British
British Art Glass - as with many other aspects of life in
these scepter’d isles - mirrors the fact that they were a melting pot of
influences and inspirations brought back home by explorers and adventurers who
travelled to the farthest reaches of the globe over the centuries, looking to
paint another part of the blank cartographic canvas with the red of Empire.
Trade, conquest, expansionism and simple curiosity saw Britain exposed albeit
somewhat vicariously to the cultures of other countries from the 16th century
onwards, and by the time it had become an industrial powerhouse, production
techniques from Europe, North Africa and far beyond had been assimilated in to
“British” crafts.
Hence there were aspects of Venetian and Bohemian glassmaking evident in pieces
made here from the late 1600’s onwards, and – having honed our own techniques
to the point that they at least matched the proficiency of their native
practices – it becomes hard to discern what can be categorised as a truly
British style.
Renowned in the 19th century as one of our foremost glass production companies,
James Powell & Sons – for instance – was turning out paperweights and vases
which were every bit as good as the Italian pieces after which they were
styled. The Scandinavian preoccupation with naturalistic textures was mirrored
years later by Wilson & Baxter – their moulded and hand-worked blown
glasswares approximating the Nordic oeuvre.
Other producers of paperweights and vases – Bacchus of Birmingham, for instance
– followed the Bohemian fancy for elaborately hand-worked rims, coloured
casings and intricate applique decorations which was itself an echo of the
Venetian originals.
Cameo glass, so perfectly executed by the French – also made in Stourbridge,
West Midlands – perhaps lacking the artisan caché of Nancy and the Moselle ?
And ultimately Mdina Glass, once based in Malta in the Mediterranean, moved
lock, stock and barrel to that bastion of British indefatigability in the face
of the driving rain of our traditional high summer, the Isle of Wight.
Perhaps the best known “British” Art Glass manufacturers, based in various locations across Scotland throughout the 20th century, were wholly founded on the endeavours of Spaniards – the Ysart family – whose machinations gave us Monart, Ysart, Vasart and ultimately Strathearn amongst the litany of “home grown” talents. Their abstract designs with their distinctive swirling, fluidic and sometimes almost fluorescent colour schemes are some of the most striking and recognisable Art Glass pieces you may come across – but unequivocally British in the truest sense of the word – that’s another matter…
Isle of Wight Seascape Vase c2000
A very fine Isle of Wight seascape vase from c1990 in excellent condition. For more British art glass, including a wide range of studio glass, please visit Scottish Antiques online store.
£145.00
Very Rare Isle of Wight Orchid Vase 1981-82
A very fine and rare Isle of Wight orchid vase made in either 1981 or 1982 in excellent condition. For more British art glass, including a wide range of studio glass, please visit Scottish Antiques online store.
£165.00
Michael Harris Isle of Wight Ribbons Vase 1984-5
A very fine Michael Harris Isle of Wight ribbons vase from 1984-5 in excellent condition. For more British art glass, including a wide range of studio glass, please visit Scottish Antiques online store.
£220.00
Scarce Elizabeth and Michael Harris Isle of Wight Ribbons Vase 1988-1991
A very fine Isle of Wight Ribbons vase designed by Elizabeth and Michael Harris and manufactured between 1988 and 1991. For more British art glass, including a wide range of studio glass, please visit Scottish Antiques online store.
£120.00
Jonathan Harris Isle Of Wight Victorian Cylinder Vase 1989
Jonathan Harris Isle Of Wight Victorian Cylinder Vase 1989
£135.00
Very Rare Michael Harris Isle of Wight Iridaceae Vase 1983-1985
A very rare Michael Harris Isle of Wight Iridaceae (The Irises) vase made between 1983 and 1985 in excellent condition. For more British art glass, including a wide range of studio glass, please visit Scottish Antiques online store.
£165.00
Rare Isle of Wight Turquoise Azurine Lollipop Vase Designed by Michael Harris 1986-1987
Isle of Wight Azurine Lollipop vase designed by Michael Harris and made in either 1986 or 1987 in excellent condition. For more British art glass, including a wide range of studio glass, please visit Scottish Antiques online store.
£150.00
Timothy Harris Trial Bowl Isle of Wight Glass Studio Day 2011
A very fine Timothy harris trial bowl made at a Collectors Day event in 2011. For more British art glass, including a wide range of studio glass, please visit Scottish Antiques online store.
£375.00
Isle of Wight Nightscape Lollipop Vase c2000
A very fine Isle of Wight Nightscape lollipop vase from c2000 in excellent condition. For more British art glass, including a wide range of studio glass, please visit Scottish Antiques online store.
£155.00
Phil Atrill Horizon Series Vase
A very fine Phil Atrill Horizon series vase in excellent condition. For more British art glass, including a wide range of studio art glass, please visit Scottish Antiques online store.
£350.00
Phil Atrill Horizon Series Bottle Vase
A very fine Phil Atrill Horizon series vase in exemplary condition. For more British art glass, including a wide range of studio art glass, please visit Scottish Antiques online store.
£375.00
Phil Atrill Horizon Series Vase
A very fine Phil Atrill Horizon series vase in excellent, condition. For more British art glass, including a wide range of studio art glass, please visit Scottish Antiques online store.
£365.00
A Trial Signed Timothy Harris Isle of Wight Zig Zag Vase 2011
A very fine signed Timothy Harris Zig Zag trial vase from 2011 in excellent condition. For more British art glass, including a wide range of studio glass, please visit Scottish Antiques online store.
£325.00
Large Isle of Wight Turquoise Azurene Globe Vase 1986/7
A very fine Isle of Wight globe Turquoise Azurene vase from 1986/7 in excellent condition. For more British art glass, including a wide range of studio glass, please visit Scottish Antiques online store.
£175.00
Signed Timothy Harris Isle of Wight Kaleidoscope Lollipop Vase 2011
A very fine signed Timothy Harris Isle of Wight Kaleidoscope lollipop vase from 2011 in excellent condition. For more British art glass, including a wide range of studio glass, please visit Scottish Antiques online store.
£420.00
John Ditchfield Peacock Eye Iridescent Vase 1980
A very fine John Ditchfield peacock eye iridescent vase from c1980 in excellent condition. For more British art glass, including a wide range of studio glass vases, please visit Scottish Antiques online store.
£195.00
Signed John Ditchfield Studio Glass Vase 1980
A very fine signed and dated John Ditchfield studio glass vase from 1980 in exemplary condition. For more studio art glass, as well as a wide range of other British art glass, please visit Scottish Antiques online store.
£180.00
Phil Atrill Horizon Series Abstract Vase
A very fine Phil Atrill Horizon series vase in excellent condition. For more British art glass, including a wide range of Studio art glass, please visit Scottish Antiques online store.
£375.00
Phil Atrill Horizon Series Large Bowl
A very fine Phil Atrill horizon series bowl in exemplary condition. For more British art glass, including a wide range of studio art glass, please visit Scottish Antiques online store.
£275.00
Large Phil Atrill Horizon Series Vase
A very large Phil Atrill Horizon series vase in exemplary condition. For more British art glass, including a wide range of studio glass vases, please visit Scottish Antiques online store.
£475.00
A Tall Horizon Blue Studio Glass Vase By Phil Atrill
A Tall Horizon Blue Studio Glass Vase By Phil Atrill
£475.00
A Storyteller Vase By Tessa Clegg and Liz Crowley 1985
A very fine 'Storyteller' vase by Tessa Clegg and Liz Crowley from 1985 in excellent condition. For more British art glass please visit Scottish Antiques online store.
£875.00
Gray-Stan Oriental Ware Glass Bowl c1925
A very fine Gray-Stan Art Glass bowl from c1925 in good condition. For more British art glass please visit Scottish Antiques online store.
£150.00
Stuart And Sons for Liberty Two Colour Peacock Trails Rose Bowl c1910
A very fine Stuart for Liberty bicolour trailed peacock vase from c1910 in excellent condition. For more British art glass, including a wide range of Art Nouveau vases, please visit Scottish Antiques online store.
£375.00
James Powell Whitefriars Pattern 916 Glass Vase Designed 1909
James Powell - Whitefriars Pattern 916 Designed 1909
£75.00
A Studio Glass Vase Storm Clouds By Siddy Langley By Siddy Langley
A studio glass vase 'Storm Clouds' by Siddy Langley
£140.00
Siddy Langley Stoppered Flask 'Hares' Pattern - 2022
Siddy Langley Stoppered Flask 'Hares' Pattern - 2022
£180.00
Storm Clouds A Studio Glass Vase By Siddy Langley
Storm Clouds A Studio Glass Vase By Siddy Langley
£145.00
Siddy Langley Grey, Green and Red Freeform 'Demo' Vase - 2009
Siddy Langley Grey, Green and Red Freeform 'Demo' Vase
£145.00