ROBERT ELLISON FOR MEADOW GLASS; a collection of approximately forty pieces of cut and crystal glassware, including decanters, goblets, wine glasses, a large Waterford Crystal vase, height 26cm etc, with three catalogues from Meadow Glass exhibitions and detailed photographs of Meadow Glass items.

Robert Ellison and Lesley Blackburne work together as a partnership in combining their talents. They aim to achieve their fineness and delicacy of nurturing glass. Robert Ellison (born 1931) spent many years trying to express his passion for the Dee Marshes in watercolours before discovering that his natural medium lay in sculpture. For fourteen years he was a skilled joiner, yet the strong association with wood in every day work had dulled its interest in artistic material; however, the few pieces he carved were to his satisfaction. Glass engraving came to him by the chance when he was scratching an old bottle with lathe tool; he was so convined that this was right for him that he gave up his job in 1970, and spent three years developing a technique of wheel engraving with Lesley Blackburne. The result was a deeply incised subject in the glass, more akin to sculpture than an outline image. For this, only English handblown lead crystal has proved suitable in thickness and in quality. They both spend long hours doing fieldwork, using photographic equipment and sketchbooks along the marshlands. Lesley, who cartoons the subjects onto the glass also selects, prepares and polishes the glass. Together they carefully choose each composition, and match it to the individual piece most suited. The engraving is all worked by Robert, who uses a freestyle to bring the cartoon to life, guided by the reminder of the observation, and his intuitive knowledge of the subject. Most of their recent work is concentrated in larger pieces which lend themselves to more complete compositions. Exhibitions include 1975 Samlesbury Hall, Preston, 1977 Brotherton Gallery and 1979 Paris and Amsterdam.