Collection: Glass | English

English glass includes practical domestic wares and decorative objects made through a variety of processes. Blowing, moulding, cutting and engraving each offered different possibilities for form and surface. Factory production and the work of individual designers are both part of this history, rather than opposing categories of worthwhile and ordinary glass.

Whitefriars provides a particularly well-documented example of the changes in post-war English design. Its textured range, designed by Geoffrey Baxter and launched in 1967, introduced irregular outlines, pronounced surface patterns and distinctive colours. The designs drew attention to the visual and tactile qualities of glass rather than relying only on a smooth, symmetrical vessel.

Moulds played an important role in producing these forms. Baxter experimented with materials including wood, bark and nails to develop textures, which could then be translated into production moulds. Mould-blown glass involves inflating glass inside a mould, and should not automatically be described as pressed glass simply because its surface carries a repeated pattern.

English glass extends well beyond the output of any one maker. When considering a particular attribution, a documented shape or pattern is more useful than a broad resemblance to a well-known range. Labels, marks and contemporary records can help distinguish a supported identification from a stylistic comparison.