Posted 7 years ago
IronLace
(930 items)
What can I say about Burmese glass? It's pure luxury! Gold & uranium sing together in a curious harmony, to create magic in glass.
First photo shows all of the Burmese in my collection, except for a Thomas Webb & Sons three piece fairy lamp, which lives at another address.
Second photo shows 20th century Burmese made in the USA by Fenton, & one piece by Gibson Glass - the glossy, iridised Jack - In - The - Pulpit vase. I do not (yet) have any Burmese by Mount Washington Glass Co. the original inventor of the colour. Perhaps one day when I strike it lucky to find one cheaply (I can dream). It just doesn't turn up in Australia.
Third photo shows examples of what I believe to be Welz Burmese. After I got the three ball footed fan vase last year, it made me take another look at three other Burmese specimens that feature the same swirl ribbed pattern. Those other vases always puzzled me, as the shapes did not fit with any documented shapes by Thomas Webb & Sons. So it seems that Welz was making its own version of Burmese...
Fourth photo shows glass made by Thomas Webb & Sons. The glossy, single epergne trumpet would have once been part of a fairy lamp epergne. I purchased it "married" with a silverplate stand in Portobello Road, London in 2003.
Drool worthy, and such an extensive collection!
I didn't know Mount Washington were the first to make this mix, I always thought it British. Thanks for sharing your expertise! I am surprised to see the glossy Gibson JIP, because I have always thought Burmese had to be satin. Is that vase rare?
Feel free to drool away! :-)
Yes, Frederick Shirley of Mount Washington Glass Co. first patented the formula in 1885, then granted permission for Thomas Webb & Sons to produce it in England from 1886. I guess we in Australia tend to associate Burmese with Webb because when it does turn up here, it is almost invariably Webb. I don't think any Mount Washington pieces were exported here at the time (never seen any of their other products here either - & I have a book on their glass, so I know what to look out for).
As to the glossy Burmese, it was made by both Mount Washington & Webb, but not so popular as the satin finish. Once Fenton rediscovered the formula in the early 1970s they made both types as well. But the iridescent finish on the Gibson vase makes it rather unusual. I think Fenton also did some iridised Burmese...the mini hand vase I have is slightly iridescent on the inside.
burmese oh peach glow makes us queens & kings for the day
what a thrilla to see them all come to over spill
soft as a first kiss without a resist
fabilus definition my ironlace expansive selection
throughs my body into catching a star wont be long
such gembaroonies would set me free
Yes, Burmese is indeed fit for a queenly king or a kingly queen...:-)
As always MALKEY, your musings delight!
Gorgeous glass and great to be able to compare the production of various makers.
Some of the British glass may well have travelled to Australia, by ocean liner, in the luggage of those who emigrated in the sixties. The £10 a head passage offered by the Aussie govt. had a relatively generous luggage allowance.
Of course my favourite image is no. three. Apart from Burmese glass Welz also had a reputation for cut crystal and won at least one prize for it at an international fair/exhibition. I suspect there's more too......
This really is beautiful....and thanks to this posting I think I know what my light fixtures are now.
Beautiful collection!
Thought you would enjoy the Welz factor...they certainly had many strings to their bow, didn't they?
And yes, I imagine that many special items were brought out here by post - war immigrants. There was also a display of Webb products at the Centenary Exhibition held in Melbourne in 1888.
Many thanks, & happy to have been of help, Karenoke!
Thanks also, Mrstyndall!
Wow! Bootiful. Great description and info, ty :)
Thanks so much, Vintagefran, always happy to share & inform when I can!