Hi, I have been reading this with some interest.
Hi. For us newbies to this area, could you let us know what MCG and MDG stand for please. My guess is Malta C Glass and Malta D Glass. C for and D for Decorative.
This has not been explained correctly and I would like to point out that it’s important we get company names correct. This does not help with new collectors looking for information and muddles on-going research.
MDG = Malta Decorative Glass (’74-early ’78)
CGL = Craft Glass ltd (’78 only, MDG renamed)
MCG = Malta Craft Glass (is not a company name, it appears on the GCL labels as a product description)
MGC = Malta Glass Creations (’84, it has no known connection to any of the above)
Malta Decorative Glass company and the Malta Craft Glass company. Basically the same enterprise, I believe Craft came after Decorative, with more input from China - even some pieces being made there and imported into Malta for sale.
These were not the same enterprises although certain decorative glass products were still being produced or could have been old stock that was relabelled. The Italians (GCL) took over in ’78 and 80% of their production was chandeliers so there must have a considerable drop in decorative glass products at this time.
It seems to me that the one with the Maltese Cross has had the base heated by torch (which is probably how the "ripples" have occurred) and, while still hot, the Cross was impressed. And that would fit with my belief - Made in China but base stamp added later
To add a stamp to the base would make no economic sense as you would need to slowly reheat the weight in a kiln and then use a torch. It would be easier to make a whole new weight.
Surely, if the Chinese invested so much money in the Malta Decorative Glass project they would want to send over some of their best and finest glassblowers to make sure it all kicked-off well. Why wouldn't they be able to make paperweights,(and other glass items) as they did back in China, and add the Maltese cross mark to the base (and paper labels !) ?
I totally agree with this comment, they built a huge factory and brought over Chinese glass blowers so there is no reason why they could not have used their skills gained in China to produce weights in Malta. MDG had 80 workers minimum; they would have needed to produce a lot of pieces to keep them all employed.
Also when they left Malta they could have carried on making these products in China. My thoughts are that there was a flow of workers making very similar products, in China then in Malta and then in China again.