Topic: Roland Ward & Co - Engraved Decanters ( Rowland )

[Bernard C]

Help.   Information sought on beautifully and expensively engraved decanters (+ glasses?), featuring big game such as elephants, lions, tigers, &c., commisioned from central Europe somewhere? by Roland Ward & Co, 166 Piccadilly, London, big game hunting suppliers, late C19? - 1960s?.   Note that you cannot necessarily assume that the blanks and the engraving were from the same source - it would make some sense for the blanks to have been British for ease of adding matching plain glasses.

The obvious source is the new Antique Collectors' Club publication Decanters.  Unfortunately I won't have access to a copy until about 3.00 p.m. on Wednesday 19th January. I should have bought it by now, but there always seems to be another book I need more urgently!

Three weeks is a long time when you are thirsting for knowledge.

Bernard C.  

[Sklounion]

Hi Bernard,
Did you make any progress with this?
Marcus

[Bernard C]

Marcus,

No, I was in a rush on the 19th and forgot completely.  :oops:

One dealer told me that his experience was that all the top quality wheel engraved decanters featuring big game that come to light in the UK are Roland Ward.   He said that you can see that they are all from the same source — not much help until you have seen two or three.

So it seems to be rather a long term query.

Bernard C.  

[Sklounion]

Bernard,
The thing that struck me was that Roland Ward were reknowned for the v high quality of the goods they sold (ie also v expensive) . Given recent reading, it occurred to me that they may have commissioned these from, and it may be worth asking, of all companies, Moser, if they did these. The reasons for suggesting this is that they had the engravers, and certainly used Rudolph Wels to design a series called Animor, @ 1926. These featured big game animals.
Not sure why, call it a hunch, but.......

http://www.moser-glass.com/eng/obsah.html

Marcus

[Bernard C]

Also see Moser's current Art Engravings.

Bernard C. 

[sph@ngw]

Rowland Ward were the most famous Victorian taxidermists, and decided to sell top quality engravings of crystal glassware showing big game animals alomgside their other services.
I did have a catalogue of theirs from the 1970's but believe it was amomg papers I donated to The Broadfield House Museum a couple of years ago!

I think it is pretty certain the glass and engraving was all of East European (Bohemian?/ Czech /Hungary) origin, and they used the top class (then Iron Curtain), engravers.
It was a well known fact that directs of former Soviet Bloc countries used to like having currency in Westen Europe for their trips abroad and often such sales, provided a way of doing it. Note I am only surmising, these may have been quite legitimate sales from the factory! Moser looks a good guess, in fact.
T
Rw tried to give a SA look to the work until the sanctions came bout.

[Andre de J]

Hi Bernard C

We have acquired a complete set of Roland Ward glasses. This acquisition is totally new to us and we are interested in establishing the history and value of this collection. A search on the internet has led us to your posting. We would appreciate it if you could assist us with any further information in this regard.
We have 6 wine glasses, 6 whiskey tumblers, 6 sherry glasses, 5 liqueure glasses, 6 conuaque tumblers, 3 beer mugs, 1 water jug and 1 wine decanter.
We have no use for this collection, however, internet search has revealed that this is a truely valuable asset. Any advice on marketing this collection would be appreciated.

Andre de J

[Bernard C]

Andre de J — What a delightful acquisition.

In common with many on the GMB, I cannot offer valuations and marketing advice on this board.

However, if I was the fortunate owner, I would notice that I could extract one beer mug without affecting the integrity and diversity of the set.   This would give me the opportunity of trying out eBay and evaluating the outcome.   I would take care to include both spellings;  to use two categories, one in hunting, shooting, and fishing memorabilia, and the other in engraved glass, that eBay would convert reasonably accurately between eBay UK categories and eBay USA categories;  to offer PayPal;  to have a low SP, say 9.99, and no reserve;  and to start it as a ten-day listing late on a Thursday evening UK time.  If eBay category conversions worked better from eBay USA to eBay UK then I would list it on eBay USA, and vice versa.

The alternative is to sell the set through one of the big London auction houses like Sotheby's and Christie's.   Such a collection is straight down the middle exactly what they are best at.   I would start by contacting Simon Cottle at Bonhams.

Bernard C. 

[Bernard C]

One further thought.   Any chance of a list of subjects, together with some photographs?   You will find Anne's glassgallery very easy to use — here's my gallery.

... and, in case you find it useful, here's CameraJim's essential guide to photographing clear glass.

Bernard C.  

[Andre de J]

Dear Bernard

Most greatful for your speedy response to our posting. We will be taking photographs of the collection in the very near future, and would appreciate your opinion. To which address would you like us to post the photographs to.

In your personal and professional opinion, would you suggest we keep this collection, as we do not really have centimental feelings towards it.

Would it be possible for us to contact you on your private e-mail address?

Thanking you again

Andre de J