If you are interested in learning more about the history of Portland Vase--and about the Pargeter copy, specifically--our library has a wealth of information available to you.
First, from the online description of the object in the Museum's collection:
The fame of the Portland Vase and of Wedgwood's replicas of it, played a major role in the establishment of cameo glassmaking in England. The leading promoter of the revival was Benjamin Richardson (1802-1887) of the Red House Glassworks at Wordsley, who employed many of the most talented glass engravers, etchers, and carvers of the day. Richardson not only bought one of Wedgwood's replicas of the Portland Vase to inspire his craftsmen, but also offered £1000 to anyone who could reproduce it in cameo glass. Richardson's challenge was taken up by two of his employees, Philip Pargeter, who in 1873 supervised the production of the first cased blank shaped like the vase (it was blown by Daniel hancock), and John Northwood, who between 1873 and 1876 carved one of Pargeter's blanks into the first glass replica made by the cameo technique.
Additional Online Resources
You might also be interested in the article "Antiquity Discovered" and two blog posts, Portland-mania! and Curious and Curiouser: Surprising Finds from the Rakow Library, which provide information about the Portland Vase reproductions.
The Rakow Research Library has digitized and made available one of Philip Pareter's trade catalogs, which you can access through our catalog:
Library Materials and How to Borrow Them
You could also read more about Philip Pargeter and cameo glass by requesting some of the materials below through your local library via Interlibrary Loan.
Trade Catalogs and Pattern Books
Pargeter, Philip. [Pattern Book no. 1]. Stourbridge: Philip Pargeter, Red House Glassworks, 1872-1876. 249 p., entirely illustrated. Notes: Microfilm only. Contains blank outline for Portland vase. Location: Microform Trade Catalogs Pargeter, Philip, Stourbridge, England. (R-523) or Microform R-523
Selected Books and Articles
Duffy, E. Mary. “Philip Pargeter and John Northwood I: Cameo Glass Pioneers.” Antiques 82, no. 6 (Dec. 1962): 639-641. Location: Periodicals NK1125 .A625
Ellis, Jason. Glassmakers of Stourbridge and Dudley, 1612-2002: A Biographical History of a Once Great Industry. 1st ed. Harrogate, England: the author, 2002. Note: Includes Red House Glassworks, Wordsley. Location: Stacks TP854.E5 .E47
“From the Glass Archives: Philip Pargeter Obituary.” Cameo, no. 54 (Spring 2010): 31-36. Notes: Includes excerpt from 1906 newspaper, and the Northwood/Pargeter reproduction of the Portland Vase. Location: Periodicals NK5102.5.K5.C18
Goldstein, Sidney M. Cameo Glass: Masterpieces from 2000 Years of Glassmaking. By Sidney M. Goldstein, Leonard S. Rakow, Juliette K. Rakow. Corning, NY: The Corning Museum of Glass, 1982. Locations: NK5101.C8.C81; Microforms F- 6683
Hemingway, John. “Redhouse Glassworks and the Portland Vase.” The Black Country Man 34, no. 2 (Spring 2001): 71-73. Location: Periodicals DA670.B55 .B62
“Historic Pargeter-Northwood Vase.” Pottery Gazette 85, no. 996 (June 1960): 752-755.
Whitehouse, David. English Cameo Glass in The Corning Museum of Glass. Corning, N.Y.: Corning Museum of Glass, c1994. 63 p. Location: NK5143 .W59
The library has additional materials on the Portland Vase and cameo glass. You can search the catalog or contact the library for more information. Please do not hesitate to contact us with your glass-related questions in the future!
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