Othello Vase

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The tall vase shown in Figure 1 is ACGA Collection inventory #998.053. It was cut in the Othello pattern by T.B. Clark & Co., and was donated to the ACGA Collection in 1998. This is a wonderful pattern laid out on this blank as tapering columns of hobstars separated by large vertical vesicas filled with cane and hobstars.

Figure 1 shows a side view of the vase. Hobstar columns are delimited by beading. Three stacked hobstars form each column, separated by bowties of crosscutting. Beneath each hobstar column is a pentagon of vertical notched prisms.

Figure 2 shows the beaded vertical vesicas cut between hobstar columns. Each vesica has kites of cane at the tips, with a pair of hobstars between. Atop each vesica is a large fan at the "shoulder" of the vase. Below each vesica there is a pentagon of double mitre octagonal hobnails.

As shown in Figure 3, the vase neck is filled with step cutting. There are four toothed rim scallops. Beneath alternating scallops are kites filled with either small flat stars, or crosscutting.

The ACGA Othello tall vase is 17" tall, and weighs 11 lb. 1 oz. The flared rim has an outer diameter of 5.5". The base is 3 5/8" diameter, cut in a 24-point rayed star. The maximum width at the shoulder is 6 1/8", and the neck tapers to only 3 1/8" across. Depth from maximum rim height to bottom is 16 5/16" The metal of this high quality blank exhibits a bright crisp blue-white color.

Published images and surviving pieces indicate that Clark cut the Othello pattern onto at least three different tall slender forms.

The Maple City-Clark book reprinted by the ACGA (tan cover) doesn't show this vase blank or pattern in the 1896 Clark catalog. Othello pattern is shown on p. 20 of the 1905 Clark catalog cut onto a handled wine bottle with punties. Page 43 shows the Othello pattern cut on our vase (blank No. 281) offered in 11", 14" and 17" tall versions without punties in the hobstar stacks. (The same blank is also pictured cut in Angelus pattern.) Othello with punties in the hobstar stacks appears again in the Clark 1905 catalog on p. 48, as a tall corset form vase (blank No. 25) available in 12", 14", 16" 18" and 20" sizes.

Neither blank No. 281 nor the Othello pattern appear in the Clark 1908 or 1910 catalogs. Maple City reprinted catalogs do not show the blank 281 vase in any pattern.

An image of the ACGA vase form cut in Othello is pictured in a Clark advertisement reproduced on p. CLK-22 of Advertisements Book One. The August 1903 advertisement shows a blank 221 vase that appears to be taller than our example, and fans fill the bowties within the hobstar columns.

The Othello pattern is shown cut onto a tall corset-form vase pictured in a 1904 advertisement reproduced on p. CLK-17 of Advertisements Book One. Interestingly, this form uses a pattern variant having bullseyes separating the hobstars within the columns, with filling bowties of crosscutting.

The advertisement dates combined with surviving catalog content suggests that Othello may have been cut by Clark from about 1903 (prior to the 1904 acquisition of Maple City), to about 1905 or 1906.

Blanks for the Clark Othello vases perhaps were made by the Union Glass Co. The LABAC Cycle #3 Union Blanks Catalog reprint shows (on page Vases 11) available blank #319 in sizes from 8" to 30". This item exhibits form and proportions that seem identical to the Clark Othello vase. (In The Glass of Fredrick Carder by Gardner, the Stuben 6290 12" vase blank shown on p. 280 is similar, but is the wrong size and has slightly different proportions.)

At least three other companies used the "Othello" name for other patterns. Hawkes cut an "Othello," , shown on p, 198 of The American Cut Glass Industry, by Spillman.

A celery tray cut in another "Othello" pattern is shown on p. 28 of the LABAC Cycle #2 Bergen 1904-05 catalog reprint. Bergen probably cut the same Union vase blank #319 in 12", 15" and 18" sizes with their "Kenwood" pattern; see p. 50 of this catalog. Another example of Bergen "Othello" is the reproduced catalog illustration on p. 152 of Encyclopedia III, by the Pearsons. A celery tray in Bergen's Othello is also shown on p. 38 of Evers Cut Glass Value Guide.

The International Silver Company cut a pattern sometimes called "Othello" (see ACGA Hobstar, Jan/Feb 1986, p. 5 or Reprints CNP 521). Revi's American Cut and Engraved Glass (1967 ed) shows on p. 97 the 1918 patent drawing for this floral and geometric pattern. A bowl in this cutting is shown in a good photo on p. 233 of Swan's American Cut and Engraved Glass (1998 ed).

Research Issues.

1. Need to add more information on the two Othello pattern variants (with and without bullseyes).
2. ACGA member Bob Joyce has an Othello Vase show in the ACGA reprint Maple City and Clark catalogue on page 48, signed by Clark. Need to compare detailed information on Joyce and ACGA vases.

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Figure 1. A tall vase cut in the Othello pattern by Clark	Figure 2. Vesicas are filled with hobstars and cane between the columns of hobstars in Clark's Othello pattern.	Figure 3. Step cutting on the neck of the Clark Othello tall vase.