Whitefriars Glass: Pre-1960

Whitefriars Glass, as many collectors are starting to realise, had a wealth of beautiful and well-crafted designs under their belt before the now (over-)familiar Geoffrey Baxter 'textured' range came out in the mid/late 1960s.

This is one of my favourite WF pieces in my collection - a quite rare 13" 8266 Dark Blue Tinted & Threaded on Sea Green bowl, designed by Barnaby Powell in 1930.

wow - gorgeous!

It caught my eye at an antiques fair so much that I decided to forsake a few pieces of dirt-cheap Holmegaard and some under-priced early Baxter pieces to be able to afford it.

But well worth it, I think.

9053 controlled bubble inkwell in Flint, designed by William Wilson in 1937, and produced 1938-1949.

A ruby ribbon trailed tumbler vase (pattern no 8886) designed originally in the early 1930s by Barnaby Powell for Whitefriars but only produced in ruby glass from 1940 to 1966.

1957 Whitefriars Ruby & Clear bubble encased vase with pulled Up rim, pattern 9433.

Pattern 9296 in Golden Amber. Produced 1949 - 1960:

As above, in Ruby. Produced during the same dates:





Pattern 9295 vase in Sea Green, illustrated only in the 1949 - 1950 catalogues:





Pattern 9313 large bowl in Sea Green, diameter 205mm / 8". Produced 1949 - 1957:





As above, but small size, diameter 105mm / 4.5":

Bought this a while back thinking it was Murano, but now not so sure - would the rim be polished and bevelled?

11" tall, 4.25" dia.
Polished and bevelled rim.
Pontil mark on base.

I don't think it's Murano - it is very nice, though.

Nic wrote:I don't think it's Murano - it is very nice, though.

Seriously, you think it's a good 'un?
I took a punt on it - it was a toss up between this or a piece of Bristol Blue at one of the Bank Holiday fairs at Winchester. Then got it home and started worrying it was a cut down rim.

I'm a sucker for glass with cool blue colours. I'd have snapped it up.

It is a lovely colour, but quite subtle in the top half and so tricky to photograph.

Been thinking all day, because I was sure I'd seen the vase before...

...and I've just remembered. Turns out your 'aquamarine' description was apt.

It's the quite rare Whitefriars model 9494 vase, in a very short-lived colourway called, yup, Aquamarine (a cased combination of their Emerald and Sapphire colours). Dates to around 1957, design by Geoffrey Baxter.

Nic wrote:Been thinking all day, because I was sure I'd seen the vase before...

...and I've just remembered. Turns out your 'aquamarine' description was apt.

It's the quite rare Whitefriars model 9494 vase, in a very short-lived colourway called, yup, Aquamarine (a cased combination of their Emerald and Sapphire colours). Dates to around 1957, design by Geoffrey Baxter.

OMG!
Thank you, thank you, thank you.

And to think I had considered dropping it off at the local charity shop so they could sell it for a fiver because I thought it was a debased Murano.

Should've kept my trap shut and offered you a tenner for it.

There aren't too many of these vases about, so it's a very good find.

Should've kept my trap shut and offered you a tenner for it.

I probably would have accepted.

Nice find also in Twilight and Evening Sky (blue with a hint of pink) one sold on eBay last year for around £85 a scarce vase that doesn't appear very often.

Scroll down to page 11 and 12 of the 1957 catalogue to see the vase and a few different designs in the rare colourways.

http://www.whitefriarsorg.org/memb1/cat-57/catalogues.htm

Chris

CMC wrote:Nice find also in Twilight and Evening Sky (blue with a hint of pink) one sold on eBay last year for around £85 a scarce vase that doesn't appear very often.

Scroll down to page 11 and 12 of the 1957 catalogue to see the vase and a few different designs in the rare colourways.

http://www.whitefriarsorg.org/memb1/cat-57/catalogues.htm

Chris

Cheers, Chris.

"Twilight and Evening Sky (blue with a hint of pink) " - that sounds gorgeous.

Optic jug, grey-green tint.
Polished pontil mark.
7" high

Hi

A controlled bubble round top cone with candy twists within. Base is concave but doesn't look ground out. Approx 2 inches tall and 3 inches across. Slight ripples around the outside of teh glass from production method.
https://i.servimg.com/u/f75/17/72/28/78/p1030210.jpg


https://i.servimg.com/u/f75/17/72/28/78/p1030211.jpg


https://i.servimg.com/u/f75/17/72/28/78/p1030212.jpg


https://i.servimg.com/u/f75/17/72/28/78/p1030213.jpg

Whitefriars 9312 Made in red and white blue and white and green and white rarer ones in 3 colours did one in red white and blue for the festival of Britain....



Chris