Learn more about… Whitefriars Glass

The history of Powell Whitefriars glass is one of the longest and most fascinating in British glassmaking. In particular, since the closure of the factory in 1980, interest in their twentieth century glass has exploded. A rare meadow green ‘Banjo’ vase by Geoffrey Baxter, which would have struggled to make more than £200 a decade ago, can now fetch over £2,000!

(left) A large Whitefriars bark log vase in ruby, designed by Geoffrey Baxter, pattern no. 9691. c1967 9in (23cm) high £50-80 Courtesy of The Country Seat.

The glassworks at Whitefriars, just off Fleet Street and within easy reach of the Thames, was founded sometime in the seventeenth century. The name of the locale was a homage to the ancient Carmelite monastery that had once occupied the site. As well as its name, the old monastery had bequeathed the area a distinctly anarchic flavour – the right of sanctuary lingered on here until 1697, acting as a beacon for debtors, thieves and murderers. It is thought that Pepys visited the Whitefriars glassworks in 1669, having found the performance he was due to attend at the nearby Duke’s Theatre already underway.

The modern history of Whitefriars begins in 1834, when the London vintner James Powell purchased the factory. His acquisition serendipitously coincided with a boom in church construction – increasing urbanization combined with the splintering of the Protestant movement into ever more factions meant that more churches were needed, and these new churches needed windows. Powell & Sons began manufacturing stained glass in 1844, collaborating with the archaeologist Charles Winston to revive the craft of medieval glazing. Through this association, Powell & Sons fostered ties with the burgeoning Arts and Crafts movement, further cemented when they worked with William Morris on his magnum opus, the Red House, in 1859. Commitment to the manifesto of luminaries such as Morris and Ruskin resulted in Whitefriars’ range of reproduction Venetian glass, made with soda rather than lead glass so as to remain faithful to the original process. Historic Venetian forms provided the basis of much of the firm’s output during this period.

(right) A Whitefriars "straw opal" footed bowl. c1890 9in (23cm) high £1,200-1,500 Courtesy of Andrew Lineham.

James Powell’s grandson, Harry, joined the firm in 1875 after studying chemistry at Oxford. His passion for the processes of glass manufacture led to the development of new techniques and forms – he was particularly enamoured with the organic lines of Art Nouveau. Harry was also responsible for the development of new kinds of opalescent glass, such as the celebrated ‘straw opal’ yellow. Powell & Sons were soon at the cutting edge of the art glass movement, competing with rival companies such as Loetz and Tiffany. It can be difficult to identify genuine Powell & Sons from this period as the work was not often marked or signed, and many rival companies emulated the designs they produced. Some very early pieces have an impressed stamp, and the company later adopted the ‘cowled monk’ logo that was applied as a sticker to much of the factory’s output from 1923.

(left) A late 1930s Whitefriars bottle shaped vase with two horizontal bands, pattern number 9136. 8.5in £250-350 Courtesy of Jeanette Hayhurst Fine Glass.

The original factory was abandoned in 1923 for state-of-the-art premises at Wealdstone, where the company embraced the reigning Art Deco style and produced heavy, cut glass with geometric designs. During the war years the glassworks were turned over to industrial production, and it proved difficult to return to the heady days of innovation and success once peace was restored. The Festival of Britain eventually provided the necessary boost – Whitefriars was chosen to represent British glassmaking, and soon began to feel the benefit of the country’s increasing economic confidence.

Breaking with the factory’s tradition of training employees in house, chief designer William Wilson appointed top Royal College of Art graduate Geoffrey Baxter in 1954. Like many of his contemporaries, Baxter was inspired by the radical and exciting new design principles emerging in post-war Britain that were embodied by the 1951 Festival. Probably influenced by Scandinavian design, he began to produce innovative, decorative and modern pieces in bright colours with clean lines and asymmetrical forms. New colours – ocean green, twilight and arctic blue – were soon introduced to these ornamental ranges, which were made from the more cost-effective soda-lime glass instead of lead crystal.

(right) A Whitefriars kingfisher blue glass 'Banjo' vase. 12.5in (32cm) high £1,200-1,800 Courtesy of Hamptons.

Commercial success followed and in 1966 Baxter introduced a range of textured glass. These designs were preceded by master blower Harry Dyer’s textured 1964 ‘Knobbly’ vase, but while Dyer’s pieces were formed free hand, Baxter’s were blown in deep relief moulds, sometimes cast from bent nails, bits of tree bark and other interestingly textured flotsam and jetsam. The ‘Bark’ series, ‘Drunken Bricklayer’ and ‘Banjo’ vases all date from this period of experimentation and today they epitomise the appeal of Whitefriars glass for many collectors. The success of the textured range was consolidated by the introduction of Tangerine orange and Kingfisher blue in 1969 – psychedelic colours that were an instant hit with a fashion conscious market. During the same year the flint textured ‘Glacier’ was developed, followed by ‘Everest’, ‘Icicle’ and ‘Eiger’. Baxter’s glassware from this period is now extremely hot and prices can be sky-high, although smaller and less rare pieces are more moderately priced at around £20-30, so there is something available to suit every budget.

Despite the runaway success of these mass-produced lines, Whitefriars did not miss the growing trend for individually produced, high quality studio glass, popularised by the birth of the innovative ‘studio glass’ movement of the late ‘60s. Around 1969, Peter Wheeler produced a number of limited edition studio pieces for Whitefriars, including his popular ‘Peacock’ range. Often decorated with random streaks of molten glass and with enamel or metallic highlights, his pieces were expensive at the time and are rare today, as production was strictly limited. Most of Wheeler’s studio work is etched with a Whitefriars mark, making it easier to identify.

(left) A claret jug, by Hillebeaur for Whitefriars, with trefoil neck and engraved with an exotic bird. c1880 11.5in high £240-280 Courtesy of Jeanette Hayhurst Fine Glass.

By the early 1970s, the economic climate in Britain was starting to change for the worse. The stained glass studio was the first section of Whitefriars to feel the downturn, closing in 1973 after demand from ecclesiastical buildings fell significantly. Competition from eastern European imports was becoming fierce and the factory responded by abandoning innovative design to concentrate its efforts on more traditional cut crystal. This change failed to stop financial problems and Whitefriars was declared bankrupt in 1980.

Enthusiasts have their favourite periods, styles or designers from Whitefriars illustrious history. Today, however, the market is most enthusiastic about pieces dating from the post-war years, especially those designed by Baxter. Values have risen exponentially over the past decade, and it is likely that the price of rare, large and characteristic pieces will continue to increase, but much less dramatically. When buying textured glassware look for a good depth of moulding on the surface as the moulds were worn away, and thus became less effective, with continual use. Try to avoid pieces with damage or accidental bubbles that interfere with a design. ‘Aquamarine’ and ‘Evening Sky’ colour vases are extremely rare and are worth around £1,000. Of the more common designs, ‘Drunken Bricklayer’ and ‘Banjo’ vases are especially valuable and can fetch between £200-£1,000 or more, depending on rarity, colour, size and condition.

Images © Judith Miller & Dorling Kindersley