Barton & Son’s Unembossed ‘Sanded’ Target Ball

Unembossed ‘Sanded’ Target Ball

Mottled Light Blue and Turquoise

E. Barton & Son’s

Stourbridge, England

Provenance: Ex: Ralph Finch Collection, American Glass Gallery

This interesting specimen is the second of three examples in our museum of the previously unknown Barton & Son’s unembossed ‘Sanded’ target ball from England. Quite a few balls were found in a wooden box in an old storage building under renovation in England in 2005. No other examples have shown up to date.

E. Barton & Sons Stourbridge, Purveyors of Fine Glass Shooting Targets original wooden shipping box. England. 27-1/2″ x 9-1/4″

This 2-5/8″ diameter ball is in an interesting mottled light blue and turquoise coloration with specks of green scattered throughout. It has a rough sanded finish and is a 2-piece mold with a wide neck with a sheared and factory ground mouth. It is in perfect condition.

See the second museum example – Barton & Son’s Unembossed Cobalt Blue Target Ball. Our third light blue museum example is pictured below. You can see it rotating here.

Third museum example: Unembossed (Barton & Son’s) ‘Sanded’ Target Ball, England, 1875 – 1900. Light blue with splotches of deeper turquoise color, rough sanded finish, 2-piece mold, sheared and fac-tory ground mouth, dia. 2 5/8”, perfect. In 2005, a few of these very scarce balls were found in their original wooden shipping crate marked, Barton & Son’s /Stourbridge / Purveyors of Fine Glass Shooting Targets, (see Lot #804). A most unusual ball.

Mike O’Malley reported on this find and the four variants in an article in the September October 2008 issue of the FOHBC Bottles and Extras magazine. [click to read]