A late 19th Century Thomas Webb & Sons cameo glass plaque attributed to Ludwig Kny, the cameo blank cased in opal over ruby and cut to the central well with a diaphanous female figure seated to a cloud holding a flaming torch surrounded by butterflies, possibly to represent Day, all within a repeat stiff arched and foliate border, measures 18.8cm across. 

NB - Frederick Engelbert Kny was one of several Bohemian glassworkers employed at the Dennis Glass Works in Amblecote. He came to Amblecote circa 1860, and he became a skilled engraver of colourless glasses decorated in the high-relief "Rock Crystal" style. His sons, Ludwig and William Kny, also worked in Amblecote for the firms of Thomas Webb & Sons, Webb Corbett and Stuart & Sons over the late 19th and early 20th century.

This plaque possibly depicts a representation of day with the nymph seated to a cloud surrounded by butterflies and appears to be a possible partner to a similar plaque held within The Corning Museum of Glass collection titled 'Nymph in a Crescent Moon' or 'Luna', accession number 89.2.17.

It is thought that this piece along with other examples of cameo from the Kny family were executed over the late 19th and early 20th Century for Ludwig's own personal learning and enjoyment. To date there are only a handful of examples of Cameo glass by Kny known to exist with including Luna and three further examples currently held in the Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council collection. 

Provenance - Ludwig Kny and thence by descent.

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