Topic: Dating Mdina - early seahorse 1973

[flying free]

Sue thanks for your help and information and Patrick, thank you also!
I was curious as to whether..... :X:  but didn't want to say so.
Sue what do you think?  I think that head looks remarkably similar.  I wonder....
so, could we have a seahorse that maybe wasn't originally designed by Joseph Said after all?  ooh I'm all excited now that we could have some new information.
m

[flying free]

just for reference comparison, this link should show a set of Keith's seahorses from Mdina.  I'm off to trawl others to look for comparisons but these represent the ones I am familiar with where despite the size, the heads seem more in keeping size wise, with the body than mine.  The other differences as well as the angle of the head and the type of mane, is that the  length of the face on the ones I am familiar with is much shorter than on the one at the top of this thread and the length of the neck is much longer (the neck on my one is non existant).  I'll report back if I find any more proportionately like mine  :sun:
http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,30184.msg163584.html#msg163584
m

[chopin-liszt]

Patrick, the official information is that these things are Said's design.
Boffo was gone from Mdina by '73, I'm sure - although I still haven't heard from the wfs folk who were going to find out for me when it was that Boffo went to MDG.

[rosieposie]

Hi m,  :hi:.  just out of interest, I thought you might like to see this very unusual coloured one for sale on eBay Australia.....

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=360217652805

So, is the 'chess set piece' an urban myth, or are they really seahorses??

[chopin-liszt]

That one's Mtarfa - Phoenician make them too.
The chess set story, to my knowledge, is absolutely true.

I haven't a clue why somebody called them seahorses - they look nothing like seahorses. Might as well call them Kelpies!

How many variations can there be on pulling a bit of hot glass into a vaguely horsey head shape? :spls: :spls: :spls:

I've seen a video clip of Franco Toffolo pulling one - the Murano horsey ornaments have been around for donkey's years (I even succumbed to buying one for my favourite teacher when I was 8 years old) and show similarities in shape.

[Patrick]

So, is the 'chess set piece' an urban myth, or are they really seahorses??

So can anyone give a link to an image of a Joseph Said complete Chess set......... Or even a Rook, Pawn etc.

Regards,
                  Patrick.

[flying free]

I can't - but I'm still searching    However, I've no idea how big this chess set was.  I assume in my head it was LARGE, because all the pieces (for that read 'seahorses') I see are much bigger than a 'traditional' chess set size piece. And because I assume it was large, for some reason I have decided in my head that those paperweights with the knob on top are derived from what would have been the pawns.  Obviously this is just my theory...dont' let it turn into an urban myth
Who was it made for?  Was it for a hotel, like the rather large ashtrays?
m

[chopin-liszt]

You could always ask Said......
I honestly don't know anything about the original chess set at all.

[flying free]

OK I will add this request for more info to my email once I send it (currently doing two lots of tax returns which is hurting my head :thud:)
m

[chopin-liszt]

 :X:

And good luck coping with the tax returns - have you got a decent treat lined up for yourself for finishing them?