Topic: Etched 'sugar' bowl.

[keith]

Just over 4 inches high,the 'eyes' can be felt on the inside of the bowl,loads of wear,maybe excessive,but unusual and from a charity shop so not expensive,any ideas please

[Paul S.]

sorry to seem thick Keith, but what part of this is 'etched'  -  is this optic moulding?     I'm using the laptop, and away from my normal abode, so maybe not seeing properly

[Lustrousstone]

There is a little flowery thing on each "eye". Victorian I would guess

[Paul S.]

thanks Christine - seems I forgot to blow up the pic.       However, are you sure this is etched i.e. acid,.........looks quite possible this is copper wheel engraved  -  although I'm sure you're right with Victorian.      Keith, if you look at those tiny circles, do you see scratches on them, or am I bonkers again.         Has anyone ever seen machine acid etching on anything other than a flat surface?   

[keith]

Sorry,lots of little scratches I get my terms mixed up ,wheel engraved it is, so not bonkers,as for optic moulding I'm not sure

[Paul S.]

oh I think better to be hand decorated than machine etched.      However, I'd disagree about the sugar bowl assumption Keith, and might suggest it's a dessert bowl of some kind.     The stem decoration is an inverted baluster shape, and the collar immediately under the bowl may well give a date of somewhere between 1860 and the end of the century.     Does it ring? and I can't see from your pic. if there is a ground/polished pontil depression, or simply a flat bottom.       I think it unlikely you'd find a maker, these things were made in hordes  -  and can in fact form a collecting theme in their own right, as many have attractive cut decoration.     Something that is practicable and useful

[keith]

Has a a nice ring,not quite what you get from a heavy crystal piece,the base is flat with a dome inside the base of the bowl,like you say probably impossible to put a maker to it but after a tiring day a reasonable find for little money