Topic: Swizzle sticks Umbrellas vaseline handle

[Aislingeanbeag]

I have seen a good few of these little novelties and always thought of them as cocktail swizzle sticks but am  correct?
I date them to 1930s but again how correct s my estimate?
I have no idea who made them but hope someone will tell me!
When I was taking these pictures I noticed that he centre handle was opalescent almost vaseline and had never noticed this before. Anyone have any comments?
Cheers
Dave






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[Aislingeanbeag]

Am I allowed to 'bump' this ?
I really would appreciate any info on these novelty items!
Cheers
Dave

[Lustrousstone]

Three days is a bit naughty for bumping...

 I can't decide if these are swizzle sticks or cocktail sticks: swizzle sticks usually have rounded ends to withstand the swizzling and cocktail sticks have points for stabbing. But these don't have long enough points to be useful.

I think opalescent would perhaps be a better term than vaseline, which is generally used for yellow uranium glass on here.

My gut reaction is Japanese post war but that's only based on a general feeling.

[Ivo]

These have been mass produced in the 1940s and 50s in Czechoslovakia, Germany and in Italy. My mother once told me that in WW2 the shops were empty, and the only thing in the shop windows were glass cocktail sticks. This lasted until the shops filled up again, which was not until the fifties. So when she got married in 1950, she got 3 sets of glass cocktail sticks... I believe the trend was set by Bimini in the 1930s.

[Aislingeanbeag]

Thank you for your info!
Every little helps when you are learning.
Whether cocktail or swizzle they are decorative survivors of an age long gone and I like them.
Here in Scotland they usually sell at auction between £3 and £5 each so there must be some collectors out there apart from me!
Cheers
Dave

[Coupsdestylo]

Hi these are certainly glass umbrella cocktail picks or sticks, these ones are most likely Czech, If you still have them or find any more I would be interested. Novelty Silver umbrellas start 1931, paper umbrellas about the same time. Glass novelty cocktail picks (as opposed to swizzles and stirrers) have defiinetly been made from 1936, Often attributed as Murano & Bimini, most are German or Czech.
Regards
Dominic

[chopin-liszt]

I haevn't looked at the images, because I won't click on photobucket as it messes my pc up, (much as though I would like to see them) but I have a boxed set of 6 sticks which would be quite at home with their brothers and sisters in Ivo's cup.

The box is marked "Foreign No.69.22" in purple ink, using a stamp of some sort, and there is biro writing on it, giving the price. 9/-
9 shillings was an awful lot of money.

They have sharp points for stabbing olives (or whatever) and little hooks near the top for hanging on the side of a glass

[Aislingeanbeag]

old picture of brollys attached to this

I haevn't looked at the images, because I won't click on photobucket as it messes my pc up, (much as though I would like to see them) but I have a boxed set of 6 sticks which would be quite at home with their brothers and sisters in Ivo's cup.

The box is marked "Foreign No.69.22" in purple ink, using a stamp of some sort, and there is biro writing on it, giving the price. 9/-
9 shillings was an awful lot of money.

They have sharp points for stabbing olives (or whatever) and little hooks near the top for hanging on the side of a glass

[Coupsdestylo]

If you like these you can see some more here https://uk.pinterest.com/coupsdestylo/glass-cocktail-umbrellas/ 

[KevinH]

Sadly, for people who are not members of Pinterest, the site allows only a few "scroll down" moves and then darkens all the details and overlays a Login screen. Not friendly at all.