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Background to the term 'Art' cut glass As an area of glass collecting Cut Glass has been largely overlooked until recently since
it has generally been perceived to follow the Victorian tradition of being highly over-cut. British Manufacturers had maintained
that it was traditional design that sold their glass and had largely ignored the Scandinavian approach where factories generally
employed trained in-house designers who understood both the materials and production methods. Yet the 1920's and 1930's
saw a new approach toward cut glass design.
Companies began to understand
the importance of specialist designers who could cater for modern tastes, whether they were employed in-house or on a free-lance
basis. These exceptions included designers such as Keith Murray, an architect who designed on a free-lance basis for Royal
Brierley, whilst Clyne Farquharson of John Walsh Walsh, and William Wilson of Whitefriars were successful in-house designers
and, as such, are highly regarded by todays collectors.
Less well
known are Ludwig Kny and Reginald Pierce who both worked for Stuart and Sons between the World Wars or Reginald Williams-Thomas
who designed for his own family company of Royal Brierley (Stevens & Williams). There were other designers who have hardly
been noticed until the recent selling exhibition held at the Richard Dennis Gallery in Kensington Church Street, London. Names
like Harry Cuneen (Tudor Crystal), Freda Coleborn (Webb & Corbett), Deanne Meanley and W.J.Whitworth (Royal Brierley),
and Doreen Norgrove (Thomas Webb) have all been overlooked. Major designers who have influenced both contemporary and future
glass designers such as David Hammond, John Luxton, Helen Monroe (later Monroe-Turner) and Irene Stevens are also hardly known
by todays collectors. However, many will know the work of Geoffrey Baxter for Whitefriars, yet it is only fairly recently
that these collectors have shown interest in his cut glass work.
The
list of designers associated with the factories that produced cut glass indicates the depth and diversity of collecting possible
within this genre. Whilst much of the hesitation by modern collectors is the concern about lack of design, another involves
the display of such pieces. The simple addition of a dark background, along with enhanced lighting, allows the patterns applied
to cut glass to show to their best.
Now that Edinburgh Crystal,
Stuart & Sons and Waterfords all have their own ranges of modern cut glass (not to mention the work imported from the
Czech Republic, Poland, etc.) perhaps the time has arrived to re-appraise the
earlier work of the 20th century.
Stuarts even took John Luxton
out of retirement in his late 70's in order to develop a range based on one piece that he designed for them in the 1950's.
This became known as the Luxton Collection and has been enlarged since. At the same time Jasper Conran was commissioned to
design his Conran Collection, also for Stuarts. Both have been successful sellers, appealing to modern tastes. They have now
been marketed under the Waterford umbrella since they own the Stuart name. Waterford also markets its own modern range by
the fashion designer, John Rocha, whilst Edinburgh Crystal have produced a range of designs using weather inspired names such
as Tempest and Cumulus.
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Examples of British progressive, or 'art' cut glass
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| Stuart decanter designed by Paul Nash for the exhibition held at Harrods in 1934 |
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| A facet cut decanter designed by Keith Murray in the Modernist style for Royal Brierley c1930's |
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| A Webb's black flashed vase designed by Tom Pitchford for the Rembrandt Guild working, c1935 |
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| A cut, stylised flower pattern vase designed by John Luxton for Stuarts and Sons, c1960's |
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Being
at the forefront of collecting, buying and selling stylish, well-designed British cut glass we always hold extensive stock
by all the manufacturers and designers. If we don't have what you are looking for we can source it for you. If you are interested in purchasing any progressive, or ‘art’
cut glass, please
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