Mat-Su-No-Ke
Mat-su-no-ke was the Stevens & Williams art glass pattern registered on October 18, 1884 under the RD #15353. It was only produced for a very short time due to the complexity of the crystal applique, the singular nature of the formed, stylized daisy head blossoms, and the inherent ornate trailing vine work that was ALWAYS at risk. The legs were also part of the registered design, and although varying in size, the special rustic sculpted looping design was used exclusively on the Mat-su-no-ke items.
Cataloguers and others will on occasion refer to other pieces of Victorian art glass with applied floral and vine decoration as mat-su-no-ke “type”. They are referring to a style made famous by the original Stevens & Williams examples, but are not themselves genuine mat-su-no-ke pieces.
On the bottom of a true Mat-su-no-ke piece, you will see the signature Stevens & Williams domed base & raspberry extended prunt. This is the one and only Mat-su-no-ke design. All subsequent Thomas Webb, Stevens & Williams, John Walsh Walsh, Sowerbys, Hodgett & Richardsons, Stuart & Sons, and any other Stourbridge region, Victorian glass houses’ applied florals and mundane bases, are simply that – nice applied flowers and legs over homogeneous or cased hand blown glass.
p4A.com gratefully acknowledges John Scherz for his assistance with this note.