Topic: wine glass cooler/rinsers

[vanmann]

Any ideas please on origin of these bowls which I assume are wine glass coolers or rinsers. 12 cms diameter x 8.5 cms tall with a ground base.  They have a very strong reaction to UV light so I am guessing Uranium content.
Are they likely to be Victorian/Edwardian in date? I would be very grateful for any suggestions of date and maker. I have a set of 6. Thanks in advance for any help
John

[Paul S.]

I'd suggest rinsers is probably the more correct term, and unusual to have a set of six - it's uncommon to see pre 1900 examples in multiples of more than two or three  -  like anything made of glass, casualties happen.            Having said that, always possible that in a large household where place settings were frequently greater than six, then larger numbers would have been the norm.
I think John Walsh Walsh were still making sets in the 1940's (not uranium though) which surprised me - so a big mis-conception to think they occurred in the C18 and C19 only.
I have a single example in a more or less opaque jade coloured uranium which I tend to think of as second half C19 - but my best guess for this transparent type of uranium would be the first third of the C20, although dating uranium is not my strong point, and someone like Christine may have a better idea of dating this sort of uranium green.

Regret I've no idea as to origin, which will almost certainly remain unknown.                     Intrigued to know how you came by six - are you able to say?

[vanmann]

Thanks for your reply Paul, I spotted them at  boot sale this morning and was told that they were probably "French Breakfast Bowls" !!!

[Ivo]

We were in Traquair the other day - a Scottish castle still in its original state.  There they had a table set for 20 or so, each with a glass rinser. The laird had refurbished the house after the great exhibition, so these rinsers were from the 3rd quarter of the 19th century.
the essence of these rinsers is that the house does not have separate glasses for red and white wine, so between courses they need rinsed.

[Lustrousstone]

I would suggest the shade of green pushes them into or nearer the 20th C. Victorian uranium glass seems to be either yellower or more intense green. This is not fact, merely observation

[vanmann]

Thank you Christine for your observations, I am attaching a new photo which gives a better representation of the intensity of the reaction to UV. Not sure if this is more indicative of date.
Thanks for your help John

[Lustrousstone]

The UV reaction is irrelevant and only varies a bit little (how much glow rather than the intensity of the glow) with uranium concentration, which doesn't seem to be particularly era related

[vanmann]

Ok, thanks

[Paul S.]

I'm surprised at the origin John - quite remarkable, and possibly a first to find six at such a venue - but it's also true that some of the descriptive uses that boot fair sellers come up with can be very amusing and imaginative.

quote from Ivo ............... "the house does not have separate glasses for red and white wine, so between courses they need rinsed."             Seems a paradox that if you live in a 'castle' your etiquette and finances haven't quite stretched to buying the correct glasses.
Presumably this comment implies they used a green glass for white (Rhenish) wine, and a clear (white) glass for red wine  -  the green glass often being a uranium green.

some examples exist with a single lip, and it appears legitimate to also describe them as 'wine glass coolers'.              Attached is a picture of my opaque uranium two lipped rinser, and although not easy to see the sizes of the piece are decorated with slice cutting.               Christine will probably chastise me but I've always understood that the more opaque the uranium green, then it's likely the age will increase  -  from memory some of the original jade shades were quoted as being 1840 - 1850??

[Lustrousstone]

I don't know about that Paul but the opacity is a function of something other than uranium and something that seems to me more to be more related to manufacturer than age. The very acid yellow uranium stuff is a different matter.