Northwood Drapery Aqua Opal Rosebowl

Northwoods' Drapery is a deceptively simple pattern of concentric curved bands between ribs. The pattern is ideally suited to the crimped Rosebowl shape where each of the six ribs forms the apex of a crimp. In the opalised versions the ribs and the upper beaded edge are highlighted against the body colour.

This example is in Aqua Opal, with a heavy Marigold iridescence producing an effect described as "Butterscotch"; a gloriously soft buttery orange with golden highlights that looks as if you could break a piece off and eat it. The base has only a light dusting of iridescent overspray which allows the beautiful Aqua base glass to show through clearly.

The combined effect of pattern, form, and colouring is very unusual, and brings to the imagination any number of things. Drapery is a very appropriate description of the effect of the concentric bands: they remind me of the folded fabric in a Sikhs' turban, or the painted swags of garments in Old Master paintings. The ribs seem to give it an organic appearance, especially in Opal, when they look like a white underlying bone structure. Viewed from above and below it could be a Cactus plant or Sea Urchin shell; when turned upside down it's like a strange creature with a bowed head hunched up ready to pounce.

The David Richards Collection, Cumbria, UK