Topic: Jobling Unregistered Art Glass Designs and Uncatalogued Variants

[Paul S.]

very nice Keith  -  is white very uncommon do you know?

[keith]

Not a clue, hoped Stephen would know 

[Mosquito]

White glass, also known as Pearl and Moonstone Opal is quite rare. As with jet (black glass), it is often said to have been used only on early production, though I don't know if there is any evidence to support this. Neither white nor jet are listed as available colours in the 1934 catalogue. That said, they may have been available to order as there would presumably have been a pot of white going for lighting glass and a pot of jet for plinths. In addition to the Lambton vase, Fir Cone and Flower pattern bowls were also made in white. 

[Mosquito]

This project has been on hiatus since the end of last year. However, being locked down in quarantine due to the novel coronavirus outbreak, I will have time to get back to completing the list...

The first item below is an adaptation of a mid-size fir cone bowl for lighting. I am not sure if this set was a Jobling product or was adapted by a third party. I have also seen this style of ligt made with the 7000 and 2602 bird pattern bowls (all in opalique). The set consists of the bowl and a large glass disc frosted on one side (seemingly sandblasted). The bowl has been drilled in three places and the set is held together by three hooks with a bronzed finish which screw into angled connectors. Threaded rods come off these connectors -- the bowl itself being secured by metal balls which thread onto these rods. The bowl is a typical mid-size flanged type and includes the registration number. However, it has been frosted on the inside and the foot rim has been ground and mirror polished.

[Paul S.]

our sympathies to you Stephen regarding your current difficult but necessary conditions imposed by the virus.              In the U.K. we have a more minor level of caution due to of its presence, but are not experiencing the lock-down and serious problems we know you are facing.              Our best wishes to you and hope that a virus free situation will be achieved soon. 

[Mosquito]

Hi Paul. Thanks for your concern. We're doing alright here -- thankfully Suzhou has not had anywhere near the number of cases as parts of Hubei and Zhejiang.Still, we're mostly staying indoors and the university where I work is locked down -- all our classes will be delivered online until next month at the earliest.

Anyway, back to the glass. Next up is the 2586 Square Vase.This is a simple geoetric design, somewhat similarly proportioned to Sowerby's registered design 790213. According to the 1937 catalogue, this vase was supplied with a matching flower holder (frog) and a stepped black plinth was optional. It appears to have been made in all the standard colours (i.e. not oplaique or jade).The catalogue only lists satin finish, but I have owned examples with a plain, polished finish. The vase measures about 8 inches tall (without the plinth).Sadly I've never been able to find the plinth, but one is shown on plate vii, p.19 of Baker & Crowe. The pictures below show a uranium green satin finished example without the flower holder. I do have an amber vase with the flower holder which I'll try to dig out to photograph soon:

[Mosquito]

Now the 2539 powder bowl: Listed as available in green, blue, amber and pink, all with satin finish to the exterior. This is quite a large piece -- sadly I no longer own this, but I recall it was in the region of 6 inches in diameter, certainly much bigger than the pots which come with the Sowerby butterfly or Bagley Rutland trinket sets:

[Mosquito]

Continuing the green satin theme, the final installment for today is a pair of 2571 candlesticks (Circular Squat Candlestick according to the catalogue description). These are shown in the 1937 catalogue on the same page as several other unregistered designs. There is a related pattern, 2572 which has a similar shape and diameter but has a shorter, hexagonal column rather than this bobbin-turned shape (sadlyi don't have a 2572 and have only ever seen one single example for sale). Both designs were available in green, blue, amber or pink satin glass (8/6 per doz.) or jade (10/6 per doz.).

The 2571 candlesticks are made in a two-part mould (the mould seams can just be seen in the pictures below).They have been frosted, except for the underside of the base. Dimensions are almost exactly 9.5cm in diameter by 6 cm tall (approx. 3 3/4 inches by 2 1/4 inches).

[Mosquito]

Next up, from the same 1937 catalogue page as the previous candlesticks, we have the Swallow Pin Tray (no. 2606). This is a very similar design to Sabino's pattern 9074 Les Hirondelles, though the Jobling version is significantly smaller than any of the sizes offered by Sabino. In fact this piece measures 7.5 cm (just under 3 inches) in diameter at the rim. The pattern was offered in fint (colourless) glass, satin finished to the underside and with selective polishing to the raised portions of the design.

[Anne]

Hi Steven, I was wondering how you were doing over there, I'm sorry to hear you're in lockdown with the coronavirus, hope you and your family manage to avoid it and stay safe.

May I add copies of your powder pot and candlestick images to the glasstrinketsets website please? We have catalogue images of these pieces but no photos of real examples on the site yet. Credit for their use would be given, of course.