Tonbridge Ware and Pressed Glass
Tonbridge Ware is the name given to a particular type of wood veneer work which developed in the early 19th Century around Tonbridge in Kent, England. It was a method whereby woods of various colour, notably fruit tree woods, were used to produce a pattern or picture. Unlike marquetry or parquetry, where veneers of different colours and textures are used to produce a pattern or picture, in Tonbridge Ware small thin slivers of different coloured woods were built up into a solid shaft containing the picture, and this was then sliced into veneers and applied to the end product.
The end product was often a small box or trinket that was sold as a souvenir or gift to the people who had begun to visit Tunbridge Wells to 'take the waters' in Victorian times. The technique of Tonbridge Ware was used to produce some quite substantial items of furniture such as tables or side pieces, but the vast majority of items were quite small: needle boxes, spill holders, trinket boxes of all shapes and sizes, paper knives, rulers, sewing boxes, tea caddies etc. All appeared adorned with Tonbridge Ware patterns or pictures.
The first piece of Tunbridge Ware that we acquired was a small octagonal needle box, about 1" diameter, 3" long, with an ivory bead fixed to the centre of the lid. It is particularly nice in that the lid screws very smoothly onto the body with threads screw-cut into the wooden body and the inside of the lid. It is difficult to imagine such a thing being made in modern times.
We have since added a number of boxes of varying types and size, generally looking for pieces that appear 'different' to our eyes. There are quite a number of items of Tonbridge Ware on the market, particularly so-called 'Stamp Boxes' which usually have a Queen Victoria Penny Red postage stamp glued to the lids. Items like this rarely catch our eyes. Like all collecting, the taste of the individual is an important factor, but quality always takes a leading hand. With Tonbridge Ware, bad pieces are regularly seen and ignored by the collector.
Victorian Pressed Glass is another of our interests, in particular the items produced by Sowerby's of Gateshead, Tyne & Wear. Glass has long been an area of interest for collectors. The methods and results of glass cutting is well known - Christine was born in Waterford, the home of one of the best known producers of cut lead crystal glass in the world. But cutting lead crystal glass is a labour intensive and costly process. One mistake and the item is beyond redemption.
The Industrial Revolution of the early 19th century produced sweeping changes in all forms of manufacturing, perhaps none more so that the production of glass articles. Whereas before a skilled artisan was required to 'blow' the glass item, and another to cut the intricate pattern, manufacturers began to look at methods to do away with this. Quite early into the 19th century, it was found that glass could be moulded into the required shape, by taking a molten lump of glass, and squeezing it in a hot mould. Provided the mould was accurately made, many hundreds or even thousands of articles could be made from one mould before it required replacement. In some cases, the mould was the subject of wear as time passed, and the mould was re-cut. This could result in a change being apparent in the shape or pattern. We have recorded some of the differences in Sowerby's Butterfly Pattern (Pattern No. 2552).
At one time, Sowerby's produced plates and other tableware in white opaque glass that was intended to imitate fine porcelain. The resulting product, known as Vitro-Porcelain, is quite sought after, possibly because it was significantly less resistant to bad handling than the item it was intended to replace.
Whilst experimenting with the process of pressing glass, a number of variations were introduced: The use of various colours of glass in the production of imitation Rose Glass, the combination of coloured and opaque glass that produced the forms known as Vaseline Glass, Praline Glass and so on is a good example. With Vaseline and Praline glass, the item is manufactured in clear coloured glass (green for Vaseline, blue for Praline) but the rim of the item is heat-treated to change the glass from clear to opaque, making the item look like it has Vaseline smeared around the rim.
Another type of pressed glass is 'Slag' Glass or 'Malachite' Glass. This glass was produced by adding chemicals such as copper salts to the mix, and then pressing the item. The resulting product contains a variety of different colours swirling throughout it. In the main, the colours are whites, browns and purples, although blues and reds are often seen. In addition, single-coloured opaque glass was used to produce many items. The was also the technique of adding a surface finish to an item to change its appearance. This resulted in what we now call 'Carnival Glass', as quite often the items made by this method were given away at Fairs and Carnivals as prizes.
One of the leading exponents of producing all of these types of pressed glass was the factory of Sowerby's in Gateshead, Tyne & Wear. Their products are noticeable for their lack of blemishes or mould marks, and the boundaries between mould segments are difficult to see. Some of the other manufacturers were less concerned about quality and the boundaries between mould segments can be quite rough.
Although not used on every piece, Sowerby's had a 'trade mark' which appears on many items. It is a Peacock's head which is cut into the mould. Sowerby's were not the only people to use a Trade Mark, of course, but they are amongst the most well known. Sowerby's were also quite a large producer of Carnival Glass, and we have quite a number of items in our collection.
We now have quite a collection of Pressed Glass, not all made by Sowerby's, and we are in the process of photographing these and our pieces of Tonbridge Ware.
Sherriff Family History,
the Parish Registers of Modbury & Yealmpton, Devon and other items of Interest
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