Topic: George Sherwood Eccleston Flint Glass Works St Helens Sugar Bowl & Cream Jug

[mhgcgolfclub]

I bought this clear pressed glass sugar bowl & cream jug to add to my ever growing collection of Victorian clear pressed glass.

The cream jug has a date lozenge for the 15th Feb 1850 and the sugar bow for the 23rd May 1850. Registered to George Sherwood of the Eccleston Flint Glass Works of St Helens Lancashire.

These are the earliest pieces I now have that have a registered date lozenge. I believe I do have a cream jug and sugar which dates from the 1840's.

My challenge is to now find an item with a 1840's date lozenge

Roy

[Frank]

If you find one for 1841... name your price 

[mhgcgolfclub]

I think I have a chance with 1845-49 but 1842 -43 extremely difficult as very few items registered  :thup:

[Bernard C]

Roy — See Strange & Rare, The Glass Circle, 1987, item 181.

The Thomas Gammon registration of 12 October 1849 is not too difficult to find.   I've had two of the fine quality lidded pickle jars through my hands, and I'm sure that I've seen jelly glasses with the same registration.

The pickle is interesting as it is a complex and sophisticated production, very much the equal in standard of the later early Manchester pickle jars and cruet bottles.   I've never seen anything which could be considered an early stage in the development of the pressed glass techniques used on these pieces.

Here's a much later (1910) example of the same pressed glass technology:

Mystery Arts & Crafts Condiment Set in Glass and EPNS

I wonder where this technology was developed, presumably earlier in the 1840s?

Bernard C. 

[Frank]

Possibly France 1830s Bernard. Details of anything not easy to come by.

[neilh]

What I find odd about the very early pieces, and I mean pre 1845, is that they often seem more ornate than what came later. Here is the earliest pressed sugar bowl known for Molineaux & Webb. I estimate the date around 1840 +- 5 years. Most of the ones after this are significantly more plain.

[mhgcgolfclub]

Thanks Bernard and Neil

At least I know there are a few items that have a earlier date lozenge for me to hunt down.

I think this sugar and milk is possibly pre 1850 but cannot be sure as they are not marked.

The jug stands 3.5" and weighs 536 gm while the sugar bowl stands 7" and weighs 1170 gm

Thanks Roy

[neilh]

Roy, what do you think?
If a match, the sugar bowl strangely numbered 0.7 I think dates to 1860. I would say the creamer is from a different set and looks quite like a M&W piece I would have dated to 1840-1845

[mhgcgolfclub]

Neil

I bought both pieces at least 5 years ago. I agree they are most likely not a match and from different sets, thinking about it I cannot remember if I bought together or separately .

The sugar bowl does look like the same sugar bowl  as your picture. The weight and thickness of the glass does makes me think earlier than 1860,  although I do have a similar chunky comport registered for 1856

I did wonder if it was a pattern that may have been made earlier than 1860 and remade later. The earlier chunky pieces must have stopped being made around the 1860 when most registered pieces were made from thinner glass.

Roy   

[neilh]

Hi Roy,
There's a little leeway with the dates I'm throwing at you and late 1850s is also a possibility for the sugar bowl. I am including a picture of the jug that looks pretty similar to yours - the top edge is a bit different. This is the earliest jug design from the M&W catalogue and I reckon early 1840s, so I would date your piece similarly.