Here is a Precis of the Malta Times article about Mdina Glass.
Précis of ‘Men in Business and Industry’
By Victor Aquilina
From ‘The Times of Malta’ May 12th. 1970.
Mdina lends its name to new design concept in glass.
New Concept.
A hangar in Ta’ Qali has become a Glass factory where tourists are visiting in their hundreds to watch a small team of glass artists making decorative glassware, which has, appropriately, been named after the capital, Mdina.
This glass incorporates a completely new design concept and therefore is quite different to anything they would have seen before. The designs and colours make a complete departure from traditional concepts and bridge a gap between traditional Crystal and Scandinavian Glass. Consequently ‘Mdina Glass’ now ranks amongst the best handicrafts produced in Malta today. This concept is the brainchild of Michael Harris age 36 and his partners Eric Dobson, age 37 and Ettore Boffo, age 28, who together launched this project.
Although Eric and Michael met some 15 years ago, during their college days, it was but 3 years ago they decided on the feasibility of manufacturing and marketing their glass. They agreed there was a demand for this type of glass, so why did they decide to come to Malta to manufacture it? Their decision was not made on purely economic factors, Malta had no glass tradition, and they wanted the glass to be identified with the country rather than the artistic individual, and Malta fitted that bill.
Trade name.
‘Mdina’ was chosen as the trade name as they felt it was appropriate, had appeal, and also because it was not Anglicised.
Tourists were flocking to see the Mdina Glass, with Michael and Ettore stealing the show with their great skill in turning out their decorative glass. Michael was the Design Director and Technical Advisor, and Ettore, from Naples, the Production Manager.
Smooth Workers.
They worked together smoothly and consistently, Ettore having worked in Britain in the glass industry. Together with twelve Maltese men, some learning the glass blowing skill, some packing products for export to UK and USA as well as locally in Valetta, the company thrived.
Workshop.
Although tourists are allowed to roam freely throughout the workshop, this is not a show-window, but a busy production area much as a rustic Artisan’s workshop would look. The majority of visitors leave having purchased a piece of glassware, a vase, bowl or paperweight, or a signed Collectors Piece, personally signed by the blower. The production includes over thirty different items in blue, green, yellow and amber.
Raw material for the glass includes soda lime cullet, a broken glass, imported from Britain by Malta Glass Industries. This is melted in four tanks, in furnaces. The blower dips the pipe into this molten glass to take out a lump, which he works whilst it is red-hot. This is then re-dipped and chemicals added to colour the glass, blows the glass to inflate it and moulds it using his skill and imagination to produce the finished product.
Distribution.
These artists have to work very fast whilst the glass is molten, and the finished product is cooled gradually in a cooling chamber.
Mr Dobson, previously with an American International advertising and marketing agency remarked that the rate of expansion “must go hand in hand with the skill of its glass blowers. There is a world shortage of these fine craftsmen who only reach a high degree of skill after many years of training and work in the industry.” He went on to say that he hoped they would be able to employ a further expatriate craftsman so that the expansion would not be impaired.
Dobson had great experience in marketing; whilst Harris, his partner, had been Head of the Industrial Glass Department at the Royal College of Art in London and it was there he developed the design concept that is today ‘Mdina Glass’.
Exports.
Having said that sales of Mdina Glass had increased steadily in the USA, Dobson went on to say they had appointed Dexam International Ltd. as their appointed distributor in the UK. He is quoted as saying, “We consider this a big step forward as Dexam are one of the leading distributors of fine glassware, porcelain and stainless steel ware in the UK. With Dexam, ‘Mdina Glass’ will be in the company of Lalique Crystal, Daum Crystal, and Royal Leerdam Crystal, all leading names in their particular type of glass.” 80% of the glass is exported to the UK. He went on to remark that both the USA and UK were asking for more and more Mdina Glass and they were proud that their glass had been accepted in the most competitive world markets.
There have also been requests from Germany, Belgium, Italy, Canada, Australia, Japan and Greece.
The three men are married and each has two sons.
Topic: Mdina Glass 1970. Précis of ‘Men in Business and Industry’ By Victor Aquilina. (Read 4198 times)
