Class glass is still very collectable; Flash back Under the Hammer.

Byline: by John Crane of Cato Crane auctioneers

CHOOSE a colour. Any colour. What was it? Red, blue, green? Purple?

Even if it was something less obvious, there will beacolouryou can collect in glass. Now there's a challenge!

I'm thinking in particular of the glass produced in the 40s, 50s and 60s with its Italian and Scandinavian influence. One of the best known manufacturers of glass in Britain was of course Whitefriars.

Years ago, guality glass was sold by local art shops in Liverpool. I remember in particular the displays of glass in the Medici Galleries in Bold Street in the 1950s.

At that time, there was an explosion of colour and form in Italian glass making.

Many Italian companies copied from each other, and pieces by designers such as Dino Martens or Fulvio Bianconi, which are beyond the price range of most collectors, are available as derivative pieces, at more reasonable prices.

Cased glass - that is to say, glass that is produced by blowing two or more layers of glass together - is a special feature of much of the glass that emerged from Scandinavia in the 1950s and 60s.

Initially, much of the glass produced by Whitefriars was transparent, but Geoffrey Baxter, one of its most prolific designers, experimented with strong, bold colours.

Glass made during the 40s, 50s and 60s was usually marked. However many manufacturers used paper labels which are now often missing. However, you can check the base for a mark in the centre of the bottom or on the outside of the foot. Some pieces may have the manufacturer's symbol impressed on the base. Medina glass sometimes has an impressed Maltese Cross. Darlington and Strathearn glass also have impressed marks. If there is no obvious mark, hold the piece up to the light or hold it against a piece of black cloth or card to look for an etched or engraved signature.

Today's interior design, with its emphasis on muted colours and minimalist accessories, cries out for a bold piece of dramatic, coloured, studio glass.

'The Banjo', designed by Geoffrey Baxter for Whitefriars, sold for pounds 1150 on BBC's Flog It this week. Why did it sell for so much? You've guessed it. The rarity of the colour. And what colour was it? Purple. I might have to change the curtains for that one!

CAPTION(S):

COLOUR: The Whitefriars Banjo