Glass News from Angela, April 2005

Hi,
Here is my April Glass Newsletter - thank you for all the encouragement you sent after my last Newsletter.

I would like to share with you some interesting points about cast glass and pate de verre; and about reproduction Bagley glass. There's also information about forthcoming glass conventions, shows, and other events; some recently published books on glass that you might have missed; and our glass on eBay. I do hope you find something here to enjoy.

Glassworkers' Parades
Last month I asked if anyone had information about glassworkers' parades, and I received some wonderful pictures and information about a glassworkers' parade in Sweden, in which the artists were playing instruments made of glass, with Kosta glassworks banners hanging from each one. The instruments look like a cross between a horn and a trombone. Sincere thanks to Robert for sending me this. If anyone has any more information, from Sweden or any other country, I'd love to hear more about it.

Cast Glass
This month I have been focussing on cast glass and pate de verre and there are two new articles on the Glass Encyclopedia website, one about cast glass at http://www.glassencyclopedia.com/castglass.html and another about pate de verre at http://www.glassencyclopedia.com/pateverre.html. Did you know that some of today's top cast glass artists incorporate electronic heat sensors into the material they build their molds from, so they can control the temperature of melting and cooling the glass very precisely? That is one of the reasons for their greater success with this very difficult medium. And whilst we are on the subject, I learned that it can take up to four months to cool down a piece of cast glass measuring about 20cm thick, and if you double the size you multiply the cooling time required by about four. No wonder cast glass sculptures can be so expensive - superb though.

Reproduction Bagley Glass
As you probably know, I have a special interest in Bagley Glass, made at The Crystal Glass Company in Knottingley, UK. Di wrote to me recently from Australia saying that in Australia "you can't turn around without tripping over a rose and leaf or equinox or the like... Bagley must have produced half the world's glass!" And the same is true of New Zealand, nearly half the glass in any second-hand shop or charity outlet that you look in turns out to be Bagley. It is so common that it surprised me to find there are companies which have reproduced Bagley glass. The equinox vase itself, which is a very common item, was reproduced by Crown Crystal Glass in Australia, and if you come across an equinox vase with stippling on alternate ribs, that is an Australian reproduction, not Bagley.

Even more fascinating are the Sarsaparilla reproductions of Bagley clocks. Both the Wyndham pattern 1333 clock and the Grantham pattern 334 clock are reproduced and offered by the USA company Sarsaparilla as "Masterpieces from the Past". I bought a Grantham one in pink glass to compare it to a Bagley one. They claim to be using original molds and making these items in the USA, and apart from the clock itself (which is round instead of square and battery instead of clockwork) they are very hard to tell apart. Fortunately the Sarsaparilla ones have the company name on the base, and mine also has the date.

You can read more about Bagley Glass in our book, available on-line at: http://www.glass-time.com/orderbagleyglassbook.html.

Kings Lynn Glass
Thanks to some feedback from readers, I updated the information on our page about King's Lynn Glass - click here if you would like to check it out - and thank you very much for the feedback.

If the links don't work in your email copy of this newsletter, you'll find another version with all its links working here:  http://www.glassnewsletter.com/050413news.html

Designer Searches Just a reminder that there's a very useful list of Designer Searches of eBay to be found at http://www.glassencyclopedia.com/ebay/searchindex1.html. I find it really helpful when I don't have much time and I want to check through the various types of glass that interest me.

Our GLASS on eBay:
If you want to see a quick overview, you'll find our auctions at http://www.myglassauction.com

This month we continue with the paperweight theme, but we've added some Peter Raos examples as well as Scottish paperweights. We have put up for sale some stunning pieces by John Deacons, Colin Terris (Caithness), Helen MacDonald (Caithness) and Peter Raos. There is also "Pontefract" vase by Bagley which is from my own Glass Museum collection and is the actual vase pictured in our Bagley book. I have to start selling some of my Bagley glass to make room for all the new pieces I keep buying! And there's also a limited edition Fenton carnival glass butterfly on a brass stand; he needs a new home because I have two and space is getting very limited for display.

I have been working on a CD about Scottish Glass, and you will receive a copy of this CD with any of the Scottish items we are selling on eBay, as a gift from me.

Caithness - Helen MacDonald - Space Hibiscus paperweight, designed by Helen MacDonald released in 1998 as a limited edition of 350 which were all sold. This is number 175. It is in perfect condition and comes with its original card and Caithness Glass box. On the base is written in script 175/350 and underneath that etched Caithness SPACE HIBISCUS Scotland - on eBay at #7314012744

John Deacons - a beautiful lampwork and millefiori paperweight with a white filigree or "upset muslin" background. Three millefiori butterflies and three lampwork flowers surround a centre of complex canes. It is in perfect condition, 3.1" across and 2.3" high, and the base contains John's special signature cane containing a Scottish thistle, his initials, two stars and the date, 2003. - on eBay at #7314279864

Bagley vase - pink frosted 1930s Art Deco Glass Vase "Pontefract" pattern 3013. The actual vase pictured in the book Bagley Glass, it carries a signed label on the base. - on eBay at #7314258822

Peter Raos - a very special full sized paperweight from the master glass artist Peter Raos in New Zealand. It has a superb tropical fish swimming through an underwater South Pacific reef amongst a background of coral, sea anemones, seaweed and even a starfish. These are very hard to obtain and this is a superb example, - on eBay at #7314270648

Fenton Art Glass - limited Edition blue carnival glass butterfly & stand - on eBay at #7314264800

Caithness - Colin Terris - Spindrift paperweight, an early design by Colin Terris released in 1978 as a limited edition of 3000 which were all sold. This is number 2134. It is in perfect condition and comes in a Caithness Glass box. On the base is written in script 2134/3000 and underneath that etched Caithness SPINDRIFT Scotland - on eBay at #7314275169

Peter Raos - another hard to find paperweight from Peter Raos in New Zealand. This is a summer "Monet" millefiori low domed design, with incredibly detailed flowers against a three dimensional green background - on eBay at #7314264288

John Deacons - a delightful millefiori cartwheel design paperweight, medium size (2.3") with signature cane in centre and label on the base. It is in perfect condition, has a green base cushion with three alternating circles of wedgwood blue and pink star-shaped millefiori canes surrounding the central signature cane. These are interspersed with eight red, white and blue twists of glass to form a cartwheel effect. - on eBay at #7314265985

New Zealand - a very simple design of blue with blue and pink stripes - on eBay at #7314261441

Bagley Glass - and last but not least, there is a copy of our book "Bagley Glass", signed by one of the authors - on eBay at # 7314793555. This is the 2nd edition with lots of new information including designs not been seen before and registration numbers not previously recognised as Bagley.

Many of these auctions are put up without reserve and so far most of them do not have any bids. If you would like to see a quick summary with pictures, or keep in touch with the new items I am going to add, please go to http://www.myglassauction.com/


EXHIBITIONS, CONFERENCES AND GLASS SHOWS:

a: The National Glass Centre, Sunderland, UK has an exhibition called Brilliant which runs until June 5th 2005. The exhibition explores new forms of lighting and new lighting technologies. There are some interesting supporting events at the glass centre, including Parent and Child Mosaic and Tiffany Mobile Creation Activities on May 30th and June 1st. From now until May 8th there is also a Solo Exhibition of Peter Layton's work. There are more details on their website at http://www.nationalglasscentre.com

b: The Finnish Glass Museum has a touring exhibition of Cast Glass and Pate de Verre called “Oblåst Glas” which you can find out more about by emailing them at kaisa.koivisto@riihimaki.fi or at glass.museum@riihimaki.fi.

c: The Paperweight Collectors Association's 2005 Biennial Convention will be held from May 18 through May 21, 2005 at the Radisson Apple Valley Hotel in Appleton, Wisconsin, USA. There will be expert lectures on antique and modern paperweights, artists Showcasing their work, and a Dealers' Fair with thousands of paperweights for sale. Registration information is on their website at: http://www.paperweight.org/05_convention/ . On Saturday, May 21, the public is invited to visit the Dealer’s Fair from 1 to 5 pm.