Whitefriars Large Urn-Shaped Glass Vase No. 9156 in Sapphire Blue c.1940

This is a striking and highly unusual example of a large flower vase produced by Whitefriars Glass and dating to the 1940s.

The vase is made from thick glass in the colourway known as ‘Sapphire Blue’.

It has a tall, galleried rim that widens out at the shoulder before tapering back in towards the rounded base. This sits on a short, waisted stem. This merges with a thickened discoid portion that sits on the broader foot, creating a stepped effect.

The underside of the base has a central polished pontil.

This piece has the pattern number 9156 and can be seen on page 22 of the 1940 Whitefriars catalogue.

It has a height of approximately 30.6cm, with a diameter across the rim of about 10.8cm and across the foot of about 12.6cm.

It has an unwrapped weight of 2450g.

It is in good condition, although there are a few visible scratches to the exterior of the body and some wear to the edge of the base (see photos). There are also a lot of fine scratches to the interior, possibly from abrasive cleaning in the past. These are only visible upon close scrutiny but this wear is reflected in the price. There are also some enclosed pieces of frit and bubbles, which are manufacturing artefacts.