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Yesterday, at the rather marvellous Woolley & Wallis salerooms in Wiltshire, a new world record was paid for a piece of Mdina at auction. Lot 169, the Mdina 'Crizzle Stone' shown below, fetched a staggering £950 - over £1,100 including buyer's premium. Whilst this isn't quite as much as the £1,564 paid for a large Mdina 'Fish' signed by Michael Harris on eBay.de in March (see below), it is important as it's the highest price paid for a piece of Mdina in a traditional auction room environment. For those of you who haven't read my book, the Crizzle Stone represents the apotheosis of Harris' hallmark Fish design, and the highly complex, time-consuming techniques behind its creation. Furthermore, having researched and closely watched this area for over five years now, I am only aware of four other examples. Two of those are in a private collection related to the Harris family - primarily as they were only made towards the end of the four years that he ran Mdina Glass. Add to that the facts that Michael Harris was the only glassmaker with enough skill to make them, and the fact that they were very expensive at the time, meaning few were made and sold, and you have a considerable and desirable rarity.
As to the identity of the buyer, he or she has been revealed simply as a 'private European glass collector'. Whether it's the first piece in a new collection, or else the crowning glory of an existing collection, it arguably represents one of the best and rarest designs ever produced by Michael Harris. With thanks to Michael Jeffrey of Woolley & Wallis.
Wandering around glass fairs, as is my want, reveals the diversity of the exciting world of contemporary glass. Whilst glassmaking is a costly and time-consuming activity, often making many pieces expensive, there can be a few affordable surprises. One of them is the work of recent glass graduate Sarah Cable. The piece below is typical of her work, which I think is fresh, innovative, colourful - and great fun. Based on memories of housewives leaning over garden fences exchanging a natter in a very Beryl Cook like manner, these striking vases are available in different sizes, colours and patterns.
Each piece is individually hand blown in brightly coloured glass, before being cased all-over in dark glass, which is made opaque and iridescent by fuming it with chemicals. Areas in the desired pattern are then masked off, and the remaining areas sandblasted away by hand to reveal the underlying coloured glass. Finally, small, contrastingly coloured 'petals' are added to the neck of the vase, like an opening flower. This particular example is made all the more special as the glass is graduated from peach to yellow from the base upwards. At an affordable £40 for a visually impressive size, I'm sure you'll agree that it certainly beats derivative factory-made glass from the likes of Habitat and Ikea! However, I'm not sure about the nattering old ladies, as to me they look some form of pod-like plant or flower from an alien world - an effect that is accentuated when they're grouped together. Fantastic! If you'd like to know more, or buy one, contact Michelle Guzy on 01785 249 802, or visit her at one of the many glass fairs she stands at. Having spoken to Michelle only recently, there are some pretty whacky and creative new designs on the way - I think Ms Cable has a long way to go, so I'd snap one up before her fame (and prices) rise!
Building up a knowledge of shapes and colours can really reap rewards. It's why I have my book collection split between two places, within easy reach of either my sofa or my bed. Nothing beats leafing through a book as you relax to firmly imprint images, makers and designers on your brain. Repeated viewing really helps to make sure that when you see something, your brain's card system is reliable enough to ensure that you can correctly identify it. All that 'work' at home in the wee hours was put to good use today when, wandering around London's hip 'n happening Spitalfields market, I stumbled across a rather appealing large spherical amber glass vase. Understandably given the form and colour, the seller thought it was by Holmegaard, and designed by Per Lutken. I knew differently. It was, in fact, a lesser known design by Frank Thrower for Dartington Glass in 1978, and work on my latest book had revealed that it was really rather rare. It was only produced for only six months from 1978-79. Of course, I couldn't reach for my wallet quick enough - out came the readies, and the vase went home with me. Its value - well, I'm not sure right now, so ask me after June when the Dartington Glass book I have just finished is out. But I'd think at least £120 would be fair, and it may even go for more. Not bad for 2 minutes of buying and maybe 20 minutes of leisurely reading!
It's something that we can all do, and it is as enjoyable as it is educational. It also goes to show the importance of books. 
Yes, we can all look on the net to find out what someone thinks something is, and how much they think it is worth, but are they right? At least you know that if it is in a book, it's more likely to be right as considerable research and effort will have gone into preparing a book, which costs a lot of money to produce and can't be changed once it has been printed. How many people put such work into their eBay descriptions? Very few, I'd think. Of course, I'm bound to say this, doing what I do, but it really is true. When I used to work for auction houses, books, catalogues and period advertisements were always some of the least valuable lots - the auctioneer always pointed this out to the room, and you know who always bought the stuff? The best and most successful dealers and collectors.
I know Summer is nearly upon us and long, dark and cold evenings to curl up on the sofa are over, but why not pack a book along with your picnic for the park? It will undoubtedly make you wiser in the long term than an extra bottle of wine or beer will!
It's often amazing what crops up on eBay.de. Earlier this month I found a rather superb Ruscha bull, in the desirable 'Vulcano' glaze. According to Petra & Patrick Folkersma of Outernational, Ruscha made a small number of animals in the 1960s, including an elephant which was the earliest example made. The bull was made in four sizes, and this is the second largest at just over 12.5in (32cm) in length. They are known in a number of glazes produced by the company, but 'Vulcano' is one of the most desirable. All I can say is that if you see one, buy it! They were pretty expensive at the time, and not as useable as a vase. As a result, comparatively few were sold, and very few of these survived due to their fragility. They are moulded in one part, and the protruding horns in particular are very susceptible to damage. Furthermore, as the mould was one piece and complex in form, the liquid clay is often very thin in areas, so the slightest knock can create a hole. Think of an Easter egg! Outernational sell these very rare pieces in a white glaze for over $200, but I think that they have a long way to go value wise. They also break up the monotony of vases and bowls, and look rather magnificent on display. They also follow in the tradition of 'postwar bulls', as a number of potteries across Europe and the UK made stylised examples. Anyway, here he is - sorry if my excitement meant that my camera work is a little shakey!
For those of you who treat buying antiques and collectables somewhat like the stock market, here's something you will be interested in. Today, a large Mdina 'Fish' vase designed by Michael Harris, and also signed by him, sold for a staggering £1,564 on eBay.de! A couple of years ago, this would have probably fetched around £200, and the rise clearly shows the increasing recognition being paid to Harris and his work. Those of you who have read my book will know how rare large 'Fish' vases are, particularly those from the period when Harris ran the company. To find an example that is signed by him is even rarer! I think that the lucky buyer, whoever they are, owns a real treasure of 20thC studio glass. I also think that this is indicative of the price rises that lie ahead as more people reassess his contribution and start to collect. Do we rate this area as a strong BUY? If we do, get in early - you have been warned!
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