Topic: Possible Edward Moore Piece?

[JimmyBee]

I'd really appreciate any suggestions about this piece of pressed glass. This is a shallow oval crimped bowl, measuring 28 x 22 x 5cms, and I can't find a maker's mark or registered design number on it. I've turned up no clues after quite a bit of internet searching. Tyne & Wear Museums have a comport in the same design, attributed to Edward Moore & Co, but there's a question mark against their listing so I guess it's not definitive. Does anyone else have anything in this pattern, or any more information about the manufacturer?

[Paul S.]

doesn't look like this shape is on the Board's archive for Ed. Moore, and a quickish look in Thompson and Murray draws a blank, but then again I might have missed seeing it.             Unfortunately, the pattern is similar to many other pressed designs  -  stars, daisy wheels, sun-bursts etc. enclosed within straight lines, so might be lurking somewhere quietly.
Most of the book images of pressed glass are of Rd. designs, for the obvious reason that they can be linked to a maker and date which makes them identifiable quickly, and more interesting, probably.

Someone like Fred might have the answer for you, but the lack of replies is a bit ominous.              If you're at a loose end you might send the museum an email and ask for the source for their suggested Ed. Moore attribution.
I seem to recall that in the last year or two, there was a proposed publication, the intention of which was to provide some guidance for provenance for some of the north east pieces  -  I could be very wrong but haven't heard more (;-)) - about this project  -  perhaps nothing came of it.

sorry this doesn't help at all.

[JimmyBee]

Thank you for taking the time to reply Paul.
I have a feeling that this will be one of those frustrating ones that can't be attributed satisfactorily. As a collector of pressed glass from the North East, I'd be really pleased if it did turn out to be by Moore, but it doesn't really sit too well alongside the known designs from that firm, so I'm a bit suspicious. I'll take up your suggestion of contacting T&W Museums in case they can shed any more light on this, and maybe see if I can arrange to have a look at the piece that they've got.
The publication that you mention sounds just the ticket too. It would be nice if something like that were available, and some hard-working and dedicated soul was working on such a project. Unknown pieces like this bowl are always frustrating/tantalising. I like it in its own right, but it's not a small item and is taking up too much room in the limited space available for my collection.

[Paul S.]

best of luck with the museum  -  please let us know how you get on.

If memory serves, the proposed publication (assuming it didn't get anywhere), was apparently intended to resolve the long standing debate as to correct provenance for the swan/chain/trellis vase, which for a long time was attributed to Sowerby  -  when found they are apparently always unmarked.
The late Barbara Morris said that an example of this design was bought by the Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague direct from Sowerby & Co. in 1868, though whether the lady had indisputable proof of this I've no idea.            However, this tantalizing tit-bit, whether right or wrong, appears to have been overlooked by subsequent authors.     
Christie's mentioned the commonly held opinion they were from Sowerby, but added 'unknown maker', and Raymond Slack acknowledged that Sowerby had been the favoured line of thought, but considered the colours to be wrong for that factory, and added that Ed. Moore had in fact patented those very colours.

If you can resolve this for us we'd be eternally grateful