Is This The Earliest Commercial Iridescent Glass?

In 2013, I wrote a blog post on the origins of iridescent glass. Despite credit usually going to the hugely successful Art Nouveau iridescent glass produced by Tiffany and Loetz from the 1890s onwards, the origins of iridescent glass actually date back to 1856 and a Hungarian chemist and technician called Leo Valentin Pantocek. You […]

Sam Herman – An Early Work – Vase No.73

Sam Herman Glass Vase

BBC antiques and design expert Mark Hill looks at the work of the internationally renowned pioneer studio glass artist Sam Herman in light of a recent discovery.

Michael Harris’ ‘Fish’ – The Earliest Example Yet?

Michael Harris Fish Vase Mdina Glass

An examination of an early Fish vase designed and made by Michael Harris and made at the Royal College Of Art, London, therefore before those made at Mdina Glass.

My First ‘Design At Home’ Auction with Dawson’s

Saturday 2nd December 2017 saw my first ‘Design At Home’ midcentury modern and contemporary design auction with Dawson’s Auctions, and my return to the auction world (other than as a buyer!) after 16 years. And I loved it – every single bit of it! It was great to connect with new clients, and reconnect to […]

Curious Glass – An Enamelled Opalescent ‘Sunflower’ Vase

Opalescent Sunflower Vase

It’s usually the things that nobody knows about that attract and intrigue me. If they’re of a certain (good, or fine) quality, or have an interesting look, I want to know more. Browsing around the Cambridge Glass Fair, I came upon this rather unusual looking small posy vase. Somewhat etherial, it’s also rather appealing. “But […]

Glass Artist Sam Herman Interviewed By Graham Cooley

Sam Herman Glass

Sam Herman (b.1936) is undoubtedly one of the most important and influential living glass artists and makers in the world today. After studying and helping to develop the new studio glass techniques directly under their inventors, Harvey Littleton and Dominick Labino, at the University of Wisconsin, he brought them to the UK in 1965. He […]

Mark Hill, Elvis Presley & Jonathan Harris Studio Glass

Jonathan Harris Elvis Presley Cameo Graal Vase designed by Mark Hill

Me, Elvis Presley and Jonathan Harris? An unlikely combination, I hear you say. Well, I’d agree, it’s funny how seemingly disparate things can come together for some reason. But, quite often, when they do, amazing things happen. And that’s what happened here. In this instance, it was The British Glass Foundation charity that brought us […]

Isle of Wight Studio Glass Collectors’ Day

Last weekend I had the great privilege of being invited to talk at the fourth annual ‘Studio Day’ at Isle of Wight Studio Glass. These days are always incredible fun, as well as hugely educational. Everyone is relaxed, the sun is usually shining, and Elizabeth and Timothy Harris, and the entire studio staff, make the […]

A Broken Pontiff?

In honour of the Pope’s visit to Great Britain this week, I thought I’d post this. Browsing eBay one evening last week, I came across a rather interesting piece of studio glass. The seller had described it correctly up to the point where he or she mentioned the fact that it had a ‘broken pontiff’ […]

Fabulous new contemporary glass book

My friend, the photographer Simon Bruntnell, has just sent me a copy of his new book on contemporary glass. And it’s a triumph! As one would expect from this fantastically skilled and talented glass photographer, the images are nothing less than vibrant and sumptuous. Just like today’s market in contemporary studio glass, in fact. Simon […]

World Record Price For Mdina

The Mdina Glass ‘Crizzle Stone’ signed by Michael Harris – rightly dubbed the Holy Grail for many Mdina collectors – being offered by Artius Glass on behalf of a collector has sold. And it stormed home, selling for a staggering £3,400! Representing the apex of collecting, less than a dozen are currently known to collectors, […]