Topic: URANIUM cut glass marmalade, with square foot (in Honey Amber!)

[Paul S.]

returning to the original post for a moment, there is some small, but possible nudge in the direction that, as suggested, this piece may possibly have a genuine Harrach provenance.
In their 'History of Glass' by Dan Klein and Ward Lloyd  -  page 174  -  the authors show a Sugar-Water set in uranium glass, which they attribute to Harrach. c.1840.   Although in the book the colour is not qualified as honey amber, it certainly looks to be the same as this piece, and the glass tray on which the decanters etc. sit has a rim cut in very similar wavy fashion.             Not remotely conclusive, of course, but if nothing else seems to lend weight to the likelihood of a possible Harrach origin.      I don't know how distant, geographically, Harrach and Riedel were from each other, although in the 1840's they would, of course, have both been Bohemian (one is now Czech. and the other Austrian) - but obviously near enough for the grape vine to spread the word.   
I assume a 'chigger mark' is a flea bite of some description  -  yes/no?  ...............and since I know very little about preserve containers, can someone tell me the origin of describing this open topped, 'sugar' style item as a 'marmalade'.               Is this an Americanism  

Anyway, congratulations Dave  -  gorgeous piece.

[mrvaselineglass]

Paul
yes...a chigger mark would be like a flea bite!  I did not even recall writing it that way.

One question I have to pose.....Harrach was a Bohemian manufacturer, and time and time again, I have been told that Potash was used instead of lead so that the glass could be cut.  However, my dish has a high ring that goes on and on and on....like more than 10 seconds.  It definitely has a lead content.  Anyone want to weigh in that IF it were Harrach, how it could have such a long ring to it?

Marmalade is shallower than a sugar, but more cupped than a tazza.  Marmalade was for jellies, jams, sweetmeats.  Marmalade was invented before this piece was made.  Marmalade pre-dates 1840s.  It was invented in England when a produce guy got in a shipment of bad oranges and tried to do something to salvage some of his cost.  I forget the names and dates right now, but it goes back a long way.

Dave

[Paul S.]

thanks Dave.       With my rather limited knowledge of C18 and C19 table glass, I suspect that on this side of the pond we would simply call your 'marmalade' a sweetmeat  -  as far as I know we keep our real marmalade (the stuff you spread on toast) in a lidded marmalade pot which may be made from either ceramic or glass (helps to keep the flies off).   These small preserve containers have, often, an opening in the lid for a small silver coloured spoon.    Of course, the working classes still spread it directly from the jar.

I've trawled through a few of the books regarding lead composition in Bohemian glass, but regret I'm unable to find conclusive evidence of an approximate start date, specifically for Harrach.           Certainly one or two eastern European glass factories were following Ravenscroft's idea some time before 1840, although not necessarily with great success.          However, it would be hard to imagine there were any glass houses that, by about 1840, hadn't realized that the inclusion of lead oxide gave all the attributes that make lead crystal the amazing material for cutting/dinging/sparkle that it is.       

Perhaps you might write to Harrach (believe they are still working) and ask the question of them.       

[samted25]

Moving back to the plate and glass...just wanted to let you know that I think I have located the maker of this set.  It appears to be the work of the Hawkes company, the exact pattern is shown on a comport in one of their old catologues and also the exact shape of the stemware is also shown in their catologues from the 1920's period.  Appears to be part of their "Waterford" series...just thought someone might find this of interest.

Cheers, Cary