GLASS CIRCLF:
NEWS
EDITORS
David Watts
27 Raydean Road
BARNET, Herts. EN51AN
John Towse
25-27.Curtain Road
London, EC2A 3PH.:
1
01811
1
1MOVISIMIWIWINIMMIMISMILOom
No.37
March 1987
TEN YEARS ON
THIS YEAR SEES THE TENTH ANNIVERSARY OF GLASS CIRCLE NEWS AND,
LOOKING BACK, IT
IS SURPRISING JUST HOW
MUCH HAS HAPPENED
SINCE WE FIRST WENT
TO PRESS.
In 1977 ve had our first, and
so far only, meeting in the House of Commons when Dorothy.
Charlesworth lectured on. Roman Glass.
The V & A still had
circulating exhibitiOns – currently one on the timeless taste
of Keith Murray, while member, Laura Seddon, had just put her
fine collection of coloured glass on show at Manchester Central Library.
We learned that the terra cotta figures on Btierley Hill Technical
Institute, Library and Museum were not by
Frederick Carder bUt by Gibbons
and Oakden who were probably
friends of his. .The building has since had
a face-lift and it still contains the Glass Centre, part of Dudley
College of Art and ,Technology.
More concern was being expressed about
genuine Carder terra cotta panels built into the walls of the old Art
and Technical School, Wordsley, which was under threat of demolition for
road
widening.
This scheme never materialized and the building still
stands, although apparently in
a
sorry state of repair, waiting for an
entrepreneurial spirit with a few millions and a bright idea to put this
attractive and historic edifice to good use.
1978 saw
a memorable meeting in the delightful Georgian ambience of the Education Office
of the British Museum lavishly hosted by
Mr
and Mrs Hugh Tait. A lecture by Hugh on
some Anglo-Dutch glasses in the British Museum was followed by a visit to the museum to
see and handle some of the extremely rare pieces
Another delightful venue
was
the
Chelsea Physic Garden Where; at the invitation of Dr Launert, we supped and promenaded
among the shrubs and trees on a pleasurable summer evening before being addressed by our
president.
Notable exhibitions that year were Glass at the Fitzwilliam with its superb
catalogue, still available, and, at the V & A, the Cinzano Collection created by Peter
Lazarus.
The members preview, with its ‘light’ buffet and endless supply of bubbly,
seems like the gracious living of
another
era.
The next year saw the Congress of the International Association of the History of Glass
here in Britain
and an endless feast
of vitrareous displays throughout the country.
Mental vignettes pop up; was this the occasion when our ex-treasurer, Philip Whatnoor
encountered an oversized stuffed pike?
At Sotheby’s the Constable Maxwell Diatretum
fetched £570 000 in just over a minute, and the winter chill was warmed by the news that
the famous Museo Vetrario had been reopened on the island of Murano.
Even bettet was
to follow when in spring 1980 Broadfield House Glass Museum opened its door for the
first time, while, a month later, our friends across the Atlantic
celebrated the
opening of the fabulous Corning Museum with a banquet; the tables, and as much else as
they could contrive, were made of glass. Back home, Sotheby’s generously hosted an
evening preview of the Antony Waugh glass collection that had provided the backbone of a
fine exhibition in Wolverhampton back in 1975.
These were indeed vinous and vintage years for the Circle and one could ramble on…
Lately, the world recession and new political philosophies have changed social values.
But the interest in old glass continues to gain in momentum; expanding research is
bringing us better
‘
understanding and new and exciting finds. We can confidently raise
our baluster to toast the next’ ten years, ‘even if, for the moment, we can only
occasionally afford to fill it.
DING DONG MERRILY – A CHRISTMAS INTERLUDE WITH THE MUSICAL GLASSES
T3Y PHILIP WHATMOOR
Members arriving at the Sotheby Works of Art Course building on a chill December
evening were delighted to be greeted with hot spiced punch and mince pies. • his
Set – the scene for what turned out to be a memorable evening with the must al
glasses.
Our speaker donned his Victorian (style) smoking .jacket and cap. and
adopted the mode of a Victorian father introducing his family to the latest
Christmas plaything – a set of
–
Musical glasses.
The acknowledged inventor was an Irishman, Richard Pockrich who, back in the 1740s
tuned glasses with water.
The fingers, thoroughly washed, were dampened and gently
stroked the rim of the glass to excite a musical note. The idea caught on and in
1746 Gluck played a concerto on 26 glasses.
–
e Tuned dry glasses were assembled in
sets in a suitable wooden case.
In some the foot of the glass was held by a wooden
catch, in others the foot had been omitted and the stem plugged into a hole in a
wooden block.’ Two examples of musical glasses-were demonstrated by the speaker and
members enthusiastically joined in this Circle “first” in carol singing.
Historically, the glasses remained something of a novelty and it was after hearing a
virtuoso, Edmund Delaval, perform at the Royal Society that Benjamin Franklin
developed the glass harmonica in which the glasses were mounted on a common spindle
by the mechanical action of which they were all rotated at once. They were popular
with the ladies of the household but the combination of melancholy sound and the
vibration the glasses imparted to the fingertips were thought to be responsible for
a peculiar meloncholia that might afflict the player. The glasses received a-boost
when eminent composers, such as Mozart and Beethoven, composed for them and
outstanding performances were given by virtuosos such as Marianne Davies.
Another
virtuoso, Ann Ford published her method of playing in 1761 and extracts of the text
were read out to give an idea of how this was done.
The manufacturers of musical glasses are mostly unknown. One, known from his
published tutor, in 1829, was James Smith of Edinburgh, ‘glass cutter and
manufacturer of musical glasses’.. The best known, who also signed his instrameats,
was Francis H. . Smith of Baltimore.
Our speaker quoted from his instructions of
1829 and distributed copies of the text of an advertisement of a performance on the
musical glasses by the Smith family. (It was observed by Hugh Tata that from the
reference to “…unbounded Applause at the Marquis of BUCKINGHAM’s, from a numerous
Assemblage of British Nobility, at Stowe House…” this document can be dated to
before 1822.).
Mr Smith adVertised his “Newly Invented Grand Harmonica” and “A
Hundred Musical Glasses, Upon a scale never before displayed in this Town…
arranged in five Treble Sets, to be performed on by five persons all at one time”.
This novelty
–
required all tie glasses to be tuned to a common pitch, which was not
normally the case.
Some of the five performers were his daughters… “The celebrated Three Miss
Smiths, Whose. astonishing Powers in the Harmonica Art have justly entitled them to
the appellations. of INFANTILE MUSICAL PHENOMENA!”.
One of these, age twelve years,
could perform on six instruments and was enabled “… from Mr SMITH’S Inventions, to
perform the most difficult Pieces ON TWO VIOLINS AT ONE TIME.
The youngest Miss
Smith, five years of age, could perform On violin, piano-forte, musical glasses and
Grand Harmonica. One could not but agree with the speaker when he said that one
felt an overwhelming sense of nausea against the Smith family, particularly when one
read on to the fourth of Mr Smith’s numerous inventions whereby “four performers
(Master and the three Miss Smiths) will play on ONE Violin…in a manner that will
astonish all Hearers”.
Tickets’were 3 shillings for adults and 1/6 for children.
In spite .of the efforts of the Smith family the musical glasses failed to achieve
real popularity in the nineteenth century, no doubt due to the advent. of cylinder
and disc musical boxes.
MONART AND VASART, SCOTTISH ART GLASS, THE FRENCH CONNECTION
Photostat copies of this 1985 article (3000 words, approx.) by Michael T.
Vaughan, are now available from the author, price £3.00 incl. of P4-P, at
13,The Croft, LARKHALL, M1,9 lAX, Lanarkshire, Scorland.
.114•1•••
n
•
n
••15R.
-3-
Alongside the glasses appeared the glass xylophone or Harmonica Delecta, first
described by Parson Woodforde in 1778 and made by J. Platts.
Glass tubes were used
for this with blue tubes to separate groups of notes; a blue glass set was made by
Bette in the 1790s. The hammers had hard and soft faces to vary the tone.
A flat
glass set, suspended on cords, was made by R. Hack and described as the ‘Inproved
Semitonic Folding Harmonicon’.
Another manufacturer was E Edgar of Lambe Conduit
Street. Xylophones, however, attained less popularity than the musieel glasses
which, for a time, were at least developed into elegant pieces of furniture to grace
many a better class Victorian home.
After further musical encores and a lively discussion, during which some members
tried their skill with the glasses, the meeting closed upon a most delightful and
memorable occasion.
The meeting was held on 9 December, 1986, at the Sotheby Works of Art Course
building by courtesy of Mrs Morris and Mr Bowman and at tlea kind invitation of Mr
and Mrs Benson, Mr Savage and Mr and Mrs Veedor.
GLASS EXHIBITIONS
’87
.01•1111•1.1.11.111•111..11.2.19.1.1….e.,
In addition to the exhibitions associated with our own 50th Anniversary,
1987 has some interesting exhibitions on now and on the way.
Currently on
show at Broadfield House are the Earl of Bradford’s collectior of
stipple-engraved glass and 45 new acquisitions from the recently auctioned
Cyril Manley collection, as well as GLASS FROM St LOUIS, from the original
display at Aspreys, which ends on 26th April. Their new exhibition of GLASS
BETWEEN THE WARS (title not finalized), which is being organized by Roger
Dodsworth, commences on June 13th and runs on until August 31st.
Glennys Wild, Keeper in the dept. of Applied Art at the City of Birmingham
Museum tells us that Birmingham is having a Glass Festival.
SOWERBY;GATESHEAD GLASS Jill
be
on show at the Museum from 16th Apri’, until
14th June.
Coincident with this will be a contemporary exhibition fro the
Stourbridge College of Technology and Art called GLASS FANTAS7IC which will
be in celebration of past and present staff and students.
The organizer,
John Smith, plans to include work by Frederick Carder and John Northwood ae
well as contemporary work by design-makers and ex-etudents aho have gone
into industry to design for Rosenthal, Dartington, Webb Corbett, Stuart
Crystal and others.
A glass seminar is being arranged for May 1st with
speakers on subjects ranging from Beilby glass to contemporary work.
At
the Reference Library there wilt he an
exhibition of STAINED GLASS
BY JOHN
HARDMAN AND CO, covering the (almost) 150 years of their manufacturing
history, and the Cannons Hill Arts
Centre is preparing an exeibitioe cyf
MODER% GLASS.
Members interested in stained glass who went on the annual
outing to Birmingham a few years ago might like to know that although
progress in that area has been slow, staff changes have brought in Mentin
Ellis, from Blackburn, wao is particularly interested in the work of W.R.
Eginton, and should help to get things moving again.
For further
information ring Miss Wild direct on 021-2352839.
-4-
THE HAMPTON COURT PALACE FIRE – RESCUING PIER GLASSES
By Patricia Jackson
Hampton Court palace was built on the river Thames, 12 miles west of London, in
1514 by cardinal Thomas Wolseyn archbishop of York and lord chancellor to Henry
viii.
He gave it to the king in 1529 in an unsuccessful attempt to regain lost
faVours.
Extensive rebuilding in 1689, after the accession of William and
Mary, resulted in a rectangular building round an open courtyard called Fountain
Court. State rooms on the third floor of two adjacent sides, known is the King’s’
side and Queen’s side were part of the section gutted by fire in 1983.
The
fire spread downwards from the upper floor, where it started; the’roof and •
contents were destroyed but the pier glasses survived, although in a
substantially damaged condition and soaked with water from the fire hoses.
–
vier glasses are so-called because they were fixed onto the brick
piers,between
the windows. In the fire-gutted section, there were glasses of a variety of
sizes.
The salvage operation was initiated to discover which could be saved.
and how much restoration would be necessary;
In the
process much is being
learnt about the history of the glasses themselves, the way they were made and
how they were installed.
Bills for the glasses, from the London supplier, show
that they were made between 1699 and 1708.
During the early stages of cleaning-up there was initially no roof; a temporary
plastic covering was later installed. While other debris was cleared away the
pier glasses, still in situ, were first lightly cleaned of soot and smoke,
cracked or broken sections were taped together and, so far as possible, any
dislodged or fallen pieces replaced and treated in a similar way.
They were
then boxed in with plywood, fungicide-treated polyether foam being used in
between to provide additional protection.
Ventilation was important to
facilitate drying and restrict
mould growth; holes had
been drilled at intervals’
over the plywood for this purpose and fans were used to move the air around.
Other mirrors, not in immediate danger, were loft uncovered and the extent of
water damage to the tin-mercury “foiling” marked to check for spreading.
Six pier glasses have since been unboxed and carefully dismantled, every
fragment being itself marked and its position inaicated on a master plan of each
glass.
The foiling had largely decomposed, releasing clouds of tin oxide and
mercury droplets as the glass was removed.’
lee glass itself was made in sections. These are of variable thickness, up to
about 1/4 inch, suggesting foreign manufacture by casting rather than the blown
“broad” process used in England at that time.
Some sections are of
different
quality suggesting that alteration or repair had been undertaken since
the
original installation. The wood frame, quite narrow and of simple design, was
fixed to
a
wooden sub-frame with panelled back which was screwed directly to the
pier brickwork. This arrangement left a space between the foiled back of the
mirror and the panelling which contained white wool blanketing for the large
sections, while small sections had paper . blackened on the side facing the
mirror.
The exact function of the blanket, other than protective, is
uncertain. The blackened paper eliminates an undesirable white line at the edge
of the glass caused by reflections; one piece had been installed the wrong way
round!
The glass sections were held in place by brass screws
with
ornamented glass
heads and decorated with a border of screwed on moulded/cut glass rosettes.
Engraved bevelled glass strip. was used to obscure joints between sections.
Detailed photography of each stage of the salvage provides a permanent record of
the operation. At the present time much work remains to be done. The future
of the pier glasses has still to be decided.
Problems to be faced are the
nature and extent of restoration because it is not possible to reassemble a
broken mirror without the damage being obtrusive. Another is the question of
zee reflective surface because silvering gives a different effect from foiling
and there is the health aspect of the mercury” that. would have to be used for the
foiling process.
The speaker closed a fascinating lecture by observing wryly that it had
originally taken three servants 4 days to put up a mirror over the fireplace;
today, nearly two centuries later, it had taken three conservationists exactly
the same time to take it down!
The meeting was held at the Artworkers Guild on’12th February, 1987,
the kind
invitation of Miss A. Towse, Mr J, ToWse and Mr L. Trickey.
SAINT LOUIS SANS GILL!
111•Mootue
NOC
so much a French connection as a correction of two errors that
crept
into
the last issue of GC NEWS.
Paul Hollister wrote to point out that the St Louis Glassworks received its
charter from King Louis XV in 1767, not 1764 as stated. :
in fact, the
history
of glaesmaking
;
in
the area
goes beck to
1469
when the Duke
.
of Lorraine granted
privileges, which
,
included exemption from excise tax on
wine,
cider, spirits sod
beer,. to glessworkers as compensation for their difficult and exacting work.
This included working on
Sunday and reporting for duty whenever a bell was
rung
to signal that the glass was ready for use.
The direct
ancestor of the St
Louis factory is considered to be the Munzthal
Glass
Factory,
dating
from 1586,
which was destroyed in the Thirty Year’s War (1618-1648).
The St Louis
Glasshouse was not named after the then
reigning King but King Saint Louis of
trance (1215-1270).
In 1782
the
successful
manufacture of
English lead
crystal was achieved at
St Louis.
As by
the
Venetians befbte them
an
attempt
was made to preserve the trade secret:
the workers were required to give
2’years
notice of resignation and were not allowed to
travel More
–
than’a mile from the
rectory without permission.
This•muet certainly have
restricted dissemination
of the knowledge at least until
1802
when’Aime Gabriel D’Artigues (manager at
St. Louis 1791-1795) established a
new glass factory that was
to
become Val
Saint
Lambert.
Concern is sometimes
expressed that late lath
century
English
cut lead crystal can
be confused
with the French product.
Although a
possibility,
the
difference in both output and design makes this a reipote worry
for the
collector of this
period.
Indeed, en authentic ‘French piece wouli
almost certainly • be considerably
more
valuable because of its greater rarity.
Perhaps.a greater problem
are
the
English 19th and 20th century
reproductions
(see, Book Review).
Our other error established
beyond all doubt that we have no rivet-counting,
railway enthusiasts in
the
Circle or
there
would have been
a
howl of protest
about Gil Sans.
It was invented by Eric Gill, but for the LIVER
and adopted
in
1928.
WELCOME TO NEW MEMBERS
We are preased to welcome the following new members who have been enrolled since
publication of our last list (GC NEWS No. i4)
Mr Ray Motley,
Mr John Levy,
Mrs Miriam E. Mucha
Mr Sebastian Block
Mr Michael Nesbit,
Mr D.C. Woolston,
Newmarket, Suffolk.
Woodford Green, Essex.
, Langhorne, PA. USA.
Dorking, Surrey.
Meopham, Kent.
–b-
NEW BOOK
IS IT GENUINE: Hew to
Collect
Antiques with Confidence
<1•MM1019111 , 1•Mal.11101.....761 n M General Editor John Bly This 224 page (10.5 x 7.25 ins) hardback volume aims to provide guide lines to help the amateur collector recognise fakes and reproductions in a wide variety of collecting fields. The glass section is by acknowledged expert, our member Charles Hajdamach. It spans 23 pages and provides some interesting and original - material. Two approaches are used, the historical background being. considered before delving into the more technical aspects. The problems of authenticating ancient glass are underlined, with purchases, even by the British Museum, now being found to be fakes. From the grunts and groans sometimes heard at our specimens meetings, we all know that one can easily be misled in the heat of the hunt or flush of optimistic discovery. I felt, therefore, that this book would help develop a greater sense of awareness in the more experienced collector, rather . than provide a shield for the raw beginner. Pseudo-antique glass may be •divided into what might be called authentic reproductions that really deceive only the uninitiated, and straight fakes, many of them modern and made in the Middle East, intended to induce the traveller, wary or otherwise, to spend with maximum indiscretion. From my own experience in Damascus, where I daily studied a roomful of "antique" glass artifacts in the Hotel souvenir shop,, I know just how difficult this can be. The genial owner • watched my ritual. peering and poking, trying to assess weight, shape, quality and,integrity of the metal, with humour until one day he spread his hands before him and said (he spoke five languages fluently), 'Why do you worry so, my friend? When the summer comes, the American tourists will buy them up like hot cakes, take them home and make a fat profit.' And that, indeed, at the prices charged., is the truth of the matter. e He unbent.enough to confirm my doubts over several pieces, that were better than the originals in the Damascus Museum, but I still look at my final choice. and wonder One of the problems about ancient glass is that, because it is so rare and precious, one resists the temptation to rub off the dirt or test if the irridescence is original or merely glued on. No amount of text will resolve this problem. But in the area of reproductions, such as the German 'Historismus' glasses or those of the Venetian revival, where the designs are all neatly drawn in the maker's pattern books, Charles points the way to where much more information can be found. The characteristics of nineteenth century (end later) reproductions of eighteenth century drinking glasses are discussed'and some points illustrated. Some of the pictures showed inadequate detail, and I felt that one could take issue with the judgment on a facet stemmed goblet which one was asked to compare with a similar item from the Richardson 1910 pattern book. Neither shape nor pattern of cutting appeared the saMe$ one could only accept that the height and quality of the metal, not discernable in the picture, were the deciding factors. This raises the question, not discussed, of how close should the comparison bee . with the maker's pattern? Known examples suggest that concordance is generally good. However, the mere illustration of pattern book pages of reproduction glasses does much to warn us all to be on our guard. Charles will not, I fear, stop us from making mistakes although he may be able occasionally to say . 1 . told you so!*. Nevertheless, I think many members will find this book both stimulating and enlightening about some of the lesser known aspects of old and not so old glass. At £9.95 (Published by Michael Beazley), with many coloured pictures, it is good value for money. D.C.W -7.- 50th ANNIVERSARY EXHIBITION OF MEMBERS GLASSES Our thanks to all those members who took the trouble to returritheir for7js offering their glasses for loan for our anniversary exhibition at Broadfield House. The response was excellent •andtertainly included someeunusual and, indeed, unique items. Rare items from the 'traditiOn fields of glass collecting will also be well represented and some members have invited U3 to survey their collections and select the items we feel will be most appropriate These offers will betaken up in the not too distant future. At the present time the size of-the - exhibition looks set to be between 150 and 200 pieces, well within the space available. It is not vet too late to receive submissions so any member who still wishes to contribute should let us know as soon as possible. The proposed date for opening the exhibition is Saturday September 12th, to coincide with the Annual Outing, and it will run until about mid December. An unexpected and pleasing development is that In Burgoyne, Keeper of the Pilkington'Glass Museum, has asked if'he might put the exhibition - on show there in early 1988. Your committee has registered its warm approval for this: extension of the showing which will both advertise the Circle more widely and help recoup some of the quite considerable expense of producing the catalogue. Although we hope that all members whe are lending specimens will be happy with this arrangement, which will includefull insurance coverage, it must be stressed that if a members wishes to withdtaw his exhibit in December, at the end of the'Broadfield House Showine,•he will be perfectly free to do SO. Members will be asked to state their preference in this respect when we get round to making the arrangements for collecting the . exhibits. The exhibition at the Pilkirigton Glass Museum Will probably open in mid-January and run for 6 - 3 weeks. Appropriate arrangements will be made to ensure that all members get their exhibits'back.safe and sound. Plans -.for the catalogue are still' at an early stage but it is intended to include as many photos of the exhibits as we can afford. We anticipate that all members will receive one .free copy each and the remainder will be sold in association with the exhibition. ACTIVITIES AT THE PILKINGTON GLASS MUSEUM From news just in we learn of An interesting exhibition called GLASS DECADE. This consists of the best work from the glass workshops of North Staffs Polytechnic by students and staff over the past ten years. Some of the work is very fine indeed and the exhibition provides an unusual picture of' the way in which art glass has developed over the last decade. The exhibition runs from March 21st to'April 26th. Moving away from the art glass field is an - exhibition planned for May/June called TOWARDS THE 21ST CENTURY. This will take the wraps off some of the high-tech developments by Pilkingtons for the use of glass in the future. These are not yet collectors items but you never know! Finally, during the week 6th - 10th July the Museum is holding a COME AND MAKE. STAINED GLASS, ACTIVITY. This, will. be run by Paul SaM Casciani, of Oxford, who received his original training in the James Powell Stained Class Studio and is now a recognised authority in the field. On the 7th and 9th July full one-day courses for adults are being held, during which instruction will be given on hew to make either a leaded stained glass panel or a plant pot using the copper foil technique. - The cost of this is £28 per day. For an application form and full details phone Ian Burgoyne on 0744-28882 Ext 2499. ROUND AND ABOUT NEW GLASS MUSEUM.AT EBELTOFT Through the enthusiasm and obsession of Finn. Lynggaard, a glass artist, Ebeltoft, in Denmark, now has a fine new museum devoted to modern studio glass in a prime position on the sea front. Currently, six hundred 'pieces by three hundred artists, worldwide, some of them British, are on show. e'T'he Museum was opened last June by Queen Margarethe, who not only proved. knowledgeableon the subject but revealed that she had, pieces by British artists in her collection. The queen was presented with a glass crown made by Pavel Molnar and a beautiful yellow rose made by Tchai Munch. The museum is within easy reach of Copenhagen and close to Arhus and Esbjerg The address is Glasmuseum, Srandvejen 8, DK8000 Ebeltoft, Denmark. WHITHER GOEST THOU or CULLET FOR CANNING TOWN GLASS Canning Town Glass Ltd. is to receive a major face lift, involving the latest glass . technology available from Owens-Illinois, as a result of a deal in which assets of the firm, a subsidiary of Arthur Bell and Sons plc were acquired by United Glass which, in turn is owned jointly by The Distillers Company plc and Owens-Illinois Inc. of Toledo, Ohio. This development, we are told, will benefit the whole industry by by reducing imports of glass containers and improving prospects for the export market. If it saves Canning Town Glass from going the same way as Whitefriars then that, is a benefit in itself. HULBERT OF DUDLEY SAVE MANLEY FOR BRITAIN John and Graham Knowles, joint Managing Directors of the Hulbert of Dudley Group of companies, acquired their interest in the making and engraving of glass from their father, the late Arthur Knowles, whose own collection included pieces from that of King Farouk. Items from the Manley sale, selected at the discretion of Charles Hajdamach to enhance the authority of the Museum, and mentioned elsewhere in these pages, represent the first stage in the expansion of the Knowles collection into one of note. The only proviso in the agreement, which all glass lovers will applaud, is that the collection remains on display and available to the public. THE MORRISON TAZZA Avid readers of these pages may recall that back in March 1985 we published a request by Jane Shadel Spillman asking "Where was the Morrison - Tazza?" in connection with her 'World's Fairs' exhibition. Charles Hajdamach has scored another triumph by unearthing what is left of it in a private collection. Two large fragments, devoid of the gold mounting but exquisitely engraved, show why it was the most expensive. piece, of glass in, the world in its time . ... Charles unveiled his discovery in America last summer and the fragments are currently in America undergoing restoration. They will go on display at Broadfield House when they eventually return to this country. Incidentally, does anyone know.... why Morrison? There is also the small outstanding matter of the whereabouts of. the Ailsa Jug!