The Killer Mobile Device for Victorian Women
If These Shirts Could Talk: The Tantalizing Tales Behind Used Clothes
Gloriously Grotesque 19th-Century Pipes
In the Hot Seat: Is Your Antique Windsor a Fake?
Bizarro Beauty Products, from 1889 to Now
Love at First Kite: How Pizza and Pente Led to One Oklahoman's High-Flying Obsession
Pin-Up Queens: Three Female Artists Who Shaped the American Dream Girl
Say Ahhh: An Oral Surgeon's Quest to Reimagine the Garage-Band Guitar
Tokens for Sweethearts, in Times of War
American Picker Dream, Part I: Mike Wolfe On His Love Affair With Bikes
Posted 4 months ago
Greatsnowy…
(121 items)
I was really surprised to get this piece in the mail today. I'd shown this to my mother-in-law a few weeks ago as a piece I'd really like to get, but was out of my current range and told her a little about the piece. Then I saw it sold and I was sad. Could have blown me over when I saw it in that box!
She is the best!
I guess now I should tell all of you about the piece.
In the 1870's Arthur Nash went to work for Edward Webb at the Whitehouse glass works. He became Manager and Chief Designer.
In 1883 Arthur Nash took out a patent for Oroide and Argentine glass. Oroide glass was gold burst foil and Argentine was Silver burst foil. So that dates this piece to 1883-1887 or so.
In 1890 when the glass market began to flounder in England he was tempted over to America By Louis c. Tiffany, where he became the driving force behind the innovations of the glassworks.
In the Nash Notebooks which mainly focuses on the Tiffany Period, it is mentioned that this mark is a confirmed mark used by Whitehouse Glassworks.
Now, Pretty sure most of you have noticed the Whitehouse "Argentine" burst foil is suspiciously close to Loetz "Argentan" Burst foil. I find it very curious myself. Loetz Argentan was patent applied for in 1908.
It was this period when the iridescent faze was winding down and Loetz was probably looking for new wow factor to make. I tend to think maybe they went hunting down Arthur's patent history looking for "Inspiration"
Most glasshouses did some variation of a burst foil technique but the use of this particular name by both houses to describe it is peculiar if not an homage. (unless there is some other link to burst foil and the name argentine that I am unaware of)
So this little vase has links to both Tiffany and Loetz. (although it's a bit of a fine spiderweb tendril on the Loetz link)
I'd love to see what their Oroide looks like.
I still don't have a piece of Tiffany proper but now I have a pre-Tiffany and a few post-Tiffany Nash pieces. :)
I am absolutely thrilled to add it to my collection.
Another odd thing about this piece is that it is pitch black. Absolutely no light passes thru. So it's a true Hyalith glass. Yet another technical accomplishment. You so often see lower quality glass from Whitehouse. Nash must have really Stepped up their game in the later years with pieces like this.
British Art GlassWhile some people associate British art glass with that of Scandinavia sinc…
Tiffany Art GlassWhen we think of American Art Nouveau art glass, the objects that first spr…
Wow Alisa! I'm sooooo glad you got it! I was sad for you when it sold. :) Wow!
Another odd thing,,, Compare this vase to the example shown in Cyril Manley, Decorative Victorian Art Glass, page 88. I thought it was likely the exact same piece as the one pictured in the book. Check it out and let me know your thoughts.
Thanks Leah, Um, yah know, I'd off handedly wondered about that before.. but looking at it now with piece in hand.. I am 99.9 percent sure it IS the same exact piece that is in the book. the wear is exactly on the same spots in the flowers. Small world huh?
This is Charlie, Leah's other 1/2. :) I would bet money it is the same exact piece. Congratulations on such a sweet gift! Very nice posting as well, with lots of info! You have Manley's info beat by a few miles!
Thanks Charlie! Kicking myself for washing it now. The number label came off. I'm betting that this was lot 408 in the Giles Haywood Auction of all of Manley's collection. http://www.cmog.org/library/important-collection-glass-19th-century-1985-manley-glass-collection#.URCG-B081Vk
I have to hunt down a copy of that catalog now.
That could be? We got it from a Dorothy Lee Jones auction featuring some of her personal glassware. See this link, about half way down the page for additional info on DLJ and the museum.
http://www.downeast.com/magazine/2011/may/north-east
stunning vase :) love the design :) and the detail too:)
Interesting. It might have been from that sale then or she might have just bought it from him. I know he sold some things to friends before the rest of it went to auction. The whole Dorothy lee Jones thing was a travesty. I feel very badly for her.
Magnificent piece, magnificent gift!!! I'm sure you deserved it.... : )
Fantastic piece. You've discounted the other link between argentine and argentan? Not burst foil, but silver - argent being French for silver and the term used for tincture of silver in English heraldry. As "or", connecting to Oroide, is gold in French and similarly used for gold in heraldry.
Nice piece o'glass - that's a keeper for sure :)
I haven't discounted anything LLL. as I said, unless there is something else I do not know about. This would appear to qualify :)
and yes this is indeed a keeper :)
Fantastic write-up. Glad you have it, because I was not looking forward to letting you know it was gone. What an awesome surprise.
Great piece of glass, Great Mother-in-Law!! Can't be too many of either of them about!
Maybe you could take a look at mine and give me your feedback. This is one of most favorite. Iv had this vase for a long long time but know nothing about it. Its a gold burst foil as you discribed and actualy in a very similar shape. No markings.
oh, its # 71 in my postings and its pink