21st Century Comparison
On the 18th November 2011 Ian Dury, project coordinator of the 2012 Portland Vase (Auldjo Jug) Project, paid a visit to the Corning Museum of Glass, New York to inspect both the Northwood and Locke versions of the Portland vase, having already handled the original. His observations were:
The immediate difference between the vases was in the colour. Locke’s is the nearest to the original, almost black in appearance, whereas that of Northwood was a much lighter blue. I was invited to examine them side-by-side; Locke’s was the larger of the two, with the handles being significantly out of alignment.
After a one-hour close examination, it was obvious that the finesse of Northwood’s engraving was far superior in both detail and scale in the bodies of the figures. Also, a part of robing was missing from a figure on the Locke vase.
The substantial crack in Northwood’s vase was evident, but gave testament to the glue that he used, since he worked on the vase after the crack and still survives today.
Replica of the Portland vase. Executed by John Northwood, dated 1876. Image courtesy of Corning Museum of Glass.
Replica of the Portland vase. Executed by Joseph Locke, dated 1878. Image courtesy of Corning Museum of Glass.