Punch Bowl
ca. 1890 (made), 28/01/1890 (design registered)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Object Type
This large punch bowl made by Molineaux, Webb & Co.Ltd, c.1890, cleverly imitates the heavy cut glass of the first half of the 19th century and demonstrates the continuing fashion for this decoration.
Materials & Making
The technique of press-moulding glass with the aid of a hand-operated machine was first perfected in the United States of America in the early 1820s. It took only two people to shape a measured quantity of hot glass in a heated metal mould. By simply depressing a lever, a metal plunger was lowered into the glass, forcing it into the patterned mould. By the 1830s this method had spread to Europe and Britain, giving rise to stylistic changes and revolutionising the availability of glassware. The technique made the mid-to late 19th century the first period of true mass production. In the 1890s the introduction of steam-powered presses improved quality while cutting costs even further.
People
Comparatively little is known of the history of Molineaux, Webb & Co. Thomas Webb II founded his own glassworks at Kirby Street, Ancoats, outside Manchester, in 1827 and by 1848 he was in partnership with Molineaux (whose forename may also have been Thomas). The earliest firm identification of Molineaux Webb production is in 1864, when they first registered designs. Some of their most successful and highly praised patterns were in a restrained Greek Revival style or in imitation of classic wheel brilliant-cut decoration.
This large punch bowl made by Molineaux, Webb & Co.Ltd, c.1890, cleverly imitates the heavy cut glass of the first half of the 19th century and demonstrates the continuing fashion for this decoration.
Materials & Making
The technique of press-moulding glass with the aid of a hand-operated machine was first perfected in the United States of America in the early 1820s. It took only two people to shape a measured quantity of hot glass in a heated metal mould. By simply depressing a lever, a metal plunger was lowered into the glass, forcing it into the patterned mould. By the 1830s this method had spread to Europe and Britain, giving rise to stylistic changes and revolutionising the availability of glassware. The technique made the mid-to late 19th century the first period of true mass production. In the 1890s the introduction of steam-powered presses improved quality while cutting costs even further.
People
Comparatively little is known of the history of Molineaux, Webb & Co. Thomas Webb II founded his own glassworks at Kirby Street, Ancoats, outside Manchester, in 1827 and by 1848 he was in partnership with Molineaux (whose forename may also have been Thomas). The earliest firm identification of Molineaux Webb production is in 1864, when they first registered designs. Some of their most successful and highly praised patterns were in a restrained Greek Revival style or in imitation of classic wheel brilliant-cut decoration.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Press-moulded glass |
| Brief description | Punch bowl, press-moulded glass, registered design no.143153, designed and made by Molineaux Webb & Co. Ltd., Manchester, ca. 1890 |
| Physical description | Punch bowl, press-moulded clear glass, with suface decoration on the exterior imitating wheel-cut glass. |
| Dimensions |
|
| Production type | Mass produced |
| Marks and inscriptions | 'Rd 143153' (Registered design mark for 28 January 1890. Impressed on base of bowl.) |
| Credit line | Given by Tony Sacker, from the estate of the late Frances Sacker |
| Summary | Object Type This large punch bowl made by Molineaux, Webb & Co.Ltd, c.1890, cleverly imitates the heavy cut glass of the first half of the 19th century and demonstrates the continuing fashion for this decoration. Materials & Making The technique of press-moulding glass with the aid of a hand-operated machine was first perfected in the United States of America in the early 1820s. It took only two people to shape a measured quantity of hot glass in a heated metal mould. By simply depressing a lever, a metal plunger was lowered into the glass, forcing it into the patterned mould. By the 1830s this method had spread to Europe and Britain, giving rise to stylistic changes and revolutionising the availability of glassware. The technique made the mid-to late 19th century the first period of true mass production. In the 1890s the introduction of steam-powered presses improved quality while cutting costs even further. People Comparatively little is known of the history of Molineaux, Webb & Co. Thomas Webb II founded his own glassworks at Kirby Street, Ancoats, outside Manchester, in 1827 and by 1848 he was in partnership with Molineaux (whose forename may also have been Thomas). The earliest firm identification of Molineaux Webb production is in 1864, when they first registered designs. Some of their most successful and highly praised patterns were in a restrained Greek Revival style or in imitation of classic wheel brilliant-cut decoration. |
| Bibliographic reference | Jenny Thompson, The Identification of English Pressed Glass, Thompson, 1989. pp 43-45 |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | C.38-2012 |
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| Record created | September 24, 2012 |
| Record URL |
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