Manufacture
The method of manufacture is a little more complicated; first the magic of chemistry is used to create the colours. Dissolved gold is added to the mix to produce gold ruby, powdered uranium for the yellow and similarly prepared cobalt or copper oxide for the blue. A small amount of the coloured glass is coated with a substantial amount of flint, to form the physical shape of the bottle and take on the hue of the underlying colour; finally a layer of white for the cameo decoration.
This prepared parison is then blown into a mould which has been skillfully sculpture into the shape of a swan’s head.
Registered designs
The swans head was not the only form used to create beautiful smelling bottles, or scent bottles as they are now known; birds, fish and animals were also produced.
Thomas Webb & Sons were the only known manufacturer of scent bottles to register their designs:
Rd 11109 dated August 12th 1884 – Scent bottle. (In the shape of a swan’s head.)
A sketch representation of Rd 11109.
Rd 15711 dated 23rd October 1884 – Shape of scent bottle. (Fish scent bottle.)
This Rd is found on two different shaped fish. See image gallery.
Rd 16828 dated November 13th 1884 – Shape of scent bottle. (In the shape of an albatross.)
A sketch representation of Rd 16828.
Rd 16829 dated November 13th 1884 – Shape of bottle.
A sketch representation of Rd 16829.
These registration numbers can be found engraved in the glass, carved in the cameo or written in gilt.
Registration numbers 16888 and 16898 are quoted in the literature, but these are corruptions/mis-interpretations of 16828.
Thomas Webb & Sons produced various fish with cut, engraved, gilt or cameo decoration. They also probably produced an alligator with cameo details.
The Dolphin
A white over ruby cameo dolphin with a spiral body and silver tail cap, the body carries the registration number 18109, which, together with 18108, was taken out by the silversmith Samuel Mordon & Co., for “Shape of perfume bottle” . It is unclear if this registration is for the silver fish tail cap, which could fit various shaped bodies, or the actual dolphin body.
The design of the bottle has been attributed by the International Perfume Bottle Association (IBPA) to Daniel Pearce at Thomas Webb & Sons.
There is no documentary evidence available to substantiate this claim. However, a remarkably similar sketch, associated with Palissy ceramic items, does appear in a Frederick Carder sketch book from 1883 made at the Louvre Museum, Paris. Carder’s sketch books are known to contain inspirational sketches for items he had created at Stevens & Williams. (see image gallery below).
S&W Pattern records
