Vase thumbnail 1
Vase thumbnail 2
On display
Image of Gallery in South Kensington

Vase

1964 (made)
Artist/Maker
James Powell & Son (Whitefriars Glassworks) Ltd (manufacturer)
Wilson, William J. (designer)
Place of origin
Wealdstone (made)

Vase, Britain (Wealdstone, London), designed by William J Wilson, for James Powell & Sons (Whitefriars) Ltd, 1964

Object details

Categories
Glass
Vases
Object type
Vase
Materials and techniques
Glass, mould-blown and then hot-worked
Brief description
Vase, Britain (Wealdstone, London), designed by William J Wilson, for James Powell & Sons (Whitefriars) Ltd, 1964
Dimensions
  • Height: 21.0cm
  • Maximum width: 13.5cm
Style
20TH GB
Gallery label
During the 1950s-60s Scandinavian and Italian glass were paramount as design leaders. The Whitefriars Glassworks were one of the few British companies whose designers not only rivalled these competitors but in some instances took the lead. This glass, one of a range of unique pieces, randomly-formed while still in the hot, molten state, was much admired abroad. William J Wilson (b.1914) joined Whitefriars in 1928. He became Art Director and then, in 1950, Managing Director, retiring in 1973. His work, over a period of 45 years, spanned the very different techniques of diamond-point engraving, which he is credited with reviving with Laurence Whistler in 1935, to the present type of hot-worked glass.
Bibliographic reference
1) Beard, Geoffrey: 'International Modern Glass', Barrie & Jenkins, 1976, p.252. 2) Morley, C, D.A.S. Journal 15: The Whitefriars Glassworks
Other number
9711 - Glass gallery number
Collection
Ceramics Collection
Accession number
CIRC.1165-1967

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Record createdDecember 13, 1997
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O6141/vase-wilson-william-j/
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