Topic: old glass wine taster? tastevin?

[Paul S.]

probably striations rather than wrythen, which is a spiral looking pattern created deliberately.

Christine is of course correct re comments about wear, but I've noticed that on pieces with large cut stars, the wear can be elusive to the eye.        Sometimes it's necessary to look at the sharp ridges between the arms of the star - and since these can be quite fine, then 'seeing' the wear is less easy than had the object rested on a flat base etc.
Having looked at a lot of cut glass, I'm inclined to think there is a difference between old and new........old is sharper, usually, and the grinding marks (within the cuts) often remain more noticeable on older pieces.

Having looked through some books, this seems an elusive object, and writers (on table glass) you might have expected to have referred to them, seem not to......i.e. Barbara Morris - John Brooks - Felice Mehlman...........and those that do i.e.   Manley and Millers seem only to refer to pressed examples.          Manley calls it a 'fruit bowl - he shows the standard Davidson pressed version (which I have in yellow pearline)  -  Ivo says simply 'Nappy = bowl'.
Harold Newman (in his dictionary) says 'nappie - and gives the States as the instigator of the design and quotes B.&S. producing them in Lacy Glass.
The most unlikely one being the Chippendale handleless example in Andy McConnell's version of Miller's  -  quite interesting reading on page 113  -  being most definitely a States example from the original 1917 catalogue.    A satin-finished green bowl having a rim formed of large scallops  -  but definitely described as a 'nappy' (a rimless open dish).

So possibly just a vernacular name for a small bowl (which is what Ivo says

no way any cut examples though - sorry.

[flying free]

Thanks so much Paul!
I'd been through Felicity's book and alll others I own but nothing either.  It's strange to be able to find lots of pressed versions but none blown.
I've had to look very carefully under a strong magnifier to spot any wear but yes there is some on the high spots between the star cuts...not visible to the naked eye on casual close looking though.  I've attached a picture where you might be able to see some and also the striations on the cut edges of the star hopefully (the edges at 7 and 8 o'clock).
Thanks again for taking so much time to look this up for me.  I appreciate it.
m

[flying free]

According to Webb's their version of this shape was called a 'sweet dish'
m

[Paul S.]

you don't quote your source for this information m..........   Anne will be cross           I think I've also heard them called bon bon dishes, and don't forget the other names that Christine mentioned.

As we've said, use of the word 'nappy' to describe these things seems to be of States origin - although what it derives from I've no idea, it seems to go back to at least the mid C19 - I've looked in the Shorter OED, and nothing there for the U.K.
However, there is much use made of the word in a slang context, and in that sense it seems almost exclusively U.S., either as a prefix or simply on its own.
Since it's only teatime on the east coast, prehaps someone from the States can tell us the origin of the word.

[flying free]

aah well Paul - just for now I'm keeping the source secret   however I have to admit the name of it was stated by a retailer of a Webb's range, so it could well be that was the name the retailer gave to it, not Webb's.  But I would  think that if it wasn't a  Webb's description, then the retailer would be using a description that the general public understood (to maximise their sales)- so I think I will call it a sweet dish for now.
m

[Paul S.]

sorry if it sounded as though I was doubting you  -  not in the least m.          I'm sure that's what it was called, and assume the 'sweets' were those things that came from what we called sweet shops, where you could buy 'a quarter' of whatever, or two ozs. if you were poor.
You could be right about the name being possibly given by the retailer.

Edited to add:        Obviously not looking at the books carefully enough!!                 Just noticed that one of the Silber & Fleming volumes - from the early 1880's - shows several of these handled dishes, with both cut and pressed decoration (page 159) - all of which they call 'Jelly or Sweetmeat Dishes', and in sizes ranging from 4 - 6 inches.             So, do you fancy slurping your custard or jelly out of such a shallow dish??

So I wonder if your name of sweet dish might in fact have more to do with culinary matters than boiled sweets in wrappers?

[flying free]

thanks again for taking another look   I do appreciate it Paul.  I wonder if the little handle was for holding the bowl still with one hand whilst using a spoon to sup your 'sweet' from the dish?  a little like a handled soup dish.
However I must say the Webb one I've seen had a higher rim and a wider base and mine is shallow by comparison so I can't imagine supping much out of my bowl.  Perhaps mine is a jelly?  wasn't jelly a kind of savoury jam type thing?
m

[flying free]

need to try and find my notes but I visited the Museum of Fine Art in Valencia last week and there was one of these in there.  Star cut base,  engraved and gilded decoration, identified as La Granja San Ildefonso 19th century iirc. but I need to check.  Sorry no pics as didn't have camera - but what an amazing museum, definitely worth a visit.

m

[Paul S.]

quote...............identified as La Granja San Ildefonso 19th century iirc........definitely worth a visit".........sorry, too far to go just to check up on a nappy.         How can you go on hols without a brownie??           Look forward to interpretation some time.

[flying free]

aah, can't find notes at mo, no camera as been many times before:)
think it was definitely mid 19th.
The museum was mostly paintings.  There were two or three pieces of glass I think.  I nearly missed this one.  It was in a separate 'combined display cabinet' of wooden items, brass, ceramic, a large sort of lidded punch bowl thingy and then this small bowl just caught my eye.  So the shape I believe dates to 19th and was used in Spain I guess.  There was no definition as to what it was used for though unfortunately.  I asked the curator but was just given the sheet that said made by La Granja.  Exact same shape and more or less size though (couldn't get it out to measure it lol but it looked exactly the same as mine).
m