Rare Vintage 1940s Whitefriars Clear Flint Glass Controlled Bubble Candlestick – Pattern No. 9318
An exceptional and highly collectible piece of British art glass history.
Designed by the legendary William Wilson for James Powell & Sons (Whitefriars) in the late 1940s, this Pattern No. 9318 candlestick is a masterclass in mid-century design.
The rarity of clear flint glass. Whitefriars' controlled bubble pieces are widely documented and found in heavily saturated cased colours—such as sapphire blue, sea green, and golden amber—finding this specific 9318 pattern in completely clear flint glass is an absolute rarity.
Whitefriars produced very few clear iterations of this design, making this a highly sought-after find for serious collectors and completists looking for elusive variants.
Features a heavy, low-profile onion base embedded with perfectly distributed, symmetrical tiers of trapped air pockets.
This iconic controlled bubble technique was pioneered by Wilson using a specialized spiked optic mold.
The Stem: A beautifully hand-tooled, double-knop baluster stem that smoothly transitions into a elegant, gently flared rim designed to hold a standard taper dinner candle.
The Foot: The base features a deeply recessed, flawlessly ground and fire-polished smooth pontil dip—the definitive signature hallmark of premium, hand-blown Whitefriars studio tableware from this era.
Excellent vintage condition. The crystal is bright, clear, and retains its beautiful historic luster. There is some friction shelf wear to the base.
A spectacular, standalone mid-century statement piece or the perfect missing half to complete a rare pair.
Designer: William Wilson
Manufacturer: James Powell & Sons (Whitefriars)
Pattern Number: 9318
Measures 10cm
Era: Late 1940s / Early 1950s
Material: Lead Crystal / Flint Glass