Glass Message Board

Thanks for the great links Ekimp.

To be honest the first one I've seen in cut glass dates to c.1830s and is a pineapple shape  - referred to as such in the caption if I recall correctly.  The second oldest one I've seen is most ornate and is in the Farbenglas book.  That's a water melon shape or marrow shaped horizontal box with lots of ribs carefully handcut  into it, the ribs are gilded as well as the stalk and it's sat on a leaf shaped underplate with cut rim and also all gilded with gilded veins and edging to the intricately serrated rim. It's in transparent dark green glass so pretty true to marrow shaped form or watermelon perhaps and lots of manhours gone into the making and decorating.
I think they were used with stalks either with ribs or without throughout the 1800s, but in the Harrach book it discusses how they gradually used ribs on them to denote a peeled fruit/vegetable type thing if I've remembered correctly.  I think they were used in all forms but perhaps became less ornate as the century wore on simply because less manhours required for a simpler shape?  Then of course the snake handled boxes came into fashion in the 1860s.

The ones you've pointed out in the unknown maker catalogue appear to be eisglas.  That book looks maybe 1870s to me looking at the other pieces in there. I don't know why they've mentioned 1865/1905. Perhaps it does date to 1865? Some of the white enamelling on coloured glass looks like Julius Mulhaus to me.  Interesting that of the two stalk boxes which look like eisglas one has a round plate and the other is a ribbed box and so has a ribbed underplate to match (more expensive option than the plain one maybe?)

Food for thought! thank you for the links.

m