Thanks for your input ladies and gents. Firstly the bottom is slightly concave with a star pattern and a small circular mark about the size of a 5p piece with no characters on it. The one thing that is impossible to do on message boards etc is to hold the item up against the light and examine the quality of the glass. Dating glass is easier by this method and my vase is not modern but definately 50s or 60s. That said, px & ahremck have hinted at it being a more utilitarian piece and that is the way that I am beginning to lean - most definately not Ravenhead though. I love it anyway. Mike