Topic: spoon warmer or toothpick holder? Brit help needed!

[mrvaselineglass]

Bernard
thanks for your input.  It is always valued.  I noticed that no one has made reference to toothpick holder, and these are sometimes labeled that way for sale in the modern market. I do not know what the usage was of toothpicks in Victorian England during that time period, so thought it was worth asking.  From what I have read about the USA market, toothpicks were in favor during the 1880s-90's, but started to fall out of favor as being a bit "uncouth" or uncivilized after 1900 and have had a downhill slide since then.  Posey pot seems like a bigger probability, though.

[Bernard C]

Dave — I'd already dismissed toothpicks, as the angle seems to me to be too low.   Pull one out and they could all come tumbling out.   Not ideal in genteel company.

I had also dismissed a number of other possibilities, including a spittoon for grape / orange pips, or olive / plum stones, as those opalescent petals could get stuck up a nostril, causing severe injury.   Another was a parking place for chewing gum, but this is, of course, traditionally on the bedpost overnight, so it can't be that.   And it didn't seem to be capacious enough for peanut shells.

Bernard C. 

[mrvaselineglass]

Ahhhh, Brit humor!  It takes a while, but yes, I eventually get it!
again, thanks for your help. 

On a whim, I just decided to look in some of my toothpick holder books that I have and found my exact piece (same color, with opalescent rim, and the same metal stand) in HEACOCK'S book, entitled 1000 TOOTHPICK HOLDERS.  He listed it as a British flower form, with an EPNS frame, and valued it at $175 when the book was written in 1977.  I guess Heacock figured out how to keep the toothpicks from falling out!
Dave

[Bernard C]

Dave — Apologies for the humour.

I've been thinking about Bill Heacock's book, and the answer lies in the title.    Just imagine the conversation between Bill and his publisher.

"Well, Bill, do you have any suggestions for a title for your forthcoming book?"

"I quite like Glass Toothpick Holders of Europe and America.   I did consider 981 Toothpick Holders, but it's not very snappy."

"Well, how about 1000 Toothpick Holders?"

"I can't — I've only found 981!"

"You will just have to include 19 nearly toothpick holders.   I have every confidence in you."

"But I can't."

"Oh, yes, you can.   No-one's ever going to check.   Trust us, we know about these things.   Right, that's all settled then.   1000 Toothpick Holders.   Goodbye, Bill.   Have a nice day!"

Bernard C. 

[Leni]

Please, Bernard!  Don't tell me this is another book I need to buy!   
Seriously though, as Dave asked earlier in this thread, what exactly does define a 'toothpick holder'?   Could some / several of my collection of little ... er ... 'posy vases' in fact be toothpick holders?   Did the Victorians really use toothpicks so much more than they 'used' little bunches of flowers? 

Enquiring minds.... and all that 

[Bernard C]

Leni — I would never suggest that a British collector or dealer invest in Bill Heacock's books as core reference works, unless you specialise in one or more British glass houses which exported extensively to the USA.

Apart from this, they are a generation out-of-date, and so should be read with considerable caution.

On the plus side, Heacock's works were always well researched from the US point of view.

The two I own were bought cheaply from a second-hand bookshop.

I suggest you borrow an example or two from your library before investing.

As for toothpicks, I don't really know, but I suspect that more items are labelled toothpicks in the USA than should be, because of Heacock's two books (there was a sequel).   In Britain and Europe the opposite might hold true, i.e. some toothpicks might well not be recognised as such.

The situation here in the UK is complicated even more by the differing rates of Purchase Tax on tableware as opposed to flower vases and ornaments.   So, rather like the multitude of vases sold as celeries, there may have been posy vases sold as toothpicks, mustards, salts, or spoon warmers!

Bernard C.