775 -- Whitehouse glass house Edward Webb, Argentine, Patent by Arthur Nash

In the 1870's Arthur Nash went to work for Edward Webb at the Whitehouse glass works. He became Manager and Chief Designer. In 1883 Arthur Nash took out a patent for Oroide and Argentine glass. Oroide glass was gold burst foil and Argentine was Silver burst foil. So that dates this piece to 1883-1887 or so. In 1890 when the glass market began to flounder in England he was tempted over to America By Louis c. Tiffany, where he became the driving force behind the innovations of the glassworks. In the Nash Notebooks which mainly focuses on the Tiffany Period, it is mentioned that this mark is a confirmed mark used by Whitehouse Glassworks. Now, Pretty sure most of you have noticed the Whitehouse "Argentine" burst foil is suspiciously close to Loetz "Argentan" Burst foil. I find it very curious myself. Loetz Argentan was patent applied for in 1908. It was this period when the iridescent faze was winding down and Loetz was probably looking for new wow factor to make. I tend to think maybe they went hunting down Arthur's patent history looking for "Inspiration" Most glasshouses did some variation of a burst foil technique but the use of this particular name by both houses to describe it is peculiar if not an homage. (unless there is some other link to burst foil and the name argentine that I am unaware of) So this little vase has links to both Tiffany and Loetz. (although it's a bit of a fine spider web tendril on the Loetz link) I'd love to see what their Oroide looks like. I still don't have a piece of Tiffany proper but now I have a pre-Tiffany and a few post-Tiffany Nash pieces. :) I am absolutely thrilled to add it to my collection. Another odd thing about this piece is that it is pitch black. Absolutely no light passes thru. So it's a true Hyalith glass. Yet another technical accomplishment. You so often see lower quality glass from Whitehouse. Nash must have really Stepped up their game in the later years with pieces like this.