Topic: Decanter. Please help identify!

[ryanc88]

Hey Everyone

My Nan recently passed and I have been given two glass decanters. She always told me they were old but other than that I know nothing about them. I think one of the stoppers is not original as it has a longer shape that the other (shown in picture).
I have managed to find the old eBay listing:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-Edinburgh-Crystal-Whisky-Decanter-Square-Hobnail-Cut-Signed-E-L-1920s-/371398411332?hash=item5679120444&nma=true&si=Iv9MITulJ60f9TcTLCWsGMSmQyo%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

Which seems to show the identical decanter but that one has a marking on it, mine don't have any markings at all! So a few questions if you can help? It would be really appreciated
1. Does the lack of markings indicate copies?
2. Glass or Crystal?
3. Age?
4. Value?
5. Safe to use to store whiskey? I have read that some crystal containts lead and is not sage to store drink for long periods of time

Thanks in advance

[Nemmie]

Hi, I can't help with identifying your decanter but I can confirm that scientific studies have shown that keeping wine or spirits in crystal decanters will cause the lead to leach out into the liquid.

As consuming lead is never a good idea it is best to avoid their usage for this purpose. A short term decant would be ok but anything long term is to be avoided.

Personally I wouldn't use one at all.

[ahremck]

This type of glass pattern is called hobnail and was very common for decanters in a tantalus.  There would be 2, 3 or 4 bottles in the tantalus.  They would be identical and usually unmarked.  The cut would be basically identical no matter which company made them.  The stoppers both look suspect to me.  The spherical one does not sit in far enough - which you noted, the other is not quite spherical(from the first photo), and it normally was for this type of decanter.

If they are old the glass will have a faint brown tinge, but if it is crystal it will be a faint grey colour.  If they weigh different amounts you probably have one of each.

Age?  Hard to determine as this type of decanter is still being made and I suspect that even an expert holding them would need to be vague.

Value?  It as what the market will pay.  Value resides in the eye of the buyer, not the seller.


Ross

[chopin-liszt]

I would imagine any value attached to the auction you showed would be from the E&L marking, rather than for the actual decanter, which is, as folk have already said, a very common design, produced for an enormous number of years by a great number of makers.

Just enjoy using your Nan's decanters, raise the odd glass to her memory.
But don't store your spirits in it.