This is an unusual and possibly a more experimental vase by John Ditchfield. It is signed on the base and has an engraved inscription Glassform. It is also has a very low edition number: 315. This would be a piece made just after he opened his Glasform studio.
John Ditchfield was born in Blackpool in 1952. He served a seven year apprenticeship at the Venetian Glass Company where he was taught by the skilled Murano glassblower, Franco Toffio.
He established his Glasform company back in the UK in 1982. Here he made beautiful hand-blown one-off vases (such as this one), lamp bases, and paperweights. He specialised in stunning iridescent finishes. His one-off pieces were signed and often had their unique issue number on them. This one is marked with an early number and is part of his Unique Collection which was started back in 1982.
My vase is a lovely flattened ovoid shape and is made from a satin finish opalescent clear glass with an overlaid blush of rainbow hues forming an iridescent shimmering layer. I have taken a lot of photographs to capture the effect on the surface of the vase. It is certainly a very strange and rare Ditchfield piece - where he has been experimenting with a crackle texture and cracks in the glass. I haven't seen another like it before by him - so perhaps an item of more interest for the specialist Ditchfield collector. It is a nice larger size and a very minimalistic design for a piece of Ditchfield.
It would have to be sent with Royal Mail Special Next Day Delivery with the Royal Mail. This is the only tracked service that gives full insurance for loss or damage to glass items in transit. Standard Royal Mail now only offers £20 insurance.