Northwood Glass

Just purchased some nice Northwood Glass pieces for those collectors out there.

Northwood, a Fenton rival, was founded in 1896 in Indiana, Pennsylvania by the Englishman Harry Northwood, the son of a prominent glassmaker. At the age of 20, he migrated to America in 1880. Prior to founding his own company in 1887, Northwood had worked at a number of well known glass manufacturers, apprenticing and thoroughly learning the trade.

He joined with the National Glass Company briefly only to subsequently form the Harry Northwood Glass Company in 1901 in Wheeling, West Virginia. Also in 1901, he purchased Hobbs, Brockunier and Company, where he first started out in 1880. For the next couple years, there were two Northwood plants.

More Northwood Glass info at......... http://www.antiquesndynasties.com/northwood_glass.htm

Paperweights

People have been creating glass objects as long as history has been recorded, but the art of making glass paperweights began in the 18th century when the Venetians began forming thin cylinders of glass built up with layers of different shape and colours and called “canes”.

By the 1840’s letter-writing had become very popular and people needed something to control the piles of paper accumulating on their desks. Lead crystal was popular because of its weight. Then came the idea of decorating it using the Murano canes and suddenly a new fad in Christmas gifts was born. The large French crystalleries such as Baccarat, St Louis and Clichy, were quick to take advantage of it and produced increasingly complex and beautiful weights. Glassworkers were also often allowed to make their own with the left-overs at the end of day.

Like most fads this one didn’t last and by the 1860’s paperweight production had largely ceased and the techniques became a forgotten art. German, Bohemian and Chinese factories with their own particular styles, were almost all who were still making them. Thus was born “the antique weight” which is now so sought after.

It was not until the 1940’s the Paul Ysart in Scotland and Charles Kaziun in America began to uncover some of the forgotten techniques and the modern age of paperweights was born. Along with most of the former French makers, a series of factories such as Whitefriars, Perthshire, Caithness and Selkirk developed in Scotland to make millefiori and abstract weights in particular, while in the U.S.A. a number of brilliant individual artists have developed lamp-working techniques to a fine art.

A GLOSSARY OF TERMS

Canes: cylinders built up by layering with different colours and shapes of glass and then extruded into very thin sticks and then usually cut into small cross sections. They are basic to most forms of paperweight-making.

Glass types: Traditionally the glass for paperweights was lead crystal because of its weight and purity. More recently optical glass has been used. Dichroic glass gives special effects of colour shifts and shimmering patterns.

Paperweight techniques: There are a number of very distinctive and different techniques used. The basic ones are:

• Millefiori or “a thousand flowers” is made of small canes mounted in cross section to form patterns which are then encased in glass.. They are the classic paperweight style.
• Lamp or torchwork are miniature replicas of items such as bouquets of flowers, fruit, insects, snakes and lizards are pre-made and assembled using a blow torch and glass rods and are then encased in glass.
• Sulphides consist of glass-encased ceramic items. The trick is in working with two substances with greatly differing temperature ranges.
• Abstracts are made with a variety of techniques often employing frit or powered glass. They are perhaps the most common of all designs.
• Crimp or Moulded weights use special tools to produce effect most notably in the Clichy and Millville roses.

Paperweight styles: Paperweights come in various shapes. The most common is the domed weight Others include conical weights and the more free-form pebble weight. Square shapes were rare until the recently introduced lazer cut weights. They also come in different sizes from the miniature to the magnum.

Specialised shapes include the piedouche/pedestal, basket and mushroom shapes. Facets or faces are often added afterwards to heighten the effect and frosted effects concentrate the viewer on a window. Encasement means the adding of extra layers which may then be delicately cut to create patterns.

Recent weights increasingly employ etching to add to the designs. Bubbles of air tend to occur in the process and in cheaper weights can be intrusive. However the use of controlled bubbles provides opportunity for special effects.

Paperweight Makers: The highest quality paperweights today mostly come from France, the United Kingdom, North America and New Zealand. The trend is away from the large factories to individual artists working from their own studios. This has meant the disappearance of some well-known names such as Perthshire. Among top artists currently producing weights some of the key names are John Deacons and Peter Holmes of Scotland, Americans such as Paul Stankard, Rick Ayotte, Debbie Taristano, Chris Buzzini, the Trabuccos, Bob Banford, Ken Rosenfeld, Drew Ebelhare and a large number of other very talented artists. In New Zealand there are Peter Raos, Peter Viesnik and Andrew Byers. The designers at the Caithness factory deserve special mention including such as Helen MacDonald and Alistair MacIntosh.

Things to Know about Collecting Paperweights: The “Big Names” understandably attract high prices for their work. Most make only a few pieces of a particular style and often the size of this limited edition and the number of the particular item is engraved on or near the bottom. The maker will identify the piece either by engraving his name or by including a special signature cane. However, there are many paperweights made in greater numbers which can bring great pleasure and also increase in value.

If you watch the sales on eBay you will quickly become aware of what is a suitable price for a particular item. There are occasional fakes or “seconds”on the market, but when you buy from a reputable seller they will normally tell you if there are any deficiencies. Some people specialize in a particular maker or style, but because these are real works of art it is what appeals to you that matters most.

Today’s paperweights are more exquisite than ever and demonstrate superbly the finest of glass working skills while giving endless artistic pleasure. They are also a compact collectible with proven potential for future increase in value.

Waxing Furniture

Give your old wooden furniture a new lease of life with a traditional wax finish. It is effective and very easy to do.

If you have any antique or junkshop furniture that you want to restore to its original beauty, you may well want to use a traditional furniture finish, such as waxing. This technique was one of the favoured ways of finishing for hundreds of years before French polishing was introduced in the 19th century. Though it requires patience to build up layers of the finish, waxing is not difficult to do.

While a wax finish is more susceptible to heat marks than, for instance, an oil finish, it does give a glossier sheen Bear in mind that it should never be applied to bare wood, but only to that which has been sealed, and that the old finish must first be cleaned off with a solvent stripper.

There are several types of natural wax, made from animal, vegetable and mineral sources. Beeswax, obtained from the honeycomb, has a honey-like aroma, and is relatively soft and slightly tacky. It gives a soft, matt sheen. Carnuba wax comes from palm leaves, and smells like new-mown hay. Extremely hard and providing a high, long-lasting gloss, it is used in good-quality wax polishes, and may be added to beeswax to reduce tackiness and increase hardness and durability. Paraffin wax, made from petroleum and widely used in cheaper polishes, is relatively soft. Small amounts may also be used in high-quality waxes to soften them, making them easier to apply.

It is a good idea to use the best wax you can afford, and though a quality wax may be harder to apply, the shine will be deeper and will last much longer.

Traditional wax polish lends a subtle, soft lustrous sheen to almost any piece of old wooden furniture.

HOW TO WAX FURNITURE

Wax can be applied to furniture as a finish in itself or as a thin coating to another finish. Waxing both protects the wood, cushioning the surface against knocks and scratches, and buffs up to a soft attractive shine.

SEALING BARE WOOD

Sealing stripped or untreated bare wood before waxing is essential, otherwise the wax will sink into the grain and the wood will eventually become discoloured as dirt and grease is sucked into it through the wax.

CARE AFTER WAXING

A waxed finish on furniture needs a little more care and attention than modern synthetic finishes. Primarily, this means dusting the piece once a week to avoid a build-up on the slightly tacky surface that waxing leaves. Surfaces that get hard wear, like table-tops, should be waxed no more than once a month to avoid heavy and hard-to-remove wax deposits forming. Less used furniture may need rewaxing only three or four times a year. Remember, also, to protect wax from hot drinks and to mop up spills within 10 minutes.

TRICKS OF THE TRADE

1. If wood has been stripped, seal if first with a coat of French polish. Do not use a 'rubber', simply apply with a soft cloth. Alternatively, use teak oil. Wear rubber gloves. Allow to dry.

2. Once the sealed surface has dried, apply a coat of wax polish with a soft cloth. A little wax goes a long way, so apply if sparingly, rubbing hard to work if well in.

3. If the piece of furniture has carved detailing or moulding, apply the wax with an old toothbrush into these difficult areas. Use a circular scrubbing motion to work the wax in.

4. Remove excess wax by rubbing over the surface with a soft cloth. If is important that the wax is built up in very thin layers - too thick a layer is difficult to buff up to a good shine.

5. Brush along the grain over the entire surface with a shoe-brush. Rub vigorously as if you were polishing your shoes to work the wax deep into the grain and to remove any excess.

6. Wait for at least 10 minutes and then repeat the procedure so far to build up more layers if needed. When the final layer is hard and dry, buff to a shine with a yellow duster.

Paintings by Charles Tatossian Garo

Recently aquired a few 20th cen. Impressionist paintings by Charles Tatossian Garo, a local Montreal artist who is still living and working in Montreal and is from a family of Impressionist artists. His father was was a painter and curator of the Alexandria Museum of Egypt, to his father's brother, the Armenian landscape painter Yeghiche Tatossian, who traveled to Paris and became a Post-Impressionist ( only to return to Armenia and bring the style home).

Also his son Armand Tatossian, born in Alexandria, Egypt in 1948, has been an artist since 1965, Professor of Art at Loyola College in Montreal and Concordia University.

Impressionism was a 19th century art movement, which began as a loose association of Paris-based artists who began publicly exhibiting their art in the 1860s. The name of the movement is derived from Claude Monet's Impression, Sunrise (Impression, soleil levant). Critic Louis Leroy inadvertently coined the term in a satiric review published in Le Charivari.

The influence of Impressionist thought spread beyond the art world, leading to Impressionist music and Impressionist literature.

Characteristic of impressionist painting are visible brushstrokes, light colors, open composition, emphasis on light in its changing qualities (often accentuating the effects of the passage of time), ordinary subject matter, and unusual visual angles.

Impressionism also describes art done in this style, but outside of the late 19th century time period.

Read more... http://www.antiquesndynasties.com/impressionists.htm

e-Commerce For Antique Shops

We have just started using IMScart® which has a version designed to simplify the process of organizing, building and maintaining an electronic antique shop, eBusiness or multi-channel business model on the Web.

Perfect for also selling antiques online for private and corporate collectors, small galleries, dealers, artists, publishers, appraisers, small museums, and clubs.

With its powerful browser based storefront and administration you can manage your antiques eBusiness from any computer connected to the Internet! From your home, at work or on vacation.

Its easy to update, accept offers/bids, and with its combined newsletter module and affiliate program plus many other features should be a must for any antique shop thinking of going online or adding power to your current website.

Read more at - http://www.imscart.com/imscart_antiques.html

Overview of Art Glass in Canada

Lorraine Glass Industries in Canada operated from 1962 to 1974 in Montreal by glassblowers who came from the glass center of Murano, Italy. They employed a work force of about 30 people producing up to 10,000 pieces of glassware monthly. The colored art glass items are very similar to Chalet glass and some still retain the Lorraine Glass foil label.

In Canada, Murano Glass Inc in Montreal operated from 1960 to 1962 and was originally Les Industries de Verre et Miroirs Limitee which had operated from 1958 to 1960.

In the 1940's through to the 1960's, Chalet Art glass combines the tradition and beauty of Venetian style art glass with modern day techniques. In 1960 the manufacturers stop the use of lead crystal which was where the beautiful, intense colour and strong weight and feel of the artwork comes from. Though some minor imperfections may exist, it is rare to find these pieces in such immaculate condition.

Chalet had factories in Ontario and Quebec, Canada, and traded from 1962 to 1980. They brought over Italian (Murano) craftsmen and made very high quality glass. It tends to be in the Murano style, but often with a gothic twist.

Each piece of vintage Chalet glass was individually blown and Chalet has been undervalued when compared to Murano. Their large pieces are very showy so are popular for decorating and they are a top quality glassware. Because of the weight of this glass due to the lead content, always take care when handling the items and never pick them up by the extended "arms" as they are actually quite brittle.

Alta Glass started in 1950 in Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada with a glassblower from Czechoslovakia. They have a production of colored art glass figurines, vases and baskets.

Winter Season at the Antiques center again

We are opening at the Antiques center again for the winter season again on Sunday's. We will occupy shop No: 21, open 9am - 5 pm.

More info and maps at http://www.antiquesndynasties.com/aboutus.htm

We look forward to seeing you. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or if we can be of services to you.

What is Carnival Glass?

Carnival Glass is pressed glass that has been treated with metallic salts and then re-fired to give the glass an iridescent finish.

It is made by exposing the newly formed hot pressed glass to sprays, fumes and vapors from heated metallic oxides. These form a lustrous coating at the surface of the glass. It looks as if it has rainbows on it, like the coloured patterns sometimes seen when petrol floats on water; like the rainbow colours on the surface of a soap bubble. What you are actually seeing are light interference patterns produced by constantly shifting wavelengths.

The name "Carnival Glass" was not used originally by the manufacturers, who had all kinds of names for it like "Iridill" and "Rainbow Lustre".

When the market for carnival glass slumped in the twenties, second-quality carnival glass was used as prizes at carnivals and country fairs (throw the penny in the bowl and win it) and that’s where the name comes from.

Vintage carnival glass was produced from 1905 to 1920 and was sometimes called ‘poor man’s Tiffany’ as it had beautiful iridescence reminiscent of Tiffany art glass but was affordable to everyone.

It was first produced on a large scale by the newly-established Fenton Art Glass Company, of Williamstown, West Virginia, in 1908. Carnival Glass was also made by several US companies, including Fenton Art Glass, The Northwood Glass Company in Wheeling, West Virginia, Imperial Glass in Ohio; Westmoreland from Pennsylvania; Dugan(later Diamond) in Indiana, Pennsylvania; and Millersburg, in Ohio.

The rage for Carnival Glass in the US continued for ten years (1908 to about 1918), and the last of the original US producers, Dugan/Diamond Glass Company of Indiana, Pennsylvania, continued production until1931. But the market for this type of glass had already moved overseas, and US companies were exporting Carnival glass to Europe, Canada, Australia, and other countries during the 1920's. Carnival Glass was not, so far as we know, produced in the USA between 1931 and the 1950's.

It continued to be made in Europe through the 1920's and 1930's; it was made in Australia in the 1930's; and in South America (Argentina) in the 1930's. Very little was made anywhere in the 1930's and 1940's.

During the 1950's collectors became interested in Carnival Glass, so much so that it became economically worthwhile for glass manufacturers to start making it again, specifically for collectors.

In the 1960’s, some carnival was reproduced in new colors with marks to differentiate old from new: this Contemporary carnival is also collectible today.

Collecting Depression Glass

Inexpensive Depression glass, made in America between the mid-1920s and 1940s, was often given away in cereal boxes and to customers at gas stations and department stores. It is now one of the most collected types of glass. Canadian Glassware from the late 1930's through the 1950's was being produced by two firms: the Dominion Glass Company and Pyrex Canada. Although production was small relative to the gigantic American firms south of the border, these glass companies created some simple yet lovely pressed glass tablewares.

During the Depression in the United States & Canada, between the nineteen twenties and the nineteen thirties, many families were hit hard. Jobs were extremely scarce, so the income that was lived upon was budgeted and closely guarded. Many items that once had been a regular convenience were during this depression considered a luxury.

There was, though, something that most families could afford to purchase even during this difficult time, and that was the glass that was manufactured by such companies as Anchor-Hocking and Jeanette. This glass became known as Depression glass, and it is much sought after, after more than sixty years from the end of the Depression.

Depression Glass was one of the first mass produced types of glassware. It was made in molds rather than blown, and you can usually see the parting lines if you look carefully. The molds wore out quickly, and the glass tended to pile up as the mold aged. This resulted in little ripples called straw marks, especially on the bottom of a piece. You won't see them in new glass. The easiest way to verify a piece is to look for little bubbles in the glass (they're what makes Depression Glass explode in the microwave).

Not all Depression Glass has them, but I have yet to see a reproduction that did. Cobalt blue used to be a real safe bet because the government restricted cobalt to medical uses, and the substitutes had a much darker hue than usual. No longer! Painted blue pieces are in every flea market from Main to Oregon with Shirley Temple bowls, glasses and pitchers, and sail boat, fish, and windmill cocktail sets being the most common.

As with any Depression Glass, look for mold marks, bubbles, and little imperfections and wear marks. The paint used in the thirties and forties didn't hold up as well as today's, so if it looks brand new, it probably is.

A premium price is often paid for original Depression glass. Many of the original pieces are very difficult, if not impossible, to find on the market, and as is true with so many other collectibles, when the availability of a product is low, the price is high. Serious scouting and hunting is done to search for pieces that may be the missing link to an entire set of the glassware. Flea markets, antique shops, newspaper classifieds, and even the internet are all good places to start when looking for a particular piece, to be enjoyed by itself or to complement an already-existing set.