Topic: Tiny cut glass pedestal bowl - ID = Walsh / Tudor Crystal

[Lustrousstone]

What is this? And any idea who made it and when. Thick lead crystal cut to about half its depth, chamfered edges, fire polished, base cuts underneath, nicely made. I think it's been made in three pieces: blown bowl, then stem, then foot. Doesn't seem quite right for a salt and too curvy and shallow for matches. 2.75 in (7 cm) diameter, 2.5 in (6.5 cm) tall

[Ivo]

i vote table salt.

[Bernard C]

Christine — Fire polished?    Are you sure?    I'm certain that you will find it has been hand polished, with lovely traces of the cutting striations still visible, adding extra sparkle to the piece.

While I can tell you who made it, I can't tell you which factory.   See Reynolds p35 fig.105(i) for a boxed set of the unfooted version.   This is the basic pattern that was later developed into Walsh's Crystal de Luxe with the addition of convex windows around the rim and other modifications.   The Walsh team appears to have continued with this pattern at The Stourbridge Glass Company (Tudor Crystal) after Walsh closed on 1 October 1951, as I have an unmarked perfume atomiser in the same pattern, obviously from the same team and to a blank shape clearly shown in the Walsh pattern books, with silver fittings hallmarked 1953.   Such pieces may also be hybrids, partly made in both factories, if Tudor acquired Walsh's stock of uncut blanks along with the team, quite possible and likely, as Walsh's closure was a positive act by the shareholders and management, not a hatchet job by administrators for creditors following involuntary liquidation.

Lack of a Walsh or Tudor mark doesn't help with dating as there were always trade buyers who didn't like their glass marked.

The concentric ring? base is unusual.   I've seen it on one example of Koh-i-Noor that went through my hands a couple of years ago.   Again it doesn't help with dating.   This feature could have been a major retailer exclusive, and could have continued with pieces made at Tudor Crystal.

I would appreciate a photograph of the base and your permission to keep and utilise both photographs for my own purposes, with proper acknowledgement if published, of course.

Later:- Yes, as Ivo said, it's a salt.

Bernard C. 

[Lustrousstone]

You're right Bernard, I can see with my loupe. I'm not very good with cut glass, although I can usually tell when it is cut.

Thank you for the ID. I've bought Reynolds now - I've just got room for a few more books...

Here is a picture of the base; it isn't concentric rings. I don't know what you'd call them. Do you still want the pictures? If so, do you want me to mail you the full size ones?

[Bernard C]

Christine — Thanks for the photograph.   Yes, it's a typical base finish by the Walsh / Tudor cutting team, further confirmation of the attribution.   I would describe it as a ring of closely spaced radial cuts, but that is hardly succinct!

I've seen the same base finish on a set of Koh-i-Noor boat-shaped pedestal salts marked Walsh England, footed versions of Reynolds p35 fig.105(iii).

... and yes, please, send me the full sized photographs.   That's kind of you.

Bernard C.