardson.

The matter is made complicated by the fact that, apparently, both factories were working in such close proximity earlier in the C20  -  if you read the caption on page 142 of '20th Century Glass'  -  you'll understand why

[keith]

As Paul says,Webbs did this shape,I have a 'bullseye' bowl like this,it's 6 inches high but 12 across so 

[glasskillian]

Thankyou very much everyone for such great information, Seems this isnt a straightforward attribution yet i have found the exact bowl for sale at grimes house antiques online which is marked richardsons!!! to the base thats great !!!!
 

[Paul S.]

just to correct an earlier quote...................."which he attributes to Richardson."........       absolute rubbish.........what I should have said was......."which is marked Richardson".

Good to hear you seem to have proof that this one is a Richardson piece.

Whether there were few, many, or any shapes that were peculiar to each factory only, and didn't overlap, I've no idea, but certainly from experience the depth of colour is known to be an influencing feature, often, when it comes to separating the two.        If you have some known T/Webb amethyst, you can compare with this one and see if that comment holds true.       

[flying free]

Well done on finding a marked example - that's great news.
I'll try and find the other thread and do a link to both threads for future reference.
Marked Richardson's bowl the same as Glasskilian's here
http://www.cranberryglass.co.uk/amethyst.htm
m,