vasart

In 1946 “Ysart Brothers Glass” was formed, loosely basing its designs on those of Monart, using some identical shapes, whilst adapting others, as well as producing their own forms. It is generally believed that during the early period of the company’s history the colours used were deeper and more vibrant.

In the same way that Isobel Moncrieff orientated Monart wares toward fashion trends of the day, the Ysart Brothers Glass company reflected the post-war desire for pastel colours, gradually producing more items with pale greens, lilacs, pinks, blues, turquoise and yellow, often using one colour in conjunction with another, or with white.

One of the commonest ranges produced by the firm was “Harlequin”, which more usually utilised a colour with black to the upper part of the body and a scattering of randomly coloured canes around the middle area of the vessel.

The “Vasart Glass Company” name that superseded the Ysart Brothers title in 1956 took on the previously used product name of Vasart. This had been derived from using Vincent, Augustine and Salvador’s initials in conjunction with the latter half of their surname.

By this point in time Vincent was the only surviving member since both his father and brother had died. The new company name had been instigated by Vincent being joined by George Dunlop of Pirelli Glass Ltd, Potters Bar, London, whose connection with the firm grew from the contracts that it had given Ysart Brothers to decorate glass starting in 1949.

The new firm continued to produce the same sort of wares as before, whilst also gilding and enamelling items for decoration for firms such as Martini. Even some of the art glassware’s received additional gilding to their rims, although this was more usual on the small vases and baskets often referred to, incorrectly, as miniatures.

The first commercial item produced in conjunction with another company, Teachers whisky, was an ashtray in the form of a collapsed whisky bottle complete with label. Vincent spent a considerable amount of time developing this line after a request by Teachers to see if Vasart could reproduce one that had been produced by accident in a potter’s oven in New York. Several versions of this were produced over the years, identified chiefly by the difference in label and stopper used on the particular variation.

There was also another link with a whisky company, that of Bell’s, a Perth based firm who commissioned Vasart to make a series of coloured glass bell shaped decanters to promote their whisky. Usually the original gilded stopper, which matches the banded gilding to the bottle, is missing.

Identification of Vasart is often thought to be simply a matter of looking for a acid etched script mark to the base of an item, however this is a misnomer, since this kind of mark (not signature) was used for about 10 years between 1946 and 1956, being replaced with a black label having silver writing and border. Initially Ysart Brothers had used a round black and white paper label with spaces for a code, not unlike that used by Monart.

To date the versions of this label that have been recorded in recent times have generally not had the pattern/colour code filled in. Interestingly, there was a fruit set that included 6 bowls, 6 under-plates and a matching large bowl in the Micheal Parkington collection that was sold at Christies, South Kensington, London, in October 1997 and April 1998. The set had labels on every piece, all of which included codes. Sadly, not only were they split into different lots – they were also in separate sales!

The firm finally changed its name to “Strathearn” after being bought by Teachers Whisky and moved in order to increase production of their novelty publicity ashtrays. It was not possible to fulfil the capacity required at The Shore Works, so a new glassworks was built in nearby Crieff that the company moved to in January 1964.