Pair of Arts and Crafts vases by THOMAS WEBB &... Lot 20

Pair of Arts and Crafts vases by THOMAS WEBB & SONS. England, ca. 1900. Blown glass. Pair of blown and satin-finished glass vases from the English Manufacture Thomas Webb & Sons, with a circular body tapering towards the top and widening at the mouth, decorated with crossed lines in white and blue satin-finish, creating a velvety feel. Provenance: Private Spanish collection, formed between 1970 and 2010. Good condition. Normal wear and tear due to use and the passage of time. Measurements: 29.5 cm (height) x 11 cm (largest diameter). Thomas Webb & Sons was an English glass company, founded in 1837 by Thomas Webb (1804-1869) near Stourbridge, England. The name T. Webb & Co. was adopted in 1842 and later became Thomas Webb & Sons. Webb operated the Platts glasshouse from 1837 to 1856 and then the Dennis glassworks from 1855 to 1990. The company, originally known as the "Crystal King of England", was noted for the high quality of its Cameo glass. In the 1870s, John Northwood produced the first pieces, inspired by the Portland Vase. The finest and most valuable pieces were signed with "GEM CAMEO" included in the mark: the Roman glass cameo was itself an imitation of the luxurious art form of the cameo-engraved gem. In 1889, Thomas Webb & Sons obtained a US patent for their process, and that same year they received a Grand Prix for their exquisite coloured glass at the Paris Exhibition of 1889.