In many ways, Barry Cullen was an archetypal ‘true’ studio glassmaker, particularly if you compare him to a studio potter. He fulfilled the roles of both the designer and the maker, perhaps with assistance from time to time. But Cullen did more than that as he also marketed, exhibited, sold, and fulfilled sales of his […]
There are some things in my collection that I don’t really know about. In fact, it’s these things I’m drawn to – and buy – the most. The world has enough experts and dealers in Royal Worcester, Meissen, and such things that have been heavily researched for decades, even centuries. If it’s highly unusual and […]
I’ve long been a fan of studio glass – glass made from the mid-1960s onwards when the studio glass movement finally freed the medium of glass from factories to be used by individual artists. Glass could finally become a medium for art. It’s a seriously major turning point in 20th century design, art and decorative […]
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 […]
Antiques & modern design expert Mark Hill looks at the life and work of studio glassmaker William Warehall.
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.
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.
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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