Topic: American, British and European Glass Fishing Floats

[seahermit]

The diagram of the fish and the fishing floats is from the Nazeing Archives.  There is a description of the floats and why Nazeing made them in my book "75 years of diverse Glass-making to the World", see page 36.

When I researched Nazeing Glass Works I was informed that the fish were made at Nazeing but sold by only by Davidsons, but the floats were made and sold by Nazeing, ONLY to the fishing trade at Grimsby.

I am not aware of a Davidson connection with Nazeing's floats.  Of course that does not mean that Davidsons never made and sold floats to their own design!

If anyone wants a copy of my book I have just placed three on Ebay, search for Nazeing in the Potery and Glass Section

regards
Geoff Timberlake

Hi Roget123,
Until recently, I did not know that I had replies to my initial question concerning British and other European glass fishing floats.  I apologize for the delay in answering you. 
I received an email from Mr. John Doyle concerning glass fishing float production at Nazeing Glass Works, which you may find interesting.
According to the email, Nazeing produced fishing floats for the fishing industry in Grimsby.  The floats were sold in sets of colors: one ruby and one blue; two ruby; one ruby and one blue, and did not have a maker's marking. 
The company later had problems with the Customs & Excise, who wanted to collect tax on floats sold as souvenirs.  The company successfully argued that it only sold glass fishing floats to the fishing industry, and had no control over where the floats were resold to.
I would very much like to see a copy of the Davidson 1961 catalogue, and have asked the owner(s) of the site that you directed me to, for a photo of the floats from the catalogue-if they have one. 
I truly appreciate your reply.

[KW]

Hi Seahermit,
I found glass floats here in Eureka, Ca. I have two sets of three of the Cincotta Bros (the netting of one is tied to the netting of the other two, two small brown floats with an "NW in an oval with the number 3 under it - the netting matches, one brown float with the same "NW" in an oval and the number 2 under it, and my favorite one which may be a light yellow ...(or the original dirt - grin) and the netting is perfect and dark brown has a strange marking, please see the attached sketch.
So, ten total. I'd like to sell them. Can you help?
Kathleen


BTW - I lived in Hammonton/Blue Anchor in the early 80's. Odd.

Phone number removed for privacy purposes. To contact Kathleen by email, click on the envelope icon under her username in the info box to the left.

[Cathy B]

Hi Kathleen,

I've had to remove your phone number for the sake of your own privacy. Seahermit should be able to contact you by email, if your email address is correct.

Are you having trouble with posting an image? If so, just let us know.

The board guidelines prescribe that you can't really offer items for sale in the Glass section, but it might be okay to leave it here until you've contacted Seahermit. After then, we'll have to move your post to the Marketplace.

Cathy

[seahermit]

Good Morning Kathleen,
That is quite a find.  All of the floats with marks that you detailed are American-made floats.  The Cincotta Brothers floats were from Cincotta Brothers Hardware & Supplies in San Francisco.  They were machine-made, which leads me to the thought that they were made for Cincotta Brothers by Owens/Illinois Glass Co. of Oakland, Ca., which as you know, is right across the bridge from San Francisco.  They are not a rare float, but are not common either.  Made in clear glass, they are offered for sale on Ebay auctions about 6 times per year, give or take a few.  I do think that it is very interesting that you have three roped together.  Without seeing a photograph of them, I do not know if they were roped together to act as a net marker.
The other NW marked floats are also American machine-made glass balls.  They were made by Northwestern Glass Company of Seattle, Washington.  I would like to know what the diameter of the floats are.  You can make an easy measurement by just using a ruler to measure the height from top to bottom.  That is a rough diameter, but tells me all that I need to know.  These floats were made in three sizes that I know of.  The largest is approx. 6 inch diameter.  They were made in clear and beer bottle brown glass, but also occur in a nice honey yellow glass, and sometimes very dark brown. 
All of these floats were made during the 1940's, especially during the WWII years, when there was a demand for fish to supply the homefront with protein and vitamins, as well as the troops.  The North American fishermen had no access to German or Japanese-made glass floats, so there was a demand which was quickly filled by a few American Glass Companies.  The Northwestern Glass Co. made more floats than any of the others involved, and their floats, except for some very rare test models, are common.
I am interested in the float that you say may be yellowish glass with a mark.  Too bad that you have not been able to post your drawing or a photo.  I see that Cathy B has offered you help, and hope that you can post the mark.  Do let the readers know more about that float including it's diameter. 
Thank you for your post.

[KW]

Hi again,
The floats range from 4" to 5" in diameter. Hope these photos go thru...
Kathleen

[KW]

Floats!

[seahermit]

Hi Kathleen,
The photo of the mark shows your float to be from the Owens/Illinois Glass Co. of Oakland, Ca.  On the website, Society for Historical Archaelogy, Bill Lockhart has written an extensive article on the company.  There is a table of the company's plants with their numbers, and information on how to translate the mark.  If I am reading the information correctly, your float's mark indicates that the float was made at the Oakland plant (the #20), and the number to the right (2) seems to indicate that the float was made in 1952.  I am uncertain of this, but Mr. Lockhart's table states that the Oakland plant was started in 1946, and that is why the 2 would indicate 1952.  The number 7 supposedly shows mold details, and I would very much like to know what mold details are indicated by this number.
These floats often have the name "Duraglas," embossed onto the bottom side of the float, with markings similar to your's on the base.  They also occur without the "Duraglas" stamping, less frequently. 
I would guess that your float is dirty, and not yellow, although it is possible that the glass is amber having a batch of clear glass possibly mixed into a pot that had been used for brown glass, and not completely cleaned of that color.  If you do have a yellow/amber float, kindly let me know.  All of the Owens/Illinois floats that I have seen were of clear glass.

[KW]

Hi,
You are a wealth of knowledge on this - It's all so interesting. Thank you so much!  Cathy B said she moved my first message to the market place.  What is that and how do I get there from here?
Kathleen
Ummmm.... I think it has the original dirt and not yellow. I'm not sure how to clean it or if I should. It does not have a Duraglas stamp.  I have three that are a very dark brown.

[Anne]

It's not been moved yet, but the Market Place forum is here: http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/board,4.0.html - feel free to post any glass items for sale in there.

[seahermit]

To the readers of this topic I wanted to tell you that a blog has been started in an attempt to draw together the photos, stories, and knowledge of all those interested in glass fishing floats.  It can be found at: www.seahermit.blogspot.com
It is my hope that you will go there, enjoy a good read, hopefully increase your knowledge, and above all feel free to contribute to the blog.