Recent Commissions

On this page, I thought it might be interesting to show some of the commissions I have recently worked on and finished. They are listed by their description (goblet, vase, candleholder etc) and also the circumstances of their commission. I felt this might be useful as a guide if you are thinking of commissioning engraved glass. Usually, in fact, always, there is an over-arching theme which comes as a motif from the client. I then develop this with the client, suggesting themes which spring from the main motif, incorporating other designs, lettering and images.

	"Hedgerow"- decanter with 8 goblets Decanter hand-blown by Bob Crooks, engraved with an English hedgerow. Height 18cm The eight goblets accompanying this decanter show: an iris, a parrot tulip, a banksia, an elephant apple, a dogrose, a cactus, a hibiscus and orange blossom This was commissioned for presentation to an English gentleman who has travelled in many countries. I took the theme of the hedgerow to reflect his English roots, and on eight accompanying goblets are engraved flowers and plants of the countries he has lived in
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	'Orange Blossom' goblet Goblet, hand-blown by Bob Crooks, and engraved with orange blossom one of eight goblets depicting a plant or flower from one of the six continents, accompanying the 'Hedgerow' decanter.
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	'Hibiscus' goblet Goblet, hand blown by Bob Crooks, and engraved with a hibiscus. Height 18cm. one of eight goblets depicting a plant or flower from one of the six continents, accompanying the 'Hedgerow' decanter.
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	'Cactus' goblet Goblet, hand-blown by Bob Crooks, engraved with a cactus from Nigeria. Height 18cm one of eight goblets depicting a plant or flower from one of the six continents, accompanying the 'Hedgerow' decanter.
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	'Dogrose' Goblet Goblet, hand-blown by Bob Crooks, and engraved with a dogrose (Rosa Canina). 18cm high one of eight goblets depicting a plant or flower from one of the six continents, accompanying the 'Hedgerow' decanter.
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	'Elephant Apple' Goblet Goblet hand-blown by Bob Crooks, and engraved with the Elephant Apple, Dillenia indica. Height 18cm one of eight goblets depicting a plant or flower from one of the six continents, accompanying the 'Hedgerow' decanter.
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	Banksia Goblet Goblet hand-blown by Bob Crooks, and engraved with a Banksia. Height 18cm one of eight goblets depicting a plant or flower from one of the six continents, accompanying the 'Hedgerow' decanter.
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	Tulip Goblet Goblet hand-blown by Bob Crooks, with the flower of the Parrot Tulip. Height 18cm one of eight goblets depicting a plant or flower from one of the six continents, accompanying the 'Hedgerow' decanter.
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	Iris Goblet Goblet, hand-blown by Bob Crooks, engraved with the flower of an iris. Height 18cm one of eight goblets depicting a plant or flower from one of the six continents, accompanying the 'Hedgerow' decanter.
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	Large Vessel This large vessel was hand-blown by Bob Crooks to my own specification. It was engraved with camellias. Height 40cm, diameter 30cm. This was based on a Chinese vessel which I saw in the British Museum many years ago. It was blown by Bob Crooks to my specification, with input from the client. Engraved with camellias which seemed appropriate given their origin in China and the fact that they were in season when I painted them
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	Suzanne Lucas Memorial Award Presentation vase, hand blown by Bob Crooks to my specification, engraved with camellias and the inscription "Suzanne Lucas Memorial Award", for the Society of Botanical Artists. Height 25cm, width 16cm
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	"Hedgehog" Christening Mug Christening Mug, hand-blown by Bob Crooks, engraved with a hedgehog, initials and a date. Height 10cm I loved working on this small christening mug- I loved its proportions. It is to be a present for a little girl.
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	Ring of Jasmine A presentation bowl hand-blown by Bob Crooks, engraved with a ring of jasmine and bearing a date I chose jasmines being a strong white flower, and the association of the scent of the flowers
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	Squirrels Platter, hand-blown by Bob Crooks, engraved with two squirrels and a woodland scene For someone who is very keen on nature. I have previously represented hedgehogs for this client, but spotting a red squirrel in the Charente gave me the inspiration for this work
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	Noah's Naming Mug A Naming Mug, hand-blown by Bob Crooks, engraved with the name and a pair of hedgehogs. Height 9cm. A close-up of the pair of hedgehogs I chose two hedgehogs because of the association of Noah with the animals going in "two by two" into the Ark
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	Noah's Naming Mug A Naming Mug, hand-blown by Bob Crooks, engraved with the name and a pair of hedgehogs. Height 9cm. view of the mug showing the hedgehogs. Hedgehogs are one of childhood's favourite creatures, so I chose them for this Naming Mug
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	Seasonal Meadow A bowl with a rolled edge, hand blown by Bob Crooks with initials, a heraldic swan and spring flowers. Diameter 15cm, height 13cm. The spring flowers: snowdrops, primroses, dandelions, wood anemones, fritillarias, violets, daisies, clover, forget-me-not, poppies, ox-eye daisies, wild oats, cyclamen and herb robert. And a Cambridge Blue butterfly
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	Seasonal Meadow A bowl with a rolled edge, hand blown by Bob Crooks with initials, a heraldic swan and spring flowers. Diameter 15cm, height 13cm. View showing the heraldic swan
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	Seasonal Meadow A bowl with a rolled edge, hand blown by Bob Crooks with initials, a heraldic swan and spring flowers. Diameter 15cm, height 13cm. Rolled edge bowl, view showing initials C S I This was a commission for someone with a passion for wild flowers
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	Terence Goblet hand blown by Bob Crooks, engraved with the name 'Terence' and a dove. 18cm high This view show the lettering in Roman capitals This is one of a series of Anniversary commemorative goblets
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	"Sara" Perfume bottle, hand-blown by Bob Crooks, engraved with the flowers and fruits of the gingko, and the name 'Sara' on the side and its Amharic transcription on the stopper. Height 15cm. Close-up of the stopper showing the Amharic transcription of the name 'Sara' A close-up of the stopper showing the Amharic rendering of the name
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	"Sara" Perfume bottle, hand-blown by Bob Crooks, engraved with the flowers and fruits of the gingko, and the name 'Sara' on the side and its Amharic transcription on the stopper. Height 15cm. Shows the gingko leaves on the stopper and the fruits and leaves on the bottle This commission was a present to someone to whom their Ethiopian background was important. The bottle bears their name Sara in its European alphabetic representation but also in Amharic, a script language derived from the Biblical Gi'iz
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	"Little Kibler" A pair of goblets hand-blown by Bob Crooks, and engraved with narcissi. Height 15cm A pair of goblets showing a prize-winning variety of narcissus exhibited at the Royal Horticultural Society, London
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	"Harriet" Goblet hand-blown by Bob Crooks, engraved with the name 'Harriet' and an anniversary date. Height 18cm This is one of a series of Anniversary commemorative goblets
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	Carp A shallow platter engraved with two carp, water-lilies and two mayflies. 46cm diameter 6cm deep, crystal, hand-blown by Bob Crooks. Accompanied by six small platters This is another pair of small platters accompanying the large Carp platter. These show a grasshopper and a mayfly. Diameter 10cm.
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	Carp A shallow platter engraved with two carp, water-lilies and two mayflies. 46cm diameter 6cm deep, crystal, hand-blown by Bob Crooks. Accompanied by six small platters Two of the six accompanying small plates. One is engraved with a yellow iris, the other with a frog. Diameter 10cm
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	Carp A shallow platter engraved with two carp, water-lilies and two mayflies. 46cm diameter 6cm deep, crystal, hand-blown by Bob Crooks. Accompanied by six small platters This shows the large platter seen from an angle
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	"Salmon" Decanter hand-blown by Bob Crooks, engraved with a salmon leaping up a mountain stream. Accompanied by six goblets engraved with woodland plants and small animals. 28cm high
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	"Badger" Goblets The third pair of goblets to accompany the "Badger" Decanter. Height 14cm The third pair of goblets, depicting violets & a forget-me-not and a daisy & grass The woodland scene with daisy & grass, and violets & a forget-me-not
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	"Badger" Goblets The second pair of goblets to accompany the "Badger" Decanter. Height 14cm. The second pair of goblets, depicting a dogrose and a bramble The woodland scene with dogrose and bramble
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	"Badger" Goblets A pair of goblets to accompany the "Badger" Decanter. This pair (one of 3) depicts a dandelion and a robin. Height 14cm This is one of three pairs of goblets to accompany the "Badger" decanter. One depicts a dandelion, the other, a robin The commission was based on the depiction of a woodland scene. The decanter shows a badger, and the associated goblets show dandelion, bramble, primrose, dogrose and a robin
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	"Badger" Crystal decanter, hand-blown by Bob Crooks, engraved with a woodland scene with a badger and a robin. About 28cm high This is the decanter of the set of decanter plus six goblets
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	Anniversary Bowl Bowl hand blown by Bob Crooks in blue graduated glass, engraved with names and dates and cyclamen. Height 15cm, diameter 20cm This shows the names "David and Mary". The bowl is photographed in strong sunlight to emphasise the blue colour of the bowl
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	Violets Dartington Champagne Goblet engraved with violets. Height 25cm I was able to choose the subject for this commission, and I chose violets because they were in season
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	Brambles and Rosehips Spherical bowl, engraved with flowers and leaves of bramble and rose-hip. 21cm diameter x 20 cm high. This was commissioned by a client who has a wild garden
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	Ducks Bowl in clear crystal, hand blown by Bob Crooks, engraved with various species of ducks. 15cm high x 12 cm diam. Three Aylesbury ducks This was a request from the client to engrave a variety of ducks. There are mallards, aylesburys and indian runner ducks
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	Violets Champagne, hand-blown by Bob Crooks, engraved with violets. Height 18cm This was a commission to match an existing champagne glass, engraved with snowdrops
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	Honeysuckle Goblet, hand-blown by Bob Crooks, engraved with flowers of honeysuckle (lonicera periclymenum). Height 18cm
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	Bramble Goblet hand-blown by Bob Crooks, engraved with fuits and leaves of bramble. Height 18cm
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	Back Door Window An engraved leaded window showing a dog, chickens, a willow and fritillarias. 65cm x 46cm This shows the window engraved, but before mounting in the door I took inspiration for this work by walking round the garden and have recreated in the window the sense of space
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	Moly Blue bottle, engraved with the Summer Snowflake (Leucojum aestivum) and its Greek name: "Moly". Height 12cm The stopper is carved in the form of one of the bell-like flowers of the plant This bottle was executed for a client with a particular historical interest in the Summer Snowflake. In the Greek legends, it was the remedy given by Hermes to Ulysses to counteract the poisonous spell of Circe
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	Soledad Bottle in crystal, hand blown by Bob Crooks, engraved with ginkgo leaves and the inscription 'Soledad'. Height 15cm
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	Rothschildiana Goblet, hand-blown by Bob Crooks, engraved with Gloriosa simplex (Lilium gloriosa rothschildiana). Height 12cm This shows one of the flowers of the lily This was engraved from a specimen native to Africa, provided by the client
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	Songs of Spring Goblet hand blown by Bob Crooks, engraved with a primrose, a snowdrop and a winter aconite. 19 cm high This is one of a series of seasonal goblets depicting the flowers of the year
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	Heraldic goblet One of a pair of goblets, hand-blown by Bob Crooks, engraved with a heraldic crest
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	Peony Tumbler Whisky Tumbler, hand-blown by Bob Crooks, engraved with a single peony flower One of a set of six to accompany the peony Decanter This tumbler is one of a set of six each bearing a different species of peony, to accompany the peony decanter
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	Peony Decanter Decanter hand-blown by Bob Crooks, and engraved with a peony plant ('Pink Hawaiian') This decanter was blown to my design, to accompany six whisky tumblers, each of which has a different variety of peony
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Page last updated 18 August 2009