Topic: Cut glass jug

[fatbelly]

Hello.
I have just bought some glass from a charity shop.I never buy cut glass but I could not help myself with this piece.As soon as I touched it I knew I was going to but it.It feels beautiful quality and is superbly cut in my eye but I’m not a cut glass buyer.
Is this an English piece pre or post war or earlier.The cutting is flowing with the technique to back cut highlighting the cuts is nice.The foot is cut from below giving a really soft finish and there is general lift and put down wear to the base.The base of the handle has been straight cut giving a visual effect and the handle also has cuts on both sides.
The glass itself looks glossy.No marks that I can see.
Measures 11” h and weighs 1.3kgs.
Any thoughts or ideas welcomed and appreciated in advance.Sorry for pictures a difficult item to pic.
Regards
FB

[fatbelly]

Some more pics.
FB

[neil53]

Hi, not really my speciality but the way the handle as applied would suggest pre-1850 manufacture and the engraving is reminiscent of the Stourbridge companies.  Might be a good place to start research.

[fatbelly]

Hi Neil.
Thanks for that.Im amazed it could be pre 1850 although the wear is consistent on the base and the cutting is as said to my eye really nice but this is the first piece of cut glass I have ever purchased.
I will use that as my starting point and see how I go.
Thanks
FB.

[Paul S.]

might help in the search using rock crystal  -  it's not of course but there was much effort put into shallow cutting that attempted to give that sort of appearance.        Agree the handle has the appearance of a period style, and the ewer shape is an older design too.            Something vaguely similar showing this type of cutting was called polished bright.         I'm going to disagree with Neil, and suggest c. 1900 give or take twenty years.             Very nice piece though - you've a good eye.   Sorry, not a clue as to origin.

[fatbelly]

Hi Paul.
Thanks for the imput.
You have just answered my next question about it being rock crystal.How would you tell if it was or in this case that it isn’t.
Also the cutting to the spout and behind the 3 flowers is very distinctive but I cannot find it online as yet.I am looking at Stevens and Williams and Webb’s and other Stourbridge cut glass some of which is really beautiful I think maybe I have made an error in just ignoring cut glass in the past as boring and mostly clear.
I will add anything I come up with.
Regards
FB.

[chopin-liszt]

Rock crystal cut is polished with acid after the cutting, to remove all traces of cutting remnants (wheel marks, sharp edges, etc.) afterwards.
It does make a much smoother feel to the whole thing and if you're looking at it with a magnifyer, you'll see fewer bits of evidence of cutting than you would on a bit that hadn't been acid polished.

[fatbelly]

Hello Chopin.
The piece has a very smooth feel to all the decoration I had to touch it a lot to confirm it was actually cut which it is although I’m not saying this is rock crystal I’m just saying it is very smooth to the touch and if other company’s used lighter cutting techniques to mimmic rock crystal then that will account for that.
Thanks for the explanation I’m grateful for the knowledge
Regards
FB

[Paul S.]

don't get too hung up on trying to link this to high end rock crystal from the C19 - the Fritsche Ewer this is not -  this is a very different end result, but nonetheless one that used flowing lines, curves and floral subjects to imitate the sinuous style of rock crystal carving.    The polishing was presumably to copy the clarity and brilliance of the original stuff.

I know we've offered several date lines for this, but occurs to me that the engraving/cutting looks a tad similar to Jack Lloyd's work - though he was a lot later than the dates suggested so far, but worked into old age producing intaglio material, and he was a Stourbridge worker.             You should look carefully all over the imagery - he often placed his name hidden somewhere within the decoration - probably not, but you never know

[fatbelly]

Hi Paul.
No fear of that.Its a cut glass jug that I presumed was between the war years and of a certain quality I couldn’t leave behind at the price.Thats about as far as my expectations are and no more.
It will end up being sold in auction after the wife has tired of using it but still a thing of beauty even if not high end quality at the piece mentioned.
Thanks for the information etc.
Regards
FB.