Matthew Turnbull Hobstar Reversed Marigold Rosebowl

I love Carnival Rosebowls. The cupped in lip seems to give them a magical quality: inside the concave surfaces concentrate and reflect their iridescence around the bowl, while outside the smooth convex surfaces reflect light evenly and with added brilliance.

This Hobstar Reversed Rosebowl has a unique shape. The normal Rosebowl shape is extended at the base into a torpedo shaped section, which has a wonderful affect on the way the internal iridescence is perceived. It acts like a parabolic mirror and the colour in the base looks as if it is suspended in mid air; very difficult to capture in a photograph but I hope these give some hint at the effect. The overall design is simple, geometric, with a pared down detail typical of the 1930's Art Deco style.

This is an interesting piece, probably rarely seen outside the UK. Little was known about it or its maker until Glen & Stephen Thistlewood, through their extensive research, confirmed the fascinating story behind its maker, the English glass company, Matthew Turnbull. They found the Rosebowl illustrated in a Matthew Turnbull catalogue from the 1930's. This catalogue illustration, shown here by courtesy of Glen and Stephen, shows the Rosebowl as a three part assembly comprising; a black glass plinth ref. no.495, the Rosebowl, and fitted flower block frog.

I've never seen this as a complete assembly, but if anyone reading this has one I'd love to hear from them. I think it would look superb on the black plinth, but I would have reservations about fitting the flower frog because this would effectively hide the wonderful optical effect within.

The full story of Matthew Turnbull and their production of this and other Carnival Glass items can be read on the Thistlewoods' website, CarnivalGlassWorldwide, which they have kindly agreed to share.
 
The Dave Richards Collection, Cumbria, UK