Topic: Pair of Cut Glass Vases

[mhgcgolfclub]

I bought this pair of cut glass vases today, I thought that they may have been ABP but now believe that they are more likely to be English or European, the base and rim does not quite look right but I would be very interested in any opinion as to the ID

They stand 8" tall and weigh 500 gms each so are  quite heavy and well cut

I asked the seller if they knew anything about the vases, they told me that they had been told that they well late Victorian and may have been made in the Stourbridge area

many thanks Roy

[glass]

At first sight I'm thinking 1930s but the cutting looks quite sharp suggesting maybe an earlier date. The cutting is high quality and the vases have scalloped feet. Please upload a clear picture of the underside of the foot. Thanks

[mhgcgolfclub]

A couple of pics of the base, the cutting is quite sharp, thanks for looking

[mhgcgolfclub]

I have looked through 100's of ABP in the 2 books I have and on the internet and found a few items with similar rims and base but still very insure as to the location of these vases were made

Roy

[glass]

Hi Roy. Sorry about the delay in getting back to you.

I'm a bit stuck with these.

The deep sharp quality cutting along with the thick wide foot is typical Georgian glass c1800, but I would expect to see wear on the underside of the feet. Deep cutting was also popular in the 1930s but the cutting is usually not as sharp due to the cut piece dipped in acid to give the final polish, before this the piece was hand polished which was the most time consuming job. I would have to say at a guess that these vases are c1880 and most definitely made in England or Ireland. This type of glass is high quality but generally underrated. Hope this has helped. Cheers

[Bernard C]

Roy — We have a family piece which is very similar indeed.   Although we don't know its history, we do know something about its date, as it was either a wedding present to Janet's father upon his first marriage in 1924, or it is earlier and from his side of the family.   So ours is 1923–24 or earlier.   Family tradition is that it's earlier, but family tradition can be very optimistic!

I can't see how any of the half dozen or so British centres of cut crystal manufacture and a similar number on the Continent can be eliminated in your quest for attribution.   A quarter of a century ago it would have been Stourbridge or Bohemian, seriously inaccurate but much tidier!   Fortunately our knowledge has increased dramatically, in no small part due to Broadfield House Glass Museum.

Bernard C. 

[krsilber]

These are likely later Brilliant period, 1900-1915.  Could be American; English also possible; I think Continental is less likely.  There an image of a Stourbridge piece in this pattern (Harvard) in Hadjamach, but it looks to me like the crosshatching is left/right and up/down, rather than diagonal.  Harvard was first used by Hawkes around 1900-1910.

The deep sharp quality cutting along with the thick wide foot is typical Georgian glass c1800

Definitely not Georgian!  Neither the pattern or this type of rich cutting was done that early.  Georgian patterns are simple by comparison.

Deep cutting was also popular in the 1930s but the cutting is usually not as sharp due to the cut piece dipped in acid to give the final polish, before this the piece was hand polished which was the most time consuming job.

  Acid polishing was widely used in the US beginning around 1900, and acid polished pieces can be very sharp.  The good quality ones were hand-buffed after acid polishing, as acid often left an unwanted pitted or watery texture on the surface.  Some English or Irish pieces with cuts that aren't very sharp may have been fire polished.  Waterford fire polishes their cut glass, though I don't know when the practice started.

[mhgcgolfclub]

Thanks for your replies, I would agree with the date 1900-1920, I would also agree with Bernard that if English would be very difficult to attribute to any one manufacture, unless they were ABP when it may be possible to ID the pattern and maker,

I still believe that they are more likely to be English but it would be good to at least attribute them to a Country if not a maker

Thanks Roy

[glass]

Ah the American brilliant period 1880 to 1915, basically British Georgian Regency copy's with different pattern cutting. LOL.

Cut glass has been produced in England and Ireland since 1780. Cut glass had progressed at a fast rate with the best machinery and the most highly skilled glass cutters in the world based in the UK. By the 1820s rich cut crisp British crystal glass from this period is the best in the world with the rest of the world to follow. There is plenty of simple cut glass during the late Georgian period but there is also lots of Georgian glass cut deep and with intrigate patterns. These vases are not typical Victorian or Edwardian style due to the quality of the cutting and have a strong Georgian influence.  Don't you just love the British xx

By the way, fire polishing has been used on some glass for over 200 years.

[glass]

 :thup: